Egg-White Whitebait Fritters with Caper-Lemon Butter on Sourdough

Method

1. Spread the whitebait between two sheets of paper towel, press gently, then leave it uncovered in the fridge for 10 minutes to dry the surface. The drier the fish, the lighter the egg-white mix stays and the less the fat spits.

2. Whisk the egg whites with the salt in a clean, grease-free bowl to soft peaks whose tips just curl over; stiff meringue makes the fritters dry. Add the whitebait, finely snipped chives and white pepper and fold 2 or 3 times with a spatula, just enough to combine without knocking out the air.

   Add in this stepEgg whites 2Salt 1 pinchWhitebait, thawed and dried 200 gChives 4 gWhite pepper 1 pinch

3. Heat a 24 cm pan over medium-high heat and toast the sourdough dry for 1 min 30 sec per side, until golden-striped, then set it on plates.

   Add in this stepSourdough slices, 1.5 cm thick 2

   medium-high heat

4. Turn the same pan to medium heat, melt the clarified butter and, when it shimmers, spoon in rounds of the mixture. Fry for 1 min 30 sec per side, until pale golden on both sides and all the fish is white and opaque, then lift onto a rack. Cook in batches so the pan isn't crowded.

   Add in this stepClarified butter or ghee 15 g

   medium heat

5. Wipe out the pan with paper towel, melt the butter over medium heat and let it cook for 2 min. When the foam subsides, brown flecks form on the bottom and it smells nutty, turn off the heat and swirl in the capers and half the lemon juice. It will sizzle and spit, so stand back.

   Add in this stepButter (for the sauce) 30 gCapers, drained 2 tspLemon ¼

   medium heat

6. Set the fritters on the sourdough, spoon over the caper-lemon butter, sprinkle with flaky salt and serve the rest of the lemon in wedges.

   Add in this stepFlaky salt 1 pinchLemon ¼