Ingredients

• 6 whiting fillet, each weighing 110g, skinned
• 80g of unsalted butter, softened
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 60g of fresh tarragon, finely chopped
• 25g of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 25g of chives, chopped
• 2 handfuls of baby spinach leaves
• olive oil
• salt
• black pepper

Method

1. For the herb crust, place the butter, garlic, tarragon, parsley and chives, with some salt and pepper, in a food processor and blend until thoroughly mixed.
2. Scrape the mixture out of the bowl onto a sheet of greaseproof paper. Lay another piece of greaseproof paper on top, then using a rolling pin, roll out the crust as thinly as possible. Chill it in the fridge for at least 1 hour to firm up.
3. To cook the fish, heat a large ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat. Pour in a splash of olive oil, then lay the whiting fillets in the pan, season with salt and pepper and fry for a few minutes to lightly colour each side.
4. Preheat the grill. Remove the herb crust from the fridge and peel off the greaseproof paper. Cut out pieces of the butter the size of the whiting fillets – any leftover herb crust can be frozen to use another time. Press a piece of herb crust firmly on top of each whiting fillet, then cook under the grill until the butter has melted.
5. Press a piece of herb crust firmly on top of each whiting fillet, then cook under the grill until the butter has melted.
6. While the butter is melting, heat some olive oil on a pan and add the spinach. Allow to cook, turning frequently, for about a minute or until wilted. Serve the whiting fillets with melting herb crust over a bed of spinach.

Recipe by Galton Blackiston