ingredients
serves 6 - 8
1 pound whitebait
2 teaspoons sea salt
1/3 cup All purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons finely chopped
fresh flat-leaf parsley
olive oil, for deep-frying
1 lemon, cut into wedges, for serving
method
1. Combine the whitebait and sea salt in a bowl and mix well. Cover and refrigerate.
2. Combine the sifted flours and chopped parsley in a bowl and season well with cracked pepper. Fill a deep heavy-based pan one third full of oil and heat to 180°C (350°F), or until a cube of bread browns in 15 seconds. Toss a third of the whitebait in the flour mixture, shake off the excess and deep-fry for 1 1/2 minutes, or until pale and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain well on crumpled paper towels. Repeat with the remaining whitebait, cooking in two batches.
3. Reheat the oil and fry the whitebait a second time in three batches for 1 minute each, or until lightly browned. Drain on crumpled paper towels and serve hot with lemon wedges.
