Prep Time 20 minutes - Total Time 45 minutes - Serves 2
A good fish and chips done properly is a thing of beauty. Super crispy batter with beautifully steamed fish inside and triple-cooked chunky chips. Plenty of salt and vinegar or in my case vinegar and salt not the other way round people!! A couple of slices for generously buttered bread, ketchup and a cold beer or can of dandelion and burdock.
(You will also find this recipe on page 48 of my book Richard’s Family Favourites click here)
Fish Ingredients
2 x 120g cod fillets.
50 g of cornflour.
50 g of self-raising flour, plus extra for coating the fish.
100 ml of sparkling water or beer.
½ tsp of turmeric.
Pinch of salt.
Chips Ingredients
10 large Maris Piper potatoes, roughly peeled and cut into chunky fat chips.
Minty Peas Ingredients
200 g of frozen peas, I like petits pois.
3 small shallots, finely sliced.
2 nobs of butter.
A handful of fresh mint, roughly chopped.
2 tbsps of mint sauce.
Method
First things first, the chips! We want a fluffy and crispy chip. So pop the chips into a large pot of salted boiling water and cook for 7-10 minutes, depending on how thick you have cut your chips. Carefully drain and spread out over a wire rack. Place in the freezer for 20 minutes.
Once out of the freezer put into a deep fat fryer set to 140℃ and fry for 7 minutes. Again time depends on the size of the chip. Basically, you are looking to get a very light golden colour on the chips. Once again spread out over a wire rack but this time pop in the fridge till you are ready for the final fry.
Let’s get the peas on the go. In a cold saucepan add 1 nod of the butter along with the shallots and season. Gently fry without colouring for around 4 minutes, you want the shallots to just start to soften. Next, add the peas and the fresh mint give it a mix then add just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil then simmer for a couple of minutes. Add the remaining nod of butter and the mint sauce, give it a mix than using a hand blender whizz for a minute.
Time for the fish. Place all the ingredients apart from the fish into a bowl and mix well, it’s now ready to use or you can pop it into the fridge till you need it. Take some flour and season. Pat the fillets dry with some kitchen paper then coat in the flour, shaking off any excess flour. Into the batter to coat nicely then into a preheated fryer set at 190℃ for 4 minutes, turning halfway. Take out and put on a wire rack and sprinkle with salt.
Whilst the fish is resting give the chips it’s final fry. Cook for 4 minutes or till golden brown and super crispy. Tip out into a bowl with kitchen paper and season with salt.
If you are anything like me I like a couple of slices for generously buttered bread, plenty of salt and vinegar (vinegar first) ketchup and a cold beer or can of dandelion and burdock.
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