British cuisine has the reputation of being bland and heavy. This traditional meal is neither, if it’s well made, and has been widely adopted here in the USA. You can use nearly any mild, white fish in this, though cod and halibut are particularly common.
After experiencing “Proper Fish & Chips” in Edinburgh, Lars has been on a mission to recreate them. Huge fillets of cod, crisp on all sides, nestled in a bed of well-made chips, and accompanied by a local summer beer… oh, Edinburgh, we’ll be back.
Thaw under running cold water (if frozen):
1 kg white fish fillets
Put in a bowl:
225 ml flour
Make an indentation in the center, and add:
30 ml melted butter
250 ml warm beer
salt to taste
Beat well, let stand for 30 minutes.
Wash (and optionally peel), then slice into 1×2 cm chips:
1 kg potatoes
Put into a bowl with enough cold water to cover them and soak for 30 minutes.
Blend in a bowl to prepare the tartar sauce:
225 ml mayonnaise
15 ml sweet pickle relish -or- 15 ml finely diced sweet pickles
15 ml finely diced onion
30 ml lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
Beat to stiff peaks:
2 egg whites
Preheat 6 cm of oil to 180. Fold eggs whites into batter. Salt and pepper the fish to taste, dust with flour, and then dip into the batter. Fry the fish several pieces at a time for 4-6 minutes, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
Follow the directions given in the Poutine recipe for frying the potatoes. Do not overlook drying them thoroughly before frying them.
Serve with tartar sauce, lemon wedges, and malt vinegar for the chips.