Fresh Whitebait Icefish, Tender and Sweet

Fingertip-length, pearl-white and almost translucent, these little fish are eaten whole — head, bones and all — which is exactly why they taste so good. There is no cleaning, no filleting and no waste, just a delicate, faintly sweet flavour that has made them a coastal staple for generations.

Why you'll love it

• Nothing to prepare — no scaling, gutting or boning. Straight from the pack to the pan.
• Delicate and clean — a soft, sweet flavour with none of the strong fishiness that puts people off seafood.
• Naturally rich — a good source of protein, calcium and omega-3s, since the whole fish is eaten.
• Fast to cook — on the table in under five minutes.

How to cook it

The classic is a whitebait fritter: fold a cup of fish through a lightly beaten egg with a spoonful of flour, then fry in butter until just set. They are also excellent steamed with a little ginger and soy, stirred through egg drop soup, or dusted in cornflour and flash-fried until crisp.

Storage

Supplied as a 2 kg pack. Keep chilled at 0–4°C and use within two days, or freeze on arrival and thaw overnight in the fridge.