Fish and Chips
The ultimate United Kingdom comfort icon: tender, flaky white fish fillets enveloped in a crispy, airy beer batter, paired with rustic thick-cut chips and classic tartar sauce.
35 min
Easy
Británica
2 servings
The story behind
You have absolutely no idea how incredibly crisp and deeply satisfying this dish turns out—it is the absolute king of seaside comfort foods! The very first time I experienced authentic fish and chips was at a legendary coastal shack in Whitby. The wind was howling outside, and our meal came wrapped in rustic faux-newspaper. Biting through that intensely crunchy batter while the trapped steam escaped from the flaky fish inside was pure heaven. The shop owner proudly shared with me that the ultimate secret to getting the batter incredibly light, puffy, and shattering is making sure the beer is ice-cold (nearly freezing) when whisking it into the flour, as the thermal shock in the hot oil creates perfect air bubbles. Personally, I love making this on Friday evenings to kick off the weekend properly. It looks spectacular when presented on greaseproof paper with lemon wedges and a splash of malt vinegar over the top, exactly like the layout in Fish and Chips.jpg. To drink, a cold crisp Lager or a tangy lemonade pairs phenomenally. You are going to fall in love with it.
Instructions
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1Rinse the cut potato batons thoroughly in cold water to strip away excess starch, drain completely, and pat them bone-dry with a clean kitchen towel.
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2Heat your frying oil in a deep pot or fryer to 160°C and blanch the chips in small batches for 6 to 8 minutes until soft on the inside but still pale; remove and drain (this is the crucial first step for double-frying).
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3In a large bowl, whisk together the cup of flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Slowly stream in the ice-cold beer while whisking gently until a smooth, lump-free consistency similar to pancake batter is achieved.
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4Retrieve the fish fillets from the fridge, dry them thoroughly with paper towels (vital to prevent the batter from slipping off), and season with salt and black pepper.
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5Dredge each fillet lightly in the extra plate of flour, shake off the excess dust, and submerge them completely into the chilled beer batter.
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6Turn the frying oil heat up to 180°C. Carefully lower the battered fillets into the hot oil and fry for 4 to 5 minutes, turning halfway, until they reach that puffy, blistered, intensely golden-brown texture shown in Fish and Chips.jpg; drain on a wire rack.
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7Quickly toss the blanched chips back into the 180°C oil for a couple of minutes until deeply golden and beautifully crisp on the outside. Serve immediately stacked beside the hot fish, garnished with tartar sauce and fresh lemon wedges.
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