Traditional Fish & Chips

Traditional Fish & Chips

You don’t have to go to the “chippie” to get traditional fish & chips.  Serve with salt and malt vinegar.

INGREDIENTS

4 Large Pieces of Either Cod or Haddock

2 ½ Pounds Potatoes

Sunflower Seed Oil

Salt & Pepper to Taste

Batter

7 Ounces Unbleached Flour

1 Large Egg

2 ½ Ounces Milk

2 ½ Ounces Water

2 Tablespoons Dark Beer

Peel the potatoes and cut them into chips.  You should cook them after you start cooking the fish.  Place them covered in water to stop them going brown.  Set aside. Make the batter mixture by putting the flour into a large bowl.  Whisk the egg and add the 2 tablespoons of dark beer in a separate bowl.  Now pour the whisked egg into the flour adding the milk and water.  Beat until smooth.  Leave batter stand for an hour. 

Heat a deep and heavy pan filled with enough oil to cover the chips.  Make sure that the oil gets hot.  If you drop in a tiny piece of potato and it immediately starts to sizzle then the oil is hot enough. 

Heat another pan of oil just deep enough to cover the fish.  Individually put each fish fillet into the batter.  Slide the fish pieces back and forth to cover with the batter.  Lift out the fish pieces and allow to drip for a moment and then repeat.  This makes certain that the fish is completely covered in batter.  Lower the battered fish into the hot oil skin side to the bottom of the pan to stop the fillet from curling as it heats.  Now cook one fillet at a time.  After 5 minutes turn the fish over and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes.  Repeat with the second fillet, keeping the first cooked fillet warm in the oven.  Now it is time to put the chips in the pan to cook.  Take care as the oil might froth as the wet chips go in.  This is normal, but be careful not to burn yourself.  Carry on cooking the other two fillets and put them in the oven to keep warm.  Lift out the chips when they reach a nice golden brown color and are cooked through.  Use a mesh spoon to lift the chips out and let the oil drip back into the pan.  Serve on plates or newspapers with the fish nestling on a bed of chips.  Malt vinegar, salt & ketchup, YUM!  Serves 4