The time I realised what all the fuss is about with regards to whitebait was like a “lightbulb moment” (I hope I didn’t just use a Dr Phil idiom). Its sweet, delicate flavour marries perfectly with lemon and not much else; less is definitely more in the case of this tiny, translucent fish. While the more conventional way to cook this fish is to bind with egg and fry like a big pancake, I recently tried deep-fried whitebait with horopito seasoning and aioli and it made the bestsellers list in my food memories library.
Whitebait season is in full force and although I have been told stories about friends down the line casually picking up 85lbs in a morning, I paid top dollar at the local fishmonger – but I really insist you do this instead of using the imported variety.