This simple whiting recipe from Galton Blackiston is great for a quick weeknight seafood dinner. The buttery crust of tarragon, garlic, chives and parsley can be prepared in advance and kept in the fridge until needed, but even if you don't make the butter ahead of time, it only takes an hour to chill
Method
1.
For the herb crust, place the butter, garlic, tarragon, parsley and chives, with some salt and pepper, in a food processor and blend until thoroughly mixed
Preparing garlic
When preparing the garlic, peel each clove, cut in half and remove the bitter tasting germ
2.
Scrape the mixture out of the bowl onto a sheet of greaseproof paper. Lay another piece of greaseproof paper on top, then using a rolling pin, roll out the crust as thinly as possible. Chill it in the fridge for at least 1 hour to firm up
3.
To cook the fish, heat a large ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat. Pour in a splash of olive oil, then lay the whiting fillets in the pan, season with salt and pepper and fry for a few minutes to lightly colour each side
4.
Preheat the grill. Remove the herb crust from the fridge and peel off the greaseproof paper. Cut out pieces of the butter the size of the whiting fillets - any leftover herb crust can be frozen to use another time. Press a piece of herb crust firmly on top of each whiting fillet, then cook under the grill until the butter has melted
5.
Press a piece of herb crust firmly on top of each whiting fillet, then cook under the grill until the butter has melted
6.
While the butter is melting, heat some olive oil on a pan and add the spinach. Allow to cook, turning frequently, for about a minute or until wilted. Serve the whiting fillets with melting herb crust over a bed of spinach
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