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Fish and Chips

Source of Recipe

From "Williams-Sonoma Comfort Food"


Recipe Introduction

"Almost everybody likes crunchy fish fillets with a heap of crisp fries, and you can successfully make this British dish at home if you time the steps carefully. These fries — chips to the British — are oven-fried to ease the cook's workload and cut out excess fat. Keep the meal balanced and in-theme with a side of steamed peas."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 cup mayonnaise, homemade or store-bought
â—¦ 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
â—¦ 1 tablespoon nonpareil capers, rinsed
â—¦ 1 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
â—¦ 1 cup cake flour
â—¦ 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
â—¦ Kosher salt
â—¦ ½ cup lager beer, or as needed
â—¦ 1 large egg, beaten
â—¦ 5 tablespoons canola oil, plus more for frying
â—¦ 4 large baking potatoes
â—¦ 1 ¼ pounds skinless cod or haddock fillet, cut into 4 pieces
â—¦ Malt vinegar and lemon wedges for serving


Recipe

To make the tartar sauce, in a bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, relish, capers, and parsley. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour to allow the flavors to blend.

To make the batter, in a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt. Add the ½ cup beer, the egg, and 2 tablespoons of the oil and whisk just until the ingredients are combined (it should be slightly lumpy). The mixture should have the consistency of pancake batter; add more beer if needed.

Let stand at room temperature for about one hour while you prepare the potatoes.

To make the chips, position racks in the center and upper third of the oven and preheat to 400° F. Cut each unpeeled potato in half lengthwise, then cut the halves lengthwise into wedges about ½ inch thick. Arrange the wedges in a single layer on two rimmed baking sheets, drizzle with the remaining 3 tablespoons oil, and toss to coat. Place one sheet on each oven rack and bake for 20 minutes. Turn the potato wedges, then switch the pans between the racks, rotate the pans 180 degrees, and continue to bake until tender and golden brown, about 25 minutes more.

Just before the chips are finished baking, set a large wire rack on another rimmed baking sheet and place near the stove. Pour oil into a large saucepan to a depth of 3 inches and heat over high heat to 350° F on a deep-frying thermometer. Reduce the oven temperature to 200° F. Combine the chips on a single baking sheet, season with salt, and return to the oven to keep warm.

In batches to avoid crowding, dip the fish pieces in the batter, letting the excess drip back into the bowl, and add to the hot oil. Deep-fry until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to the rack and keep warm in the oven while frying the remaining fish. Serve the fish and chips hot, passing the tartar sauce, vinegar, and lemon wedges.


Makes 4 servings


• Change It Up:
For an amazing fried fish sandwich, serve the fried fish and tartar sauce on a soft roll, such as a torpedo roll. Add some shredded lettuce and sliced tomatoes, if you like, and serve the chips on the side.