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extra cayenne pepper, to sprinkle (optional)

mayonnaise (see page 246), for dipping

lemon wedges

These are a far cry from the soggy, overcooked whitebait we used to eat as kids whenever we were treated to a meal in a steakhouse. Freshly fried, these crisp, salty bites are lovely with a pint of ale. If using frozen whitebait, you may want to go easy on the extra salt as the tiny fish are usually soaked in brine before freezing.

Wash the whitebait, drain well and pat dry with kitchen paper. For the batter, in a bowl, mix 100g of the flour with the cayenne pepper and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Make a well in the middle and gradually whisk in the milk to make a smooth batter.

Heat an 8-10cm depth of oil in a deep-fryer or a heavy-based pan; the pan should be no more than half-full. The oil is ready when it reaches 190°C, or when a cube of bread dropped in turns golden brown in less than 40 seconds.

Deep-fry the whitebait in batches. Dip a handful into the remaining flour to coat, shaking off excess. Now dip the floured whitebait into the batter, then gently drop into the hot oil. Deep-fry for 1-2 minutes until golden and crisp. When you take them out of the oil, the whitebait should rustle as you shake them together. Try not to overcrowd the pan, as this will cause the temperature of the oil to drop too much.

Drain the whitebait on a tray lined with kitchen paper and keep warm in a low oven while you deep-fry the rest. If you wish, sprinkle on a little extra cayenne pepper. Serve while still crisp, with a bowl of mayonnaise and lemon wedges on the side.