Home & People Unusual ways for serving whitebait

Press, 1 October 1979, Page 12

Home & People Unusual ways for serving whitebait

FOOD AND RECIPES

By

Celia Timms

When all the lucky whitebait catchers have become a little tired of eating their catches in fritters they may like to try some of today’s recipes. As some of the methods use a minimum amount of what could now be regarded as a luxury, those who have to buy their whitebait may also b. interested. SAUTE MEUNIERE The method generally used in England for cooking whitebait is to fry it in butter until crisp as in the following Saute Meuniere. But this is for the fortunate ones who have ample supplies. Serves four. You will need:— Whitebait 125 g butter Juice of | lemon 1 tablespoon finelv chopped parsley Salt and pepper Flour Method; Wash whitebait in a strainer, drain well and spread on a paper towel. Cover with another tow’el and dab lightly to ■ dry the fish as much as possible. Sprinkle about two to three tablespoons of flour seasoned with salt and pepper and a tinv pinch of nutmeg if liked, on a paper and shake the dried whitebait on to this. Toss, ensuring that each fish is separate from the others. Heat 50g of butter in a pan and when foaming pour the whitebait into it shaking the pan vigorously while they cook to a . golden colour. Remove to . heated serving dish. Melt remainder of butter and add lemon juice and parsley.' Pour over whitebait and .serve immediately garnished with lemon wedges. WHITEBAIT ROLLS Crisp Whitebait Rolls are very good and much more sparing with the fish. Toss well-drained whitebait in hot butter in a pan until lightly cooked, season with salt and pepper and moisten with a vety little ■ mayonnaise. Spread on very thin slices buttered fresh bread and roll tightly. Brush the rolls with melted butter and place in a hot oven (425) until crisp and golden brown. Serve hot sprinkled with chopped parsley. SAVOURY BAKE When cooked with rice in this Savoury Bake, a little whitebait will go quite a long way. The' following quantities should serve 4. You will need: 2 glasses whitebait (or more) 1 cup uncooked rice 50g butter 1 onion I green pepper 4 tomatoes Grated cheese Salt and pepper Method: Melt butter tn pan and add the unwashed rice and cook, stirring well, until rice is coloured. Add peeled and chopped tomatoes, grated or finely chopped onion and

chopped green pepper. Season to taste. Cover and cook over low heat until rice is tender. Arrange rice mixture and whitebait in layers in greased ovenproof dish and cover thickly with grated cheese. Bake at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes. If necessary, toast under griller for two to three minutes to crisp and brown the cheese topping. BAKED IN YOGHURT Whitebait baked in sour cream or yoghurt can also be made with only two glasses of whitebait, but it is richer than Savoury Bake. Serves 4. You will need:— 2 glasses whitebait (or more) | bunch spinach I cup grated cheese 1 dessertspoon lemon juice 1 cup peeled and

chopped tomato i onion or shallots 1 cup yoghurt or sour cream 1 egg 1 taolespoon sherry Salt and pepper Nutmeg Tomato slices Method: Wash spinach and remove stalks, chop leaves and simmer gently in very small quantity of boiling salted water until tender; drain very’ well. Place in the base of a greased shallow ovenproof dish and sprinkle with half of the cheese. Wash whitebait in strainer and drain well. Pour over lemon juice and toss the fish in this then spread on top of cheese. Blend the finely chopped or grated onion with beaten egg, yoghurt, sherry and salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste. Arrange chopped tomato on top of whitebait then pour over egg mixture. Arrange tomato slices around edge of dish and sprinkle over remaining cheese.. Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes. This can also be made in individual ramekins. WHITEBAIT SOUFFLE Whitebait can be cooked with mashed potato to. make a souffle, which must be eaten immediately it comes from the oven. Serves 3 to 4. You will need:— 2 or more glasses whitebait 1 large cup finely mashed cooked potato 2 eggs 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons milk 1 teaspoon lemon juice Salt and pepper Nutmeg Method: Press the cooked potato through a sieve to ensure all lumps are removed and place in a small pan with the butter and milk: allow to heat slowly, stirring con-

tinually. then add the beaten . egg-yolks and beat well with rotary beater and remove from heat. Add the drained and dried whitebait, lemon juice and seasoning and blend lightly but well. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry and lightly fold into mixture. Turn into a well buttered ovenproof dish. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or until well risen and lightly browned. Serve sprinkled with finely chopped parsley. WHITEBAIT PIZZA .Another method for making a little fish go a long way is a Whitebait Pizza. Ingredients given are enough for a 7 to 8 inch pizza.

You will need:— 2 cups self-raising flour 50 g softened butter Salt Lemon juice Milk 2 or more glasses whitebait 1 onion 2-3 tomatoes 1 cup grated cheese Salt and pepper Parsley Lemon Method: Sift flour with salt and rub in butter: add lemon juice and mix to a soft dough with milk. Turn on to a lightly floured surface and roll very thin. Line pie plate. Flute edge and prick base well with a fork. Saute the grated or finely chopped onion in a little butter until soft but not coloured and spread on the pastry base. Thinly slice peeled tomatoes and cover onion with them. Spread washed and well drained whitebait evenly over tomato. Season with salt and pepper and cover With grated cheese. Cook

at 375 for 30 minutes and serve sprinkled with finely chopped parsley and sliced lemon. WHITEBAIT SHELLS Whitebait in fried potato shells is different and very tasty. It is also economical in the quantity of bait used. Serves 4. You will need:— 2 glasses whitebait 4 large potatoes J cup white sauce 1 teaspoon chopped parsley Lemon juice Salt and pepper Nutmeg Cooking oil Lemon Method: Peel potatoes and hollow each one into a basket shape with sharp pointed knife and a spoon. Dry thoroughly. Fry in deep hot oil until a skewer will pierce them easily. Remove and drain on absorbent paper and keep hot. Heat white sauce, season to taste with lemon juice, add parslev and the well washed and drained whitebait and a pinch of nutmeg. Simmer over Very low heat for about five minutes then fill, into potato shells. Heat through in a 350 oven until filling is lightly browned or place under a grill. Garnish with lemon slices.