The whiting caught in Icelandic waters is currently being assessed for the right to display the MSC ecolabel. Whiting is a fairly small member of the cod family but its flavour is equally good.
Ingredients
- 4 parsnips, peeled
- 4 x 150–175-g/5–6-oz whiting fillets, skin on
- 50 g/2 oz/4 tbsp clarified butter (see here)
- 200 g/7 oz mixed green salad leaves
- 2 tbsp walnut oil
- 1 tbsp chopped hazelnuts
- groundnut (peanut) oil, for deep-frying and brushing
- salt and pepper
How to Make It
- Heat groundnut (peanut) oil in a deep-fat fryer or tall, heavy-based saucepan to 180°C/350°F. Check the temperature of the oil with a cooking thermometer or by adding a cube of white bread, which should immediately rise to the surface and start to brown.
- While the oil is heating up, shave the parsnips into long thin strips using a vegetable peeler or mandoline. Add the strips to the hot oil and deep-fry until golden brown. Drain onto a plate lined with kitchen paper (paper towels) and sprinkle with salt.
- Pat the whiting fillets dry with kitchen paper. Brush groundnut oil over the fillets and season with salt and pepper. Heat a dry frying pan (skillet) over a high heat and lay the fillets in it skin-side down. Fry without moving the fish around so the skin becomes crisp. When the flesh turns white and is no longer translucent – after about 3–4 minutes – turn the fillets over carefully with a spatula. Fry for 1–2 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets, until cooked.
- Drain the fish onto a plate lined with kitchen paper. Add the clarified butter to the pan. Stir until the butter melts and turns a rich golden brown and has the aroma of roasted nuts – known as ‘beurre noisette’.
- Dress the salad leaves with the walnut oil and mix in the chopped hazelnuts.
- Serve the fish, skin-side up, with the ‘beurre noisette’ drizzled over and around. Accompany with the parsnip ‘crisps’ (‘chips’) and salad.
