Whitebait fritters
West Coast New Zealand whitebait fritter on buttered white bread
New ZealandEvery spring, from September to November, the rivers of New Zealand's West Coast, around Hokitika and Haast, line with people scooping tiny translucent whitebait in nets, and the season's prize is a whitebait fritter. The fish are bound with just enough egg to hold them, fried in butter and eaten between slices of buttered white bread with a squeeze of lemon. Buy fresh or frozen whitebait from a trusted seller. A common mistake is adding flour, which hides the delicate fish; the true West Coast fritter is almost all whitebait. Chef's tip: beat the egg white separately and fold it in for a lighter fritter.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 14 oz whitebaitfresh or thawed
- 2 eggsseparated
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 pinch white pepper
- 1 oz butterfor frying
- 8 slices soft white breadbuttered
- 1 lemonin wedges
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What you'll need
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Method
0/4 doneStep 2: Whisk the yolks from the 2 eggs with ½ tsp salt and 1 pinch white pepper and stir in the whitebait. Whisk the whites to soft peaks and fold in gently.
4 minStep 3: Heat 1 oz butter in a frying pan over a medium heat until foaming. Spoon in four fritters and cook for 1½–2 minutes a side until golden and set and the fish are white and opaque.
8 minStep 4: Sandwich each fritter between two slices of buttered 8 slices soft white bread and serve with 1 lemon.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 22 g
- Carbs
- 24 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does whitebait fritters take?
- About 15 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
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