Fish and chips is an old English classic and popular pub food and honestly such a classic comfort food that I am very nostalgic about. This recipe was in partnership with the MSC blue fish label indicating certified sustainable seafood products. I am a firm believer in making small actionable changes in your daily life to help the environment in any way you can. Looking out for the @MSCBlueFish label is an easy solution for identifying certified sustainable seafood that’s good for you and the ocean too. This recipe has a few moving parts but it is quite simple, check it out and don’t forget to look out for the MSC Blue Fish label when making this dish.
Fish and Chips
Fish and Chips is exactly what it sounds like – battered white fish that is crispy on the outside and perfectly flaky on the inside served with a side of perfectly crisp yet fluffy fries. If you are willing to work with a bit of hot oil, the pay off is fantastic! Fresh fish and chips is a greasy treat and every bite reminds you of the last trip you took to that coastal town with fish and chip stores that line beach fronts. Fish and chips is best served with tartar sauce and other sides like the classic mushy peas.
Ingredients
Fish
- 1 pack MSC certified sustainable @OceanJewelAtHome Frozen Cod
- kosher salt
- Beer Batter
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoons ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 cup beer lager or ale
- cold water as needed
Dry Dredge
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Fries
- 5-6 large baking potatoes scrubbed but not peeled
- Kosher salt to taste
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Homemade Tartar Sauce
Tartar Sauce
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons small-diced pickles
- 1 tablespoon white or red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon capers
- 1 tablespoon of chopped dill or parsley optional
- 1 teaspoon coarse-grained mustard
- Pinch kosher salt
- Pinch freshly ground black peppers
Instructions
Fish
- Thaw your MSC certified sustainable Ocean Jewel Cod. You may season with a very small amount of salt on both sides. Remember the batter and the dry dredge are also seasoned with salt.
- Make Dry Dredge: Mix together flour, salt and chili powder on a plate and set aside.
- Make Beer batter: In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining flour, salt, garlic powder and chili powder.. Gradually whisk in beer until smooth. (Batter should be the consistency of thick cream. If the batter is too thick, gradually stream in cold water 1 tablespoon at a time; if it’s too thin, sprinkle in more flour 1 teaspoon at a time until it thickens up to correct consistency.)
- Add 3-inch depth of oil to a large heavy bottomed pot or Dutch oven. Heat oil to 325-degrees F.
- Dredge fish in seasoned dry flour mixture. Tap off excess. Dip fish in beer batter, allow excess to drain off.
- Working in batches, carefully add battered fish and the “pre-fried” chips to oil and cook until golden brown, approximately 5-7 minutes.
- Transfer cooked fish and chips to paper towel lined baking sheets or cooling rack. Sprinkled with kosher salt while still warm.
- Serve with fries and tartar sauce.
Fries
- Cut the potatoes into 1/3-inch-thick steak fries and transfer to a bowl of cold water.
- In a large, deep skillet, heat 2 inches of oil to 300°F. Set a rack over a baking sheet. Working in batches, fry the potatoes just until they begin to brown around the edges, about 5-7minutes. Transfer the potatoes to the rack and let cool while you work with your other batches.
- When all of the potatoes have been fried once, heat the oil to 350°F.
- Fry the potatoes again, in batches, until golden and crisp, about 7 minutes per batch. Drain the fries on a paper towel–lined baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and serve with tartar sauce and other side of choice.
Tartar Sauce
- Finely dice all your ingredients and mix together in a bowl.
- Refrigerate and serve when cooled.
- Tip: You want to time the cooking of your fries and fish so they are ready at the same time. If using two pots to fry this should be easy. If using one pot I suggest frying the fries once, finishing off your fish then frying your fries for the second time when the fish is done. It’s all a balancing act but this meal is definitely best served immediately and hot!
