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Rob's Recipe For Fish & Chips

Damndest thing….as I’m driving home the other day, I start to crave Fish and Chips, which no one knows how to make anymore, let alone the total inability of anyone to make a good tartar sauce. Then it occurs to me…”Hey, I know how to cook!” Even though I’d never made Fish and chips before, why not start now? First things first is the tartar sauce, because while a great piece of beer battered fish stands on its own, a perfectly made tartar sauce enhances it to a whole new level.

So, I grabbed the traditional ingredients needed to make a tangy, slightly crunchy slightly sweet sauce in my mini food processor; Cornichons, shallot, stone ground mustard, champagne vinegar, capers and Good mayonnaise (Full recipe below)…blend it all together without turning it into a puree, and refrigerate until it’s time to eat

So, I grabbed the traditional ingredients needed to make a tangy, slightly crunchy slightly sweet sauce in my mini food processor; Cornichons, shallot, stone ground mustard, champagne vinegar, capers and Good mayonnaise (Full recipe below)…blend it all together without turning it into a puree, and refrigerate until it’s time to eat

When it comes to the fish, there is a surprising amount of controversy about which type to use. Obviously, a firm yet moist whitefish is traditional, but recently it has become in vogue and common to make Fish and Chips using Cod, which is a disgusting fish that tastes like the ocean crapped in its own mouth. I prefer meaty fish that is less fishy. When I am out, I’ve never seen it made as I did with Mahi Mahi which is the steak of fishes.(This recipe would also work well with Tilapia/haddock)

As for the batter, we need a large mixing bowl and some seasonings and breading. The full recipe is below, but I went with my favorite dark beer in the world Negra Modelo, along with onion powder, paprika, cornstarch, homemade spice rub (AKA RAD BBQ rub) and flour. Whisk it all together into a pancake batter consistency and then coat the fish with it.

As for the batter, we need a large mixing bowl and some seasonings and breading. The full recipe is below, but I went with my favorite dark beer in the world Negra Modelo, along with onion powder, paprika, cornstarch, homemade spice rub (AKA RAD BBQ rub) and flour. Whisk it all together into a pancake batter consistency and then coat the fish with it.

For the chips, I am actually making my world famous fried potatoes which I stole from my dad and are my favorite form of potatoes in the world (recipe below). For the fish, I grabbed my cast iron Dutch oven and filled it up with just over an inch of Canola oil and used my thermometer to make sure the oil got to the perfect temperature of 330 degrees before placing the fish in for about 4 minutes

For the chips, I am actually making my world famous fried potatoes which I stole from my dad and are my favorite form of potatoes in the world (recipe below). For the fish, I grabbed my cast iron Dutch oven and filled it up with just over an inch of Canola oil and used my thermometer to make sure the oil got to the perfect temperature of 330 degrees before placing the fish in for about 4 minutes

After about 4 minutes, as the fish is looking to be perfect, I remove them from the oil and place on a drying rack while the oil reheats to 375 degrees. I use the double frying method that lots of chefs swear by, which sears in some flavor, moisture and crispness by frying briefly at a higher temperature to finish foods. Once the oil gets to 375, the fish go back on for less than 2 minutes

And here we have an almost perfect looking dish of homemade fish n chips with homemade tartar sauce. And it was, by the way, amazing!

My dorky girlfriend Ashley is in training for a bodybuilding competition so she could only have grilled Mahi Mahi with grilled vegetables. Mine was better.

BEER BATTERED FISH FILETS
(THE FISH PART OF FISH AND CHIPS)

It’s getting harder and harder to find really good Fish and Chips anywhere because too few people actually learn the art of frying and too many losers are making this dish with Cod, a rancid piece of ocean garbage that cooks need to stop trying to make edible. Use a good, meaty white fish that doesn’t taste like your show has been on the ocean floor and you’ll be fine.

 

We’ll be using the double fry method for this dish to sear in moisture and crispness at the very end

 

2-3 medium fish filets. (I prefer Mahi Mahi. Halibut works very well)

1/2 cup flour

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 teaspoons RAD BBQ rub divided into 1 teaspoon quantities (or your favorite seasoning spice)

1 teaspoon  paprika

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2/3 cup cold beer

vegetable oil for frying as directed below

Salt to your liking as below in final step


Serves 1-2 (double the recipe as appropriate and fry in batches)

 

  1. Mix the flour, cornstarch, paprika, 1 teaspoon of RAD BBQ rub, and onion powder in an aluminum or glass bowl until well combined.

  2. Season each side of the fish with the remaining 1 teaspoon of BBQ rub evenly distributed

  3. Add 1 inch of canola oil to a Dutch oven (I prefer my cast iron version, but any heavy bottom pan that withstand heat up to 400 degrees will do) and heat to 330 degrees (long candy thermometers are easily available in most grocery store utensil aisles for less than $5 and will track the temp of your oil for you).

  4. Line a wire rack with paper towels.

  5. As the oil nears 330, and right before it’s time to fry the fish, add the baking powder and beer to the flour mixture and whisk together creating a consistency similar to pancake batter

  6. Dip the filets in the batter, coating them evenly and place them in the oil. Watch your temperature as the filets will lower your oil temp and you want to try to maintain 330 as best you can. Fry for about 4 minutes, as the filets turn to a golden brown. Flip, if necessary, about 2 minutes in to insure an even fry.

  7. Remove the fish and transfer to the wire rack and increase the heat of the oil to 375 degrees.

  8. Fry the fish a second time until golden brown, about 2 more minutes. Remove to the wire rack and IMMEDIATELY season them with salt to your liking (when they come out of the oil the seasoning will adhere best). Serve with home made tartar sauce and fried potatoes.

The trick to Tartar sauce is to make it the way you like it, not the way someone tells you it’s supposed to be. I like a creamy sauce with a little crunch that is both tangy and sweet. Start with this version and then add and subtract based on your personal likes/dislikes. All of these ingredients are easily found in most grocery stores these days, even if you haven’t heard of all of them.

 

1/2 cup good mayonnaise

2 tablespoons chopped cornichons (found in the pickle aisle)

1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar

1 tablespoon drained capers

¼ tablespoon caper juice

1 tablespoon chopped shallot

2 teaspoons coarse-grained mustard

 

Makes ¾ cup

 

  1. Place all the ingredients in a food processor or mini chopper fitted with a steel blade (much easier to use and clean than a food processor) and pulse several times until the ingredients are finely chopped and well mixed but not pureed. (There should still be some crunchy small pieces of shallot and cornichon to fit your liking)
     

  2. Place in an airtight container and refrigerate until about 15 minutes from serving time (remove to warm slightly)

TARTAR SAUCE

DAD’S FRIED BREAKFAST POTATOES

This dish, made for me by my father for years while growing up, actually serves as a perfect breakfast entrée, side dish with a big steak, or anything in between. Kids love this dish as well, because the outcome is something like French fry squares.

 

I use russet (baking) potatoes, but any kind work. The creamier the potatoes (red, Yukon gold) the more likely I would be to leave the peel on for texture.

 

There are some tricks to doing this right. Make sure you cut the potato pieces uniformly as described in step 1. Also, I have listed the ingredients based on one large russet potato, so if you want to make more, adjust all seasonings appropriately. Depending on how salty/spicy you like things, you may not want to double the seasoning for every potato you add. Remember, you can always add more seasonings when the potatoes are finished (Although it’s not ideal because the seasonings won’t actually cook into the taters).

 

Also, be aware that this dish uses a lot of oil (hey, they are called FRIED potatoes!). The measurements below allow for the potatoes to be halfway submerged in the oil once everything is in the pan.

 

1 large russet potato (peeled or not, your preference)

½ cup canola oil

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon Lawry’s seasoned salt

 

Serves 1 (or maybe 2 as a side dish at breakfast)

 

  1. Begin by cutting the potato into bite sized squares and rectangles. I recommend the following: cut the potato in half lengthwise, then place the flat side down. Cut lengthwise strips approximately 1/2 inch thick along the entire potato, then make perpendicular slices, also about ½ inch thick, thus producing an entire potato of ½ inch by ½ inch squares. (depending on how thick the potato is you may need to make one lengthwise third cut to cut the squares in half and achieve the ½ inch). However you choose to cut your potato, make sure all of the pieces are similar size and bite size.

  2. In an appropriately sized sauté pan (you want, as much as is possible, all of the potato pieces to fit comfortably on the bottom of the pan, not piled up on one another). Heat the olive oil over high heat for 30 seconds, then add the potatoes.

  3. Cook, stirring the entire pan once every 1 minute, for about 7 minutes.

  4. At 7 minutes, you will begin to see browning beginning on the edges and corners of your taters. Continue stirring every 30 seconds for another 2 minutes.

  5. Add black pepper and immediately stir well, allowing the pepper to be distributed and adhere to the pieces in the oil.

  6. Cook for 1 more minute then add the Lawrys, and again stir and mix well.

  7. Cook for 1-2 more minutes then strain the potatoes out of the oil.

  8. Grab a large bowl, big enough to house all of the potatoes and line the entire bottom of the bowl with at least two layers of paper towels. Pour potatoes into bowl and then cover the top with additional paper towels, wrapping all of the taters into the towels.

  9. Allow to sit for 1 minute, remove potatoes from oil stained towels and serve.

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