King George whiting with a white wine butter and caper sauce

SERVES 2

plain (all-purpose) flour, for coating

2 whole King George whiting, cleaned and gutted

100 g (3½ oz) butter

½ lemon

125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) dry white wine

2 tablespoons salted capers, drained and rinsed

8 baby carrots, peeled

8 asparagus spears, trimmed

1 tablespoon ligurian or other honey

lemon wedges, to serve

Season the flour with salt and pepper, dredge the fish through and then dust off any excess. Heat half of the butter in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat and, when foaming, add the fish. When the skin is lightly browned, turn the fish over, give them a generous squeeze of lemon and cook the other side. Remove the fish from the pan and keep warm.

Deglaze the pan with white wine, scatter in the capers and then add the remaining butter. Gently cook down until all the flavours are combined.

Blanch or steam the carrots and asparagus, drain and return to the pot. Drizzle over some of the honey and then toss together allowing some of the steaming liquid to loosen the honey and coat the vegetables.

Stack the carrots and asparagus on one half of the plate then place the whiting beside them. Spoon some of the caper sauce over the whiting. Garnish with wedges of lemon.

This is my wife Andrea’s recipe. I stole it from her as she’s a really good cook!