Konnichi wa / Great Outdoors
Tasty Fish and Chips
Introduction
British fish and chips is a popular dish in the United Kingdom. It's made up of fried fish and fried chips (or, french fries) and is typically served with tartar sauce. Authentic fish and chips is also one of those dishes that is best eaten with some malt vinegar to add a little extra flavor and cut through all that rich fried food!
Watch this video from Chef Gordon Ramsay on how to make fish and chips!
What is fish and chips?
Fish and Chips is a fast food dish that originated in Portugal and Spain, but eventually migrated to England where some consider it a national dish.
It's made up of fried fish, fried chips (french fries), malt vinegar and / or tartar sauce all on one plate. Fish and chips can be eaten with your hands while you're standing at the counter or sitting down to a table where silverware is provided for individual service. You may even get it wrapped so you can take it home to eat later if desired.
In London, fish and chips is eaten at any time of the day. First time visitors to England often eat this traditional dish because they want to experience authentic English cuisine while in town. It is a staple for fast food restaurants in England, and now you can enjoy it all over the world.
Fish and chips are commonly served with salt and vinegar but other common condiments include ketchup, brown sauce, mayonnaise or mushy peas depending on location and restaurant preferences.
Fresh fish options vary by region; haddock is usually preferred because of its dense texture that provides more flavor than cod fish when fried. Some fish and chips restaurants even offer healthier alternatives like halibut or tilapia instead of traditional white fish fillets (steak cut). In New York City alone there are hundreds of eateries serving this popular meal on their menu to locals who want an old-fashioned taste without leaving their own backyard!
It's no wonder that crispy fish and husky chips are a popular meal all over the world. They can be made quickly, they're delicious, hearty, cheap to buy at any fish and chips restaurant or take-out stand (fish and chip shop) and there's no silverware needed for eating. Add in some ketchup or vinegar on top of your fried fillets with fries and you have an easy yet unforgettable dish!
How to make fish and chips?
Best Fish & Chips Recipe
Ingredients
- Fish fillets (fresh cod, haddock or halibut) – as many pieces you like to eat
- Potatoes - one per person depending on serving size needed
- 1 cup of flour
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- 1/4-1/2 cup of beer
- Olive oil (or desired oil of choice)
- Coarse kosher salt (or sea salt) and black pepper
- Malt vinegar, tartar sauce, and / or wedge of lemon as desired
Directions
Chip Preparation
- Wash and scrub the potatoes thoroughly with a steel brush until all dirt is removed then cut potatoes into 1/2 thick cube slices of desired length.
- Preheat oil to 300-350°F in an electric deep fryer or large pot or pan on medium heat - if you want your fish & chips extra crispy, go for 350-375°F instead.
- Place sliced potatoes directly into the hot oil carefully. Make sure no pieces touch and don't overcrowd or the oil temperature will drop and the potatoes won't cook properly.
- Fry for around five minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove from oil with tongs and place on several layers of paper towels to absorb excess grease. Top with salt and, once cooled slightly, transfer onto plates for serving.
Fish Preparation
- Set aside a small amount of flour combined with salt and pepper for dredging.
- Combine remaining flour, baking soda, and salt in large bowl then pour in beer and mix until batter is smooth.
- Dry fish with a paper towel then dredge in flour before dipping in beer batter.
- Allow excess to drip slightly before placing into heated oil. Again, try not to overcrowd as this will lower the temperature and cause the fish to cook improperly.
- Fry for 5-10 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove from oil with tongs and place on several layers of paper towels to absorb excess grease. Top with salt and, once cooled slightly, transfer onto plates for serving.
- Serve with malt vinegar, tartar sauce, and a lemon wedge - enjoy with a nice cold beer or glass of wine!
How to reheat fish and chips
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Place your fish and chips on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper (or aluminum foil) in an even layer. You can place them so that they're not touching if you want crisper edges, or side by side for more "steamed" pieces of fish and chips later.
If desired, season again with salt at this point but only lightly because it will get too salty as it cooks more when reheated.
Bake for 10-20 minutes or until hot throughout.
Serve immediately after cooking!
Final thoughts on fish and chips
Hope you enjoyed this article on fish and chips!
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