Classic British Fish and Chips
Thick fillets of cod or haddock in a light, crisp beer batter with chips that are parboiled and fried twice for fluffy centres and crisp outsides. Served with salt, malt vinegar, quick mushy peas and tartare sauce.
Ingredients
Chips
- 1 kg (2 lb 3 oz) floury potatoes (Maris Piper, King Edward or russet)
- fine salt and malt vinegar, to serve
Fish and batter
- 4 thick skinless white fish fillets (cod, haddock, hake or pollock), 150–170 g (5–6 oz) each
- 200 g (1 ½ cups plus 2 tbsp) plain flour, plus 30 g (¼ cup) for dusting
- 50 g (6 tbsp) cornflour (cornstarch)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp fine salt, plus extra for the fish
- 330 ml (1 ⅓ cups) very cold lager or sparkling water
For frying
- about 2 litres (2 quarts) neutral high-smoke-point oil or beef dripping
Quick mushy peas
- 300 g (2 cups) frozen peas
- 15 g (1 tbsp) butter
- 2 tbsp chopped mint (optional)
- salt, pepper and lemon juice
Tartare sauce
- 120 g (½ cup) mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp chopped gherkins
- 1 tbsp chopped capers
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley or dill
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Cut the potatoes into 1.5 cm (⅝ in) chips, rinse and soak 30 minutes.
- Parboil in salted water for 4–6 minutes until the edges soften. Drain and steam dry for 10–15 minutes.
- Heat the oil, no more than one-third full, to 140°C (285°F). Fry the chips in batches for 6–8 minutes until soft and pale. Drain on a rack.
- Heat the oven to 120°C (250°F) with a rack on a tray inside. Make the peas and tartare sauce.
- Whisk the flour, cornflour, baking powder and salt, then whisk in the cold lager until smooth.
- Heat the oil to 180°C (355°F). Dry, season and flour the fish, dip in batter and fry 1–2 pieces at a time for 5–7 minutes, turning once, until golden and 63°C (145°F) inside. Keep warm in the oven.
- Heat the oil to 190°C (375°F) and fry the chips again for 2–4 minutes until deep golden. Salt well.
- Serve with malt vinegar, lemon, mushy peas and tartare sauce.
Notes
- Make the batter just before frying, and keep the lager very cold.
- Check the oil temperature before every batch and never leave hot oil unattended.
- Gluten-free: use a gluten-free flour blend and sparkling water or gluten-free beer.
- Oven chips: after parboiling, toss in 3 tbsp oil and roast at 220°C (425°F) for 35–45 minutes.
- Reheat leftovers on a rack at 200°C (400°F) for 10–12 minutes.