Fish And Chips

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This is perhaps the most famous of all British dishes, and you'll find it on menus in restaurants and pubs and sold by street vendors all over the British Isles. You can use improvised equipment, but the best results will come from a thermostatically-controlled deep fryer with a basket.

Fish and Chips

1 cup (250 ml) self-rising flour
2/3 cup (160 ml) water
1 1/2-2 lbs (675-900 g) potatoes cut into 1/2-inch (1 cm) strips
4-6 pieces skinless cod fillets, about 6 oz (170 g) each
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Oil for deep frying
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Lemon wedges for garnish
Malt vinegar for garnish

Stir together the flour and water until smooth and allow to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Rinse the potatoes under running water, drain, and pat dry. Heat the oil in a deep fryer to 300F (150C) and fry the potatoes in batches until soft but not browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Raise the temperature of the oil to 375F (190C). Season the fish with salt and pepper, dip in the batter, and fry two pieces at a time until crisp and golden brown, about 8 minutes. Drain the fish on paper towels. Add the potatoes to the oil and cook until crisp and golden brown, about 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels, sprinkle with salt, and serve with lemon wedges and malt vinegar. Serves 4 to 6.

Reproduced by permission of Worldwide Recipes.

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