International Supper Club: English Fish & Chips
It’s Thanksgiving Day here in the US, which means ISC hits the road! This year we’re spending Thanksgiving Day with my husband’s parents in Fort Worth, Texas so I had some extra hands on deck for my first time frying. I’ve never been a huge fan of fish and chips here in the states, but I knew a classic English recipe would blow them out of the water. I was right! The batter was crisp, perfectly seasoned and had a nice crunch. It didn’t taste doughy, like funnel cake or grease, like so many others I’ve tasted. I’d make this again and highly recommend it. I got the recipe from Elaine Lemm, a British chef, author, and food critic who I highly respect and follow closely. She was voted one of the top 50 food writers in the UK and I’m excited and honored to use her recipe this week.
Fish & Chips
110 grams (1 cup) all-purpose flour
110 grams (a little under a cup) corn meal
1 teaspoon each salt & pepper
2 teaspoon powder
8 tablespoon cold beer (you can use any ale, but don’t use lager)
8 tablespoon sparkling water
8 haddock or cod fillets
64 ounces vegetable oil
4-5 pounds Russett potatoes (about 5 large)
Peel the potatoes and slice into ½” x ½” (ish) sticks. The length of each is up to you. Aim for consistency in size. Rinse them in a colander then add to a large pot of cold, salted water. Bring the water to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Keep in mind, the starch from potatoes will foam up, so opt for the largest pot you have.
Simmer 3-4 minutes, then carefully strain them and set aside. Tip: Let them cool in the strainer, on the counter, sitting on a kitchen towel. After they cool, move the towel+strainer situation to the fridge to stay cool until you’re ready to fry.
Heat the oil to 320 degrees in a large, deep saucepan and carefully drop in a good handful of chips then cook for a few minutes making sure they do not turn brown. Remove from the oil and drain on a paper towel. Continue until you have blanched all the chips.
Place fish fillets on paper towels or kitchen towels to absorb any extra moisture. Wet fish won’t adhere batter very well. Season the fish fillets lightly with a little salt.
Keep back 4 tablespoons of the flour and whisk together the remaining ingredients (other than the fish and oil) to make the batter. Set it aside to rest for 30 minutes, occasionally whisking to prevent lumps.
Put the reserved flour onto a flat plate. Lightly dust each fillet with flour and shake to remove any excess.
Dip the floured fish fillet into the batter then gently lower the fish into the hot oil. Repeat with the remaining fillets as long as you have room in the pan. It is important to be able to move the fillets around, so do not pack them in too tightly. Fry the fish for about 8 minutes, turning frequently or until the batter is crisp and golden brown.
Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels, and when all fish is done, pop the chips back into the oil for another 10 minutes, or until they are crisp and golden. I put the fish back in for one final plunge to re-heat them. Serve immediately. Top fish with salt, lemon, and malt vinegar.
Pour yourself a pint and enjoy!
Cheers!
