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Fish and Chips

Print Recipe
Course Main Course

Ingredients
  

  • 3 litres Cooking oil (safflower, or any neutral vegetable oil)
  • 2 large Russet potatoes, scrubbed and washed (12 oz/340g each)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt, plus more for later (kosher as usual)
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 cup Cold brown beer
  • 1 1/2 lbs Firm, white fish (see #1 below)
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch (for dredging)
  • Lemon wedges, malt vinegar, salt for serving

Instructions
 

  • Put the oil in a large pot or 5 quart Dutch oven, and sett to medium-low. (See #2)
  • Cut potatoes into thick pieces, Around 3/4" thick, and place in a large bowl of cold water.
  • In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt, cayenne pepper.
  • Slowly whisk in the beer until the batter is completely smooth.
  • Refrigerate the batter for at least 15 minutes, but no more than 1 hour.
  • Raise the heat on the oil, and bring to 320F
  • Drain the potatoes and pat dry with paper towel or use a salad spinner.
  • When the oil hits 320F, fry small batches of potatoes until they are pale and soft, 2-3 minutes. Remove the potatoes and let cool on a wire rack over some paper towel.
  • Raise the heat of the oil to 350F
  • Put the cornstarch in a pie pan, and dredge the fish in the cornstarch.
  • Dip the fish in the batter, and ease it into the oil - do not overcrowd the pot.
  • When the batter is set on one side, gently turn over and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side.
  • Let the fish drain on another wire rack over paper towel.
  • Bring the oil to 375F.
  • Again with small batches, re-fry the potatoes until crisp and golden brown, about 3 minutes.
  • Drain the chips again while cooking all the batches.
  • Plate, season the fish and chips with a sprinkle of malt vinegar and salt.

Notes

  1. Halibut, cod, haddock, pollock are all great choices.
  2. You can pre-heat the oil by placing the Dutch oven in an oven at 200F until you're ready to bring the oil to 320F