Name: Buvette’s butterflied sand whiting with herb and almond butter
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 4 sand whiting, scaled, ungutted (1.2 kg); 50 gm seasoned plain flour (1/3 cup); 2 eggs, beaten lightly; 200 gm medium-fine white breadcrumbs from day-old bread (3 cups); 100 gm clarified butter; 2 small lemons, halved; 100 gm chilled butter, diced; 4 golden shallots, finely chopped; 50 gm salted baby capers, rinsed; 80 gm roasted almonds, coarsely chopped (½ cup); ¼ cup finely chopped chives

Buvette’s butterflied sand whiting with herb and almond butter

French restaurant Buvette shares its recipe for a butterflied and pan-fried sand whiting with herb and almond butter.

Serves 4

Prep

50M

Cook

15M

Total

1H 5M

“I love Buvette’s whiting with almond butter. Would you please print the recipe?”

Karl Connors, Manuka, ACT

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Ingredients

4 sand whiting, scaled, ungutted (1.2 kg)

50 gm seasoned plain flour (1/3 cup)

2 eggs, beaten lightly

200 gm medium-fine white breadcrumbs from day-old bread (3 cups)

100 gm clarified butter

2 small lemons, halved

100 gm chilled butter, diced

4 golden shallots, finely chopped

50 gm salted baby capers, rinsed

80 gm roasted almonds, coarsely chopped (½ cup)

¼ cup finely chopped chives

Method

Main

1.Remove whiting fins with scissors. Cut along both sides of spine and around ribs with a filleting knife, being careful not to cut through skin at belly. Cut through spine at back of head and start of tail using scissors, then remove spine and guts. Rinse and dry fish, remove pin bones with tweezers.

2.Place flour, egg and breadcrumbs in separate bowls. Season whiting, then coat first in flour, shaking off excess, then in egg and then breadcrumbs, pressing to coat. Heat clarified butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 whiting to pan, opened out, and fry cut-side down until golden (3-4 minutes). Turn and fry until just cooked through (1 minute). Place in a low oven to keep warm and repeat with remaining fish.

3.Heat a char-grill pan over high heat and lightly char lemons cut-side down (1-2 minutes).

4.Stir butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat until golden (3-5 minutes). Add shallot, capers and almonds, season to taste, stir in chives, then spoon onto whiting and serve with charred lemons.

This recipe uses whole whiting; whiting fillets are a time-saving substitute.
Notes

The Gourmet Traveller Team

Gourmet Traveller is Australia’s trusted authority on food, travel and luxury lifestyle, bringing the latest news and trends to life through quality journalism, enticing recipes and evocative photography. For more than 55 years, it has been inspiring and informing Australians with the best in cooking, dining, travelling and shopping. Our critics bring the expertise of years of critical eating, drinking and writing to the table. Plus, as the country’s leading title in the luxury sector, Gourmet Traveller works closely with Australia’s leaders in the travel and hospitality industries to give our readers exclusive access. The Gourmet Traveller legacy is one of trust, prestige and relevance.

Styling by Aimee Jones