Whitebait: New Zealand's Divine Treat

Whitebait Season is here again

This time last year we were heading off for our intrepid adventure, touring New Zealand.
Which was a fantastic month. We loved it. It’s a beautiful country we live in.
It was just at the end of the Whitebait season and we ate it at every opportunity, as we drove down through the country, until the season ran out and there was no more.
You can buy it frozen but I’m looking at fresh here.

I bought $20 worth last night and there was enough to make a lovely omelet.
It is so expensive these days…when I was young it was cheap as chips, but now it is about $150 per kilo…but we have to treat ourselves to this New Zealand delicacy.
So I buy it as often as I can afford.

This time I accompanied it with a Broccoli Slaw.
I always keep breadcrumbs made from leftover good bread and freeze them in little bags.
You can toast them in some olive oil to crisp them up.
Makes a wonderful crunch for pasta and also sprinkled over salads.

Ingredients
Broccoli,
Tomatoes cut into wedges and seeded
Basil sliced
For crunch
3 tablespoons breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon olive oil


The Dressing
1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon sea slat
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Mix together the first 6 ingredients with a small whisk or a fork

Slowly add the oil whisking well

Pour over broccoli
Put into the fridge for at least an hour
Meanwhile
Heat the olive oil in a pan, med heat
Throw in the breadcrumbs and fry them for about 4 minutes till crispy.
Add tomatoes and basil to broccoli and leave for another 10 minutes to meld the flavours.
Add the crispy breadcrumbs and serve
Now for the omelet
You may be surprise at the flour addition but I find it helps to bind it together

For 2 people

Pre heat oven to 190C
6 eggs
1 tablespoon flour
200 gms whitebait
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoon olive oil

Beat eggs in a bowl
add flour, S & P
Whisk again
Add whitebait

Heat oil in a pan (that will go into the oven)
Till it is hot
Throw in egg and whitebait mixture
Shake it around over the heat for a minute or two.

Into the oven for 5 - 7 minutes
It should just be set don’t overcook it
Cut into wedges and serve with a slice of lemon to squeeze over.
We ate the salad separately.

It was family dinner Sunday at Karen and Steve’s house and of course as usual the star of the day is The Baby Cleo
The new trick “Where is Cleo?”
Here is the three youngest watching DVD’s while the adults eat fab food and drink wine.

Monday was Vegetarian Day at our house
Leek Tomato Asparagus and Basil Risotto

For 2 people
1 cup Arborio rice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 leek washed and sliced
Sea salt & pepper
1 cup white wine
Approx 2 cups hot chicken stock
Parmesan Cheese grated
1 bunch asparagus tough ends broken off and chopped
2 tomatoes seeded and sliced...Reserve seeds

First in a pot add the chicken stock
Bring to boil and add asparagus
Cook till al dente
Drain and reserve stock for the risotto
Add tomato seeds to the stock for extra flavour
Heat oil in pan over med heat
Add leeks and sauté till soft but still green
Add rice and toss around to fully coat the grains of rice.
Season with S & P
Add wine and stir till all wine is absorbed
Keep adding the hot stock one soup ladle at a time
Keep stirring as each amount of stock is absorbed.
When the grains of rice are cooked
Add tomatoes and asparagus
Stir well
Check seasoning and adjust if necessary
Add basil and serve.