Thick cod or haddock fillets in a light, crackling beer batter, fried with thick-cut fries and served with lemon, malt vinegar and tartar sauce. Serves 4.
Good fish and chips comes down to three things: very cold batter, oil at the right temperature, and frying the potatoes twice. The cold, fizzy beer batter puffs into a light, crisp shell that keeps the fish inside moist and flaky.
Use cod or haddock, the two classics, and cook the chips first so they can rest between their two fries while the fish cooks.
Ingredients
Chips
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick sticks
Vegetable or canola oil, for deep frying
Salt
Fish
1 1/2 pounds skinless cod or haddock fillets, cut into 4 pieces
1/4 cup all-purpose flour, for dredging
Salt and pepper
Beer batter
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 cup very cold beer (a lager or pale ale)
For serving
Lemon wedges
Malt vinegar
Tartar sauce
Instructions
Soak the potatoes. Rinse the potato sticks in cold water, then soak them in a bowl of cold water for 20 minutes. Drain and pat them very dry with towels.
First fry. Heat 2 to 3 inches of oil in a heavy pot to 325°F. Fry the potatoes in batches until soft and pale, about 5 minutes. Drain them on a rack set over paper towels.
Make the batter. Whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt and paprika in a bowl. Just before frying the fish, whisk in the cold beer until the batter is smooth and about as thick as pancake batter.
Fry the fish. Raise the oil to 375°F. Pat the fish dry, season with salt and pepper, and dredge in the 1/4 cup of flour. Dip each piece in the batter, let the extra drip off, and lower it into the oil away from you. Fry 2 at a time until deep golden and the fish reaches 145°F, about 4 to 6 minutes, turning once. Drain on the rack.
Second fry. With the oil at 375°F, fry the chips again in batches until crisp and golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and salt them right away.
Serve. Serve the fish and chips hot with lemon wedges, malt vinegar and tartar sauce.
Nutrition per serving (estimated)
510Calories
79 gCarbohydrates
6 gFiber
73 gNet carbs
40 gProtein
2 gFat
Estimated per serving, based on 4 servings, using USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient. Net carbs are carbohydrates minus fiber. Optional ingredients, garnishes and anything served on the side are not included. Brands and portion sizes change the numbers.
