Merlan à l’Anglaise

Merlan à l’Anglaise (whiting in a fine egg-and-breadcrumb coat) teaches one severe little truth: the clarified butter must be properly hot before the fish enters. The coat then sets at once, stays crisp, and protects flesh so delicate it can pass from pearly to dry while you are still arranging the platter.

The grand kitchen had a fish cook to draw the spines, trays of very fine crumbs, prepared egg coating, and clarified butter already hot. It did not call on a saucier, the perpetual stockpot, or a salamander, so neither will we. At home, let the fishmonger handle the fiddliest cut, then use a wide skillet and a warm platter. Four small whiting replace the brigade quantity, but the spine drawn cleanly, the à l’anglaise coat, the clarified butter, and the half-melted beurre maître d’hôtel (parsley-lemon butter) all stay. Those are the dish. The rest is scaffolding.

Heat the clarified butter until a test crumb answers with an immediate, lively sizzle. That instant setting of the crust is the step that matters most. One cook, one stove, one evening, and fish brought to the table while the butter still gleams.