Fish and Chips
UK
“One of the dishes I look forward to when I visit the British Isles is Fish and Chips. When it is done well, with quality fresh fish, it is simply delicious! This dish is served all over the UK, from walk-up food trucks, to pubs, to fine dining establishments, so it is good to get advice from others to find the very best. Here I have listed a recipe that I enjoy making at home and I often use fresh North Atlantic Haddock instead of Cod, but both are good, and you can treat yourself and your guests to a mouthwatering meal that might just have you speaking in a British way by the time you are done! Cheers!”
- Jeff Davis - Founder/President ActivSport Travel
Ingredients:
3 pounds of Cod or similar fish
Batter:
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups of a Belgian style beer or IPA (your choice)
1 ounce olive oil
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
3 egg whites
Chips:
3 pounds of russet potatoes
frying oil
salt (to taste)
pepper (to taste)
Optional: fresh parsley as a garnish
Optional: fresh lemon to squeeze on top
Instructions:
Start with the Batter:
1. In a mixing bowl, whisk the flour, kosher salt, baking powder, and cayenne pepper together and set aside
2. In a separate, larger bowl, whisk together beer, olive oil, and dijon mustard. Gently mix in the flour mixture until uniform.
3. Using a hand or stand mixer, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Mix approximately 1/4 of the egg whites into the flour mixture to loosen it up a bit, then fold in the remaining whites until uniform. Let sit for about 20 minutes before using.
4. Place each piece of fish in the batter, remove, and place in a hot pan of oil or deep fryer cooking at a temperature of 360 degrees.
Chips:
1. Preheat frying oil to 275 degrees
2. Skin the potatoes and cut them into the desired size
3. In smaller batches, fry the chips until they just start to dry out on the edges, but without browning (2 to 4 minutes depending on the size). Remove from the oil, drain, and place on sheet trays lined with paper towels to absorb oil. Let cool for 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Increase fryer oil temperature to 375 degrees.
5. In similar-sized batches, fry the chips a second time until the desired brown is achieved AGAIN, (2-4 minutes). Drain, then toss in a bowl with salt and pepper and serve, or keep warm in a 200 degree oven.
Optional: garnish with fresh parsley and squeeze the juice from a slice of lemon on each portion
