Pan-fried whiting with burnt butter and herb salad

1. You will need to cook the fish in two batches, so warm the oven and have a plate ready for the fish. Take a large frying pan and check that all four fillets will fit at once. Put the pan over high heat, pour in enough clarified butter to cover the base of the pan and heat it to hot. Meanwhile, dip the fish fillets in milk, then in the flour and sprinkle with sea salt. When hot enough, add the fillets to the pan, skin side down, and cook for about one minute. Turn over and cook for a further minute. Transfer to a warm oven and repeat with the remaining fillets.

2. Mix together the herbs, shallots and spring onions. Just before serving, dress with extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice and seasoning.

3. When you are about to plate the fish, add the cubed butter to the pan over a high heat. Place two fillets on each serving plate, squeeze a little lemon juice over, sprinkle with parsley and some sea salt and add a good grind of pepper. When the butter in the pan turns nut brown, spoon it over the fish – the butter, parsley and lemon juice will mingle to create a delicious sauce. Serve immediately with the small herb salad on the side.

TIP
For thicker fillets, skip the milk and flour crust and place the fillets skin-side down in the pan. Push the fish down with another frying pan and cook the skin for about three minutes  then remove the pan, turn the fillet briefly to seal the underside and allow the fish to rest. It will be perfectly cooked with a crisp skin crust.