Fish and Chips
Chip-shop fish and chips at home: cold beer batter that shatters, double-fried chips, malt vinegar. The British classic, done properly.
- prep
- 30 min
- cook
- 40 min
- total
- 1 h 10 min
- serves
- 4
- level
- medium
Good fish and chips is two techniques wearing one newspaper. The batter must be cold and fizzy, mixed seconds before frying so the bubbles survive into the crust. The chips must be fried twice: once low to cook them, once hot to crisp them.
Do the chips first fry early; they wait happily. Then it is one fast, hot production line to the plate.
Fish and Chips is one of the world's classic dishes from 67 countries.
method
Rinse the cut chips in cold water until it runs clear, then dry them completely on a towel.
First fry: cook the chips at 130°C (265°F) for 5 to 6 minutes until soft but colorless. Drain and set aside.
Whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt. Only when the oil is ready, whisk in the cold beer to a loose batter; small lumps are fine.
Heat the oil to 180°C (350°F). Pat the fish dry, dust with flour, drag through the batter and lower in, holding the tail for the first seconds so it does not stick.
Fry the fish for 6 to 8 minutes until deep golden and crisp. Drain on a rack, never on paper.
Raise the oil to 190°C (375°F) and give the chips their second fry, 2 to 3 minutes until golden. Salt everything immediately and serve with malt vinegar.
chef's tips
- The batter is made at the last second, cold, and barely mixed. That is the whole secret of the shatter.
- Dry fish is the difference between batter that grips and batter that slides off.
- A rack, not paper towels; steam trapped under fried food un-crisps it in minutes.