Boiled Whiting is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton's recipe of 1861, for a classic dish of whiting cooked in salted water that's served with anchovy sauce, caper sauce or melted butter. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Boiled Whiting.
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This is a traditional British recipe redacted from the redoubtable Mrs Beeton's 1861 volume Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, the classic Victorian cookbook.
Original Recipe
343. INGREDIENTS.—1/4 lb. of salt to each gallon of water.
Mode.—Cleanse the fish, but do not skin them; lay them in a fish-kettle, with sufficient cold water to cover them, and salt in the above proportion. Bring them gradually to a boil, and simmer gently for about 5 minutes, or rather more should the fish be very large. Dish them on a hot napkin, and garnish with tufts of parsley. Serve with anchovy or caper sauce, and plain melted butter.
Time.—After the water boils, 5 minutes.
Average cost for small whitings, 4d. each.
Seasonable all the year, but best from October to March.
Sufficient, 1 small whiting for each person.
To CHOOSE WHITING.—Choose for the firmness of its flesh and the silvery hue of its appearance.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
4 whiting
23g of salt per 1l of water used
anchovy sauce, caper sauce or melted butter, to serve
Method:
Clean and scale the fish then wash thoroughly and dry. Place in a fish kettle and add enough cold water to cover them. Now add 23g of salt per 1l of water used. Bring gradually to a boil, cover and simmer gently for about 5 minutes (or a little more if the fish are large).
Drain the fish, arrange on a serving plate and garnish with parsley. Serve with Anchovy Sauce, caper sauce or melted butter.
