WHITE CASTLE: FISH NIBBLERS (SMALL)

SAVE: 72 CALORIES, 13 G FAT, 3.5 G SAT. FAT

While I was in Nashville researching recipes, I happened upon White Castle’s Fish Nibblers. They looked tasty. And since I was having trouble selecting the perfect recipes for this chapter, I was excited to give the Nibblers a try . . . and, boy, was I glad I did. I loved them.

When I went to a local grocery store to buy ingredients to re-create them, I happened upon whiting, a fish I’d never seen in my Los Angeles grocery stores. Because it was so inexpensive, I decided to give it a try. I thought it was probably similar to pollock or hoki and figured whiting would be the perfect “white fish” to fill these great little nuggets from the sea. Unfortunately, I was wrong. Whiting was way too fishy for my taste. I immediately rushed back to buy some cod, which worked extremely well. If you find that cod is unavailable, I’d recommend haddock or red snapper to help you re-create this great White Castle experience, too (but skip the whiting).

Olive oil spray

1 center-cut cod or other mild white-fleshed fish fillet (about 4 ounces)

1 tablespoon unbleached or all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

Pinch of garlic powder

1 egg white

½ tablespoon fat-free milk

2½ tablespoons dry bread crumbs

1 teaspoon dried parsley

Bottled low-fat tartar sauce (optional)

PREHEAT the oven to 450°F. Lightly mist a small nonstick baking sheet with oil spray.

Cut the fish into 14 pieces that are about equal in size. Pat dry with paper towels.

In a small resealable plastic bag, combine the flour, salt, and garlic powder. Shake to mix well. Add the fish. Shake to completely coat the fish with the flour mixture. Set aside.

In a small shallow bowl, combine the egg white and milk. Beat with a fork until smooth. Place the bread crumbs and parsley on a small sheet of waxed paper set next to the egg-white mixture. With fingers, mix to blend.

Dip the fish, one piece at a time, into the egg-white mixture, being sure to coat completely. Allow any excess egg-white mixture to drip off. Dip into the bread crumbs to coat completely. Place each piece on the reserved baking sheet. Continue until all of the fish pieces are placed on the baking sheet, not touching, in a single layer. Lightly mist with oil spray.

Bake for 4 minutes. Flip the pieces. Bake for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the breading starts to crisp and the fish flakes easily. Serve with tartar sauce, if desired.

MAKES 1 SERVING (14 NUGGETS)

208 calories, 25 g protein, 18 g carbohydrates, 3 g fat, trace sat. fat, 1 g fiber

Original White Castle Small Fish Nibblers (14 nuggets): 280 calories, 19 g protein, 24 g carbohydrates, 16 g fat, 3.5 g sat. fat, 5 g fiber

DRIVE-THRU These nuggets can be made in big batches and then stored in the freezer for up to 1 month before being baked. Simply line an airtight container with waxed paper. Lay the breaded nuggets in single layers, separating each layer with a sheet of waxed paper. When you’re ready to eat them, bake the frozen nuggets according to the recipe directions for 4 to 6 minutes per side.

BEFORE YOU START If you prefer, you can prepare one of the low-fat tartar sauces (Popeyes Tartar Sauce, McDonald’s Tartar Sauce, or Burger King Tartar Sauce) instead of using bottled tartar sauce.