FISH&CHIPS

On the countryside (45min from Berlin) fresh fish is not available, so I have to buy frozen fish. In this case I bought cod from Norway and this means time for the ultimate British classic. On my to do-liste since a couple of years, but now I have a deep-fryer. Recipe by the British food-journalist Felicity Cloake/GUARDIAN.



Ingredients

300-600g cod
350g plain flour, very cold
500ml beer, very cold
3 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt



Preparation

  1. Put the flour in a bowl and then directly to the freezer for 15min.

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  1. After 15min add baking powder and salt.
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  2. Add very cold beer to the flour and whisk until you have a smooth paste. “don’t overmix or you’ll make the batter tough”

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  1. “Dip the fish into the batter, one piece at a time, then, shaking off any excess, carefully lower into the hot oil (170 C) and agitate the basket, or very carefully stir with the slotted spoon to prevent it sticking. You can do this two or three pieces at a time, but make sure you don’t overcrowd the pan or it will overflow.” Deep-fry for 6min.

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  1. Serve with chips, sauce Tartare and lemon wedges. ENJOY

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P.S

Tartare sauce:

1 tbsp gherkins
1 tbsp capers
1 tbsp parsley
½ tbsp chives
250ml mayonnaise
1 tsp dijon mustard

3 Likes

on the countryside…

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Looks great! I’m more of a malt vinegar fan for fried fish

1 Like

Mmmmm, looks good!

Looks great Martin. Craving initiated.

Great recipe! It appears that fresh fish might be just over that hill?

Cod from a lake?

The Brits recommend hake, haddock, cod, coley.

What I love about deep-frying is that the cod was lovely juicy and in general all kinds of fish&seafood benefit from deep-frying, also in case of the Japanese version Tempura. In Berlin exist a Japanese restaurant which is unique in Germany run by Japanese people who offer only deep-fried dishes / Kushiage. I love it! Scallops in tempura is gorgeous. But also vegetables. Also in Italy I love deep-fried zucchini or mini sardines or leaves of sage.

Here a link to the Japanese restaurant with Kushi dishes in Berlin, the first in Europe, opened 2002.

The mad magician of Bray has a pretty good recipe … batter includes Vodka (helps with the aeration) as well as lager , a touch of honey and a soda syphon - it’s the aeration again (well at least it’s not a nuclear power station*). The fridge cooling of the triple cooked chips helps too I think.

I’ve made this a few times with great results. I don’t have a spritzer (yet) though so missed that bit.

Also had it at his spot in the new Terminal 5 at LHR when it had just opened a decade back. It was a propos as our visit had included lunch at the Fat Duck , so two Heston meals in a week!

  • the joke about his recipe for a boiled egg : “first , build a nuclear power station”

Agree on the fish. Cod can be the best but has to be top notch, or it can be dire, if in doubt go for haddock.