Introduction
Fish and chips is white fish, usually cod or haddock, dipped in batter and deep-fried, served with thick chips, salt, malt vinegar and often mushy peas. At home it takes a deep pot, a thermometer and some care with the hot oil. It makes a Friday dinner or a weekend treat.
The dish is English, from the 19th century. Fried fish was brought over by Spanish and Portuguese Jews who had lived in the Netherlands. Joseph Malin opened what is often called the first fish and chip shop in East London around 1860, and a Mr Lees sold them in Mossley, Lancashire, in 1863. By 1910 Britain had over 25,000 chip shops. The chips are fried twice, first to cook them, then to crisp them.
Ingredients
For the chips:
- 1 kg floury potatoes (such as Maris Piper or King Edward), peeled
For the fish:
- 4 thick skinless cod or haddock fillets, about 150 g each
- 3 tablespoons plain flour, for dusting
- 200 g plain flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 300 ml very cold beer, or sparkling water
To fry and serve:
- about 2 litres sunflower or vegetable oil
- salt, malt vinegar and lemon wedges
Tools
- A large, deep, heavy pot (at least 5 litres) or a deep fryer
- A kitchen thermometer
- A slotted spoon or a frying basket
- A baking tray lined with kitchen paper
- An oven, to keep things warm
Preparation
- Cut the potatoes into chips about 1 cm thick. Rinse them in cold water and dry them very well in a clean tea towel: wet chips make the oil spit.
- Pour the oil into the pot, no more than one-third full, and heat it to 140 °C. Never leave hot oil alone, keep a lid close by, and never put water on an oil fire.
- Fry the chips in 3 batches for 6 to 8 minutes, until soft but still pale. Drain them on the tray. Heat the oven to 120 °C (100 °C fan).
- Heat the oil to 180 °C. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and beer into a smooth batter, about as thick as double cream.
- Pat the fish dry, season it, dust it with flour and dip it in the batter. Let the excess drip off, then lower it into the oil, away from you. Fry 2 pieces at a time for 5 to 7 minutes, turning once, until deep golden. Keep warm in the oven.
- Fry the chips again at 180 °C for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden and crisp. Drain, salt them and serve at once with the fish, vinegar and lemon.