CookEat Recipe
Whitebait, Virginia
Small whole fish fried with thin country-ham strips, finished with lemon and parsley.
Method
Steps
Step 1
Use one pound of very fresh whole small sprats sold as whitebait, picked, washed and well drained. Dip them in a little cold milk, lift onto a sieve and let excess milk drain.
Step 2
Sprinkle the six tablespoons of fine cornmeal over the fish and shake well to coat. Cut the two ounces of lean raw Virginia country ham into thin strips half an inch long.
Step 3
Heat enough refined canola oil for basket frying to 180 Celsius. Place fish and ham together in the basket and fry in small batches. Use two minutes as a first guide; continue until the fish are cooked through and the pork strips fully cooked, with fish reaching 70 Celsius and pork 71 Celsius in the thickest portions. Drain well on a clean cloth.
Step 4
Sprinkle the half teaspoon of salt and saltspoon of cayenne over the fried food and shake to distribute the seasoning. Dress on a hot dish lined with a clean folded serving napkin. Decorate with the six lemon quarters and a little washed parsley greens, and serve immediately.
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