Whether wrapped in paper or served on a china plate, this is classic comfort food.
Ingredients
Serves: 4
- FOR THE BATTER
- 2 cups self-raising flour
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup beer
- 1 cup cold water
FOR THE FISH & CHIPS- 5 medium potatoes, peeled and washed
- Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
- 4 large or 6 small fillets of flathead, bream or other white fish
- 2 tablespoons flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
- Salt and lemon wedges, to garnish
Preparation method
Prep: 40 minutes | Cook: 35 minutes
To make the batter, whisk the self-raising flour, salt, beer and
water together until smooth. (This can be also be done in a food
processor; transfer the mixture to a large bowl for dipping.) Cover and
stand for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours.
Meanwhile, cut the potatoes into chips about 5 mm thick. Put them in
cold water for 5 minutes to remove the excess starch, then drain well
and pat dry on a clean tea towel.
Half-fill a deep-fryer or large, deep saucepan with oil and heat to
195°C. Blanch the chips, in two batches, in the hot oil for 4–5 minutes,
or until very pale golden. Remove from the oil, drain well on paper
towels and set aside.
Allow the temperature of the oil to drop to 175°C. Coat the fish
lightly in seasoned flour. Stir the batter vigorously and, using tongs,
dip two fillets of fish into it. Lift out the fillets and allow the
excess batter to drip back into the bowl.
Carefully lower the fillets into the hot oil, submerging them with
the tongs, and cook, turning once, for 4–5 minutes, or until crisp and
golden. Using a large wire skimmer or slotted spoon, lift the fillets
out of the pan and drain on paper towels. Keep warm while dipping and
frying the remaining fillets.
Increase the oil temperature to 200°C and fry the chips for 2–3
minutes more, or until crisp and golden. Drain well on paper towels and
season with salt. Arrange the fish and chips on heated plates and
garnish with the lemon wedges. Pass some full-flavoured vinegar
separately.
No comments:
Post a Comment