Fish Recipe For Classic Fish & Chips

Delicious fish recipe for the perfect fish and chips ideal for a summer or winter meal. Cod or halibut can be used for this dish, the choice is yours. For a different dish check out fish recipe for baked halibut.

How to make the perfect fish and chips
Simple classics are sometimes the best. Take your time with this, and you’ll end up with a world-class dish! Halibut is the best choice, but any decent white flatfish would suffice. This dish calls for the highest-quality frozen peas. Anything else will result in a gritty texture, so use plenty of peas! We always serve round chips with our fish and chips at my tavern because they seem more intriguing.

Fish & Chips
Four halibut fillets, 180 g each
Flakes of sea salt, to taste
Serve with lemon wedges

To make the chips
Four large potatoes, such as Maris Piper, for chipping
Deep-frying oil made from vegetables

To prepare the tartare sauce
Three egg yolks
One tbsp Dijon mustard
Four tsp white wine vinegar
500ml vegetable oil
Two shelled and shredded hard-boiled eggs
One finely chopped shallot
Two tbsp coarsely sliced gherkins
Two tablespoons brined capers, finely chopped
Two tbsp finely chopped parsley leaves

For the batter made with beer
Two egg whites
240ml beer or sparkling water
350g self-raising white flour
Huge pinch of bicarbonate of soda

To make the purée of peas, combine all of the ingredients in a blender

25 g butter
One finely chopped shallot
12 tsp sea salt flakes
100ml chicken stock
One tablespoon finely chopped mint leaves
350g defrosted frozen peas
Four tsp caster sugar.

Prepare the chips
To make thick chips, cut off the centres of each potato with an apple corer after trimming the tops and tails. Keep in mind that we’re manufacturing spherical chips. Over high heat, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Return the water to a boil, then add the potatoes and cook for about 5 minutes, or until cooked but still maintaining their shape. Remove them from the water with a slotted spoon and set them aside to drain. On a wire rack, dry thoroughly.

When the potatoes are dehydrated, heat enough oil for deep-frying until it reaches 140°C in a deep-fat fryer or heavy-bottomed saucepan, fry the potatoes for 8–10 minutes or until the oil stops boiling, indicating that all of the moisture has evaporated. Remove the potatoes from the oil with a slotted spoon and place them on a wire rack to cool.

Prepare the tartare sauce
Prepare the tartare sauce in the meantime. Combine the egg yolks, Dijon mustard, and white wine vinegar in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Slowly drizzle in the oil while the motor is still running until the mixture emulsifies and thickens. Season with salt and pepper after adding the other ingredients. Cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Prepare the pea puree
Melt the butter in a pot over low heat to make the pea purée. Add the shallot and salt and cook for at least 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until softened but not browned. Bring the chicken stock to a boil with the mint. Return the store to a boil, add the peas, and cook for 5–6 minutes until the peas are soft.

Add the peas and shallots to a blender after straining them over a bowl to capture the liquid. Blend in 2 tablespoons of the cooking liquid until smooth but not watery. If required, adjust the seasoning with table salt, then set aside and keep warm.

Prepare the batter
To prepare the batter, whisk together the egg whites and beer until light and fluffy. In a mixing bowl, add the flour and bicarbonate of soda, then add the egg-white mixture.

Fry the potatoes a second time at 180C for 2–3 minutes until crispy and golden brown, just before serving the fish. Drain on paper towels, season with salt, and keep warm in a low oven. If required, reheat the oil to 180°C. Dip the fish in the batter, allowing any excess to fall back into the basin, then fry for 3–5 minutes, or until crispy and golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Keep the fried fillets warm in a low oven until they’re all done, but don’t cover them with paper towels. Serve with chips, pea purée, tartare sauce, and lemon wedges sprinkled with sea salt flakes.