School Whiting

Prized for their sweet, delicate flavour, School Whiting are versatile fish that can be prepared in a number of ways including steaming, baking, barbecuing, grilling and - the most common - frying.

Previously called Red-spot whiting, School Whiting is a relatively small fish with an elongated body and small mouth. The average weight is 200 grams and length averages around 23 cm.

School Whiting is rusty brown with scattered orange-brown spots and has a silvery white belly. Usually occurring in coastal waters from the upper surface zone down to 60 metres most are found around southeast Australia - from western Victoria to southern Queensland, including Tasmania.

Available all year, they are a low priced fish and due to their soft, delicate texture require careful handling. Always sold whole because of their small size, look for bright, lustrous, firm fish with a pleasant fresh sea smell.

Fried whiting fillets are fantastic served with chips. Smaller whiting are delicious deep-fried whole. Butterfly fillets are also popular as there are few bones.

School Whiting with Asparagus & Sauce Gribiche
Serves 4

12 x 50g School Whiting fillets, skin on, bones removed
1 lemon, zested and juiced
Salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 bunch green asparagus, trimmed and sliced on the diagonal (see notes)
Steamed kipfler potatoes, to serve (see notes)

Sauce Gribiche

2 hard boiled eggs, halved, yolks and whites separated
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 ½ tablespoons sherry vinegar (see notes)
Salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon salted baby capers, rinsed and dried
1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped chervil
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives

Sprinkle the fish with lemon zest, salt and pepper, cover and chill until ready to cook.  Half fill a wok or large saucepan with water and bring to the boil.  Meanwhile make the Sauce Gribiche: push the egg yolks through a fine sieve into a medium-size bowl; chop the egg whites and set aside. Slowly whisk olive oil into the egg yolks to make a smooth sauce. Whisk in vinegar, salt and pepper, then stir in capers, parsley, chervil, chives and egg white. Set aside.

Place a plate in 2 steamer baskets, or line with baking paper.  Arrange the asparagus in one steamer basket and the fish in the other one. Squeeze lemon juice over the fish. Stack the baskets on top of the wok, with the asparagus closest to the wok and the fish on top. Cover with the lid and steam for 3-5 minutes, depending on thickness of fillets, until the fish is opaque and flesh flakes easily when tested with a fork.  Stack fillets and asparagus on 4 plates and spoon some of the sauce over. Serve with potatoes and remaining sauce passed separately.

Notes: If asparagus spears are thick and woody, snap off and discard the bottom section and use a potato peeler to peel the spears; if they are thin, you may only need to cut off the very end and not need to peel them. Kipflers are waxy potatoes that hold their shape well when cooked; other waxy potatoes include charlotte or pink fir apple. Use white wine vinegar if sherry vinegar is unavailable.  Alternative species:  Flathead, Flounder, Garfish, or any of the Dory or Whiting species.

FISH FACTS
Often called Red-spot whiting, School Whiting is a relatively small fish with an elongated body and small mouth. The average weight of School Whiting is 200 grams and its length averages 23 cm. The colour is rusty brown above with scattered orange-brown spots and silvery white belly. School Whiting usually occur in coastal waters from the upper surface zone down to 60 metres. Found around south east Australia from western Victoria to southern Queensland, including Tasmania. Available all year, they are a low priced fish.

TO BUY
Always sold whole because of its small size. Look for bright, lustrous, firm fish with a pleasant fresh sea smell. It is generally a low-priced fish.

TO STORE
School Whiting have very little oil content and therefore keep very well. Scale, gill and clean gut, then wrap fish in plastic wrap or place in an airtight container. Keeps up to three days in the refrigerator or freeze for up to six months providing your freezer operates at –18ºc.

TO PREPARE
Scale, clean and gut fish. The head may be removed or left on. If the head is removed, whole fish may be butterflied. Slitting the belly from head to tail and removing insides. Open the fish and flatten onto a board, flesh side down. Press gently yet firmly along the backbone, turn fish over and pull out the backbone and any other bones.

TO COOK
School Whiting have a very fine, moist texture. A protective coating such as flour, a crumb mixture or a crisp batter will prevent the fish drying out when frying. They can also be baked, steamed or poached in a liquid such as a court bouillon. Mild butter sauces with white wine and delicate herbs such as dill, chervil, parsley or tarragon go well along with mild flavoured vegetables like asparagus or beans. Try olive oil dressings or herb butters.

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