Beer Battered Cod with Homemade Chips and Tartar Sauce
Get your hands on some really fresh white fish and make your own fish 'n' chips with a nice tangy tartare sauce. The beer batter becomes crispy and so bloody delectable once fried and dipping the fish in the tartare freshens up the palate. Of course, if you really, really want to be good, you can skip battering your fish and cook it au naturel on a griddle pan or on the barbie - it's still gonna be delicious and great for a mid-week meal. But on the weekend, I'm frying up the cod and drinking a good lemony, fruity, light Pinot Grigio or Chablis with this feast. These wines pair just great with the light white fish.
Ingredients
15 ounces lager, lukewarm
1 teaspoon dry active yeast
Pinch of sugar
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour, plus more for dredging
4 large russet potatoes, peeled
Canola oil, for deep-frying
Four 6-ounce skinless cod filets
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Lemon wedges, to serve
2 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 cup canola oil
1/4 cup finely chopped cornichons or dill pickles
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped capers
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon (about) water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
PREP TIME
HRS
COOKING TIME
MINS
Serves
Make-Ahead:
The tartar sauce can be made 1 day ahead, covered and refrigerated. The potatoes can be boiled 8 hours ahead, covered and refrigerated.
In a large bowl, whisk the beer, yeast, and sugar to blend, and then set the batter aside in a warm place until the yeast dissolves, about 15 minutes. Gradually whisk in the flour to form a thick batter. Bubbles in the batter should fall slowly from your finger. Cover the batter with a wet tea towel and set aside until larger bubbles form, about 45 minutes.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Line a baking sheet with paper towels.
Cut the potatoes into 5-inch-long by 1/2-inch-thick sticks. Cook the potatoes in the boiling water for 5 minutes, or until they are flexible but still firm. Drain and allow the potatoes to cool completely in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
In a food processor, blend the egg yolks, mustard, and vinegar. With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in the oil through the feed tube until the mixture has thickened to a mayonnaise-like consistency.
Transfer the mayonnaise to a bowl, then stir in the cornichons, parsley, capers, lemon juice, and enough water to thin the sauce to the desired consistency. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper and refrigerate until serving.
Pour enough oil into a heavy large pot to reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 375°F on a deep-fry thermometer. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain this temperature.
Season the cod with salt and pepper and dredge the cod in the flour to coat lightly. Working in batches, dip the cod into the batter to coat and then gently lower it into the oil. Fry until the cod is golden brown, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted skimmer, remove the cod from the oil and place it onto a baking sheet lined with a rack to drain the excess oil. Return the oil to 375°F.
Working in 3 batches, fry the potatoes in the oil until golden and crisp, about 5 minutes. Using the slotted skimmer, transfer the chips to the baking sheet lined with a rack to drain. Season the fish and chips with salt while they are still hot.
Arrange the fish on plates with the chips and serve with the tartar sauce and lemon wedges.
