Fish & Chips Recipe

Prep potatoes

Peel the russet potatoes if desired (peel left on is okay). Cut into even 1/2–3/4 inch (1.2–2 cm) thick sticks. Rinse in cold water to remove surface starch, then place in a large bowl of cold water and soak for at least 30 minutes (or up to 2 hours) to remove excess starch — this produces crispier fries.

Blanch (first fry)

Pour about 3 cups of oil into a heavy-bottomed pot or deep fryer and heat to 300°F (150°C). Drain and thoroughly pat the potato sticks very dry with clean kitchen towels or paper towels. Working in batches, fry the potatoes for 4–5 minutes until they are softened but not colored. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined tray. Keep warm.

Crisp (second fry)

When ready to serve, increase oil temperature to 375°F (190°C). Fry the blanched fries in batches for 2–3 minutes until golden and crisp. Remove to paper towels, immediately season with 1 tsp fine sea salt and 1/4 tsp pepper (or to taste).

Make sauce: In a small bowl combine 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 tbsp finely chopped dill pickle (or capers), 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp Dijon mustard and 1 tbsp chopped parsley. Taste and adjust salt/pepper or lemon. Chill until serving. Cut lemon into 4 wedges for garnish.

Prep fish

Pat the cod fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides lightly with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Spread 1/2 cup all-purpose flour on a plate for dredging. Lightly coat each fillet in the flour, shaking off excess — this helps the batter adhere.

Make batter

In a bowl whisk together 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 1 tsp baking powder and 3/4 tsp salt. In a separate small bowl lightly beat 1 large egg. Add the egg and 1 cup cold sparkling water (or 1/2 cup cold beer plus 1/2 cup sparkling water) to the dry mix and whisk gently to a lumpy, slightly thick batter — do not overmix; small bubbles are desirable. Keep batter cold (place bowl in an ice bath briefly if your kitchen is warm).

Heat oil

Pour remaining frying oil (about 5 cups if not using separate for fries) into a deep pot and heat to 350–360°F (175–180°C) for the fish. Use a thermometer for accuracy. Maintain steady temperature between batches; allow oil to recover between dips.

Batter and fry

Working one fillet at a time: Pat dredged fillet to remove excess flour. Holding the fillet by one end, dip it into the cold batter, allowing excess to drip off briefly. Gently lower into the hot oil (be careful of splatter). Fry for 4–6 minutes depending on thickness, turning once, until batter is deep golden brown and an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the fish reads 135–140°F (57–60°C). Remove with a slotted spoon or spider and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining fillets.

Finish

If necessary, keep fried fillets warm in a single layer on a wire rack set over a baking sheet in a 200°F (95°C) oven for up to 10–15 minutes while finishing all batches (do not overheat or they will continue cooking).

Plate each serving with one fillet (or two smaller pieces), a generous portion of hot chips, a dollop of tartar sauce, and a lemon wedge. Sprinkle a little extra chopped parsley over the fries or fish if desired. Serve immediately while hot and crisp.