Fish and Chips

Beer Battered British Pub Staple: Serves 4-6

During our stay in London, most of our culinary samplings took place in pubs. After almost a whole year without decent ale, food was only our second priority. The traditional pub fare was as you might expect: savory comfort food. The kids were pleased. We found few surprises, though I was delighted by the cheeses and chutneys. And though we never fail to order fish and chips when we eat at states-side brewpubs, there was something pleasingly authentic about snapping into a steaming piece of fried cod in a Dickensian public house.

We have made fish and chips half a dozen times since returning home, and the recipe below is the version I’ve settled upon. We tend to leave the skins on the fries. Most of my family prefers cod to halibut. The cod pulls apart into thick luscious flakes, and the halibut is denser but has a great flavor. While the chips are warming in the oven, they start to get nice and sweet, though a bit soggy, so don’t forget to fry them again right before serving.

Ingredients

• 6 large russet potatoes, peeled (or not) and cut into strips (not too thin – British chips are more like American steak fries than French fries)
• 1 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 t. baking powder
• 1 t. salt
• 1/2 t. white pepper
• 8-12 oz cold beer (lager or mellow amber ale)
• 1 egg
• 1-2 qt. vegetable oil for frying
• 1 1/2 pounds cod fillets (or haddock or halibut if you prefer)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 250°F.

2. Peel and cut potatoes to desired size. Place them in a bowl of ice water.

3. In a separate mixing bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Stir in the beer and egg. Mix until smooth. Let batter stand while you cook the potatoes.

4. Preheat the oil in a large pot to 350°F.

5. Pat the potatoes dry, and fry them in the hot oil until they are beginning to brown and are tender. Drain them on newspaper.

6. Keep potatoes warm in a 250°F oven.

7. Cut the filets to desired size, about 1-3 inches wide and 5-7 inches long.

8. Dredge the fish in the batter, one piece at a time, and gently, gently place them in the hot oil. Fry until the fish is golden brown. If necessary, increase the heat to maintain the 350°F temperature. You may need to add more flour to the batter as you go along if the batter starts to thin out.

9. Remove fish as soon as it stops steaming. I generally cook 2-3 pieces at a time on the stovetop without the temperature dropping too much, and it only takes about 4 minutes per batch. Don’t forget to remove the crispy batter bits that remain behind – these should be served alongside the fish. Drain well on paper towels.

10. Add the fried fish to the oven while the other pieces are cooking.

11. Just before serving, fry the potatoes again for 1 to 2 minutes for added crispness.

12. Serve with ketchup, tartar sauce, and malt vinegar.