About this Dish
Britain's most iconic dish — battered and deep-fried white fish with thick-cut chips, eaten from paper with malt vinegar and salt. The batter must be light and crispy; the chips thick and fluffy inside. The British seaside fish and chip shop is a cultural institution.
IngredientsServes 2
🐟Thick cod or haddock fillets, 4 pieces (about 180g each), skin removed
🥔Maris Piper or King Edward potatoes, 1kg, peeled and cut into thick chips
🌾Plain flour, 200g, plus extra for dusting
🍺Cold lager or pale ale, 330ml (ice cold from the fridge)
🥄Baking powder, 1 tsp
🧂Salt and white pepper, to season generously
🫙Malt vinegar, to serve
🛢️Vegetable or sunflower oil, about 2 litres for deep frying
Method
1
Parboil your thick-cut chips in well-salted boiling water for 6–8 minutes until just tender but not falling apart. Drain carefully, spread on a tray and leave to steam-dry completely — this is the secret to fluffy insides.2
Heat the oil in a large deep saucepan or deep-fryer to 130°C. Fry the dried chips in batches for 4–5 minutes until pale and just starting to colour. Lift out, drain on kitchen paper and set aside — you'll finish them later.3
Make the batter by whisking together the plain flour, baking powder and a good pinch of salt, then gradually whisk in the ice-cold beer until you have a smooth, thick batter the consistency of double cream. Don't overwork it — lumps are fine. Keep it cold.4
Pat the fish fillets completely dry with kitchen paper, season with salt and white pepper, then dust lightly all over with plain flour — this helps the batter grip. Dip each fillet into the batter, letting the excess drip off.5
Raise the oil temperature to 185°C. Lower the battered fish carefully into the hot oil and fry for 6–8 minutes, turning once, until deeply golden and crisp all over. Fry in batches so you don't crowd the pan. Drain on a wire rack, not kitchen paper, to keep it crispy.6
Turn the oil back up to 190°C and return the par-cooked chips for a final fry of 3–4 minutes until golden, crunchy outside and fluffy inside. Drain, season immediately with plenty of salt and serve alongside the fish with malt vinegar.User Reviews
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