Whitebait, Deep-Fried

This is a basic recipe for whitebait. Serve with French-fried potatoes and salad for a tasty light meal.

4 SERVINGS easy

2 oz. seasoned flour, made with

2 oz. flour, -}- teaspoon salt,

½ teaspoon black pepper and

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley

1 lb. whitebait, rinsed and dried sufficient vegetable oil for deep-frying

Place the seasoned flour on a large plate. Roll the whitebait in the seasoned flour, coating them thoroughly and shaking off any excess. Set aside.

Fill a large, deep-frying pan one-third full with vegetable oil and set it over moderate heat. Heat the oil until it reaches 360°F on a deep-fat thermometer or until a small cube of stale bread dropped into the oil turns golden in 50 seconds. Carefully place the whitebait in the oil and fry them, a handful at a time, for 2 to 3 minutes or until they are crisp and light brown. (If the whitebait stick together during frying, shake the pan gently from time to time.) Using a slotted spoon, transfer the whitebait to kitchen paper towels to drain. Keep hot while you cook and drain the remaining whitebait in the same way.

Transfer the whitebait to a warmed serving dish and serve at once. – /