Beer-Battered Fish & Chips

Ingredients

• 1 kg floury potatoes (e.g. Maris Piper), cut into thick chips
• Sunflower or vegetable oil, for deep frying
• 4 thick skinless cod or haddock fillets (about 150g each)
• 200 g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp fine salt
• 300 ml ice-cold lager or pale ale
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• Tartare sauce and mushy peas, to serve

Method

1. Put the chips in a pan of cold salted water, bring to the boil and simmer for 6–8 minutes until just tender at the edges. Drain carefully, spread out on a tray and leave to steam-dry and cool.
2. Heat the oil in a deep, heavy pan or deep-fat fryer to 140°C (use a thermometer and never fill the pan more than a third full). Fry the chips in batches for 5 minutes until pale and crusted. Drain on kitchen paper.
3. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together, then whisk in the cold beer to make a smooth batter the thickness of double cream.
4. Increase the oil temperature to 180°C. Pat the fish dry, season, dust in flour, then dip into the batter and let the excess drip off. Lower away from you into the oil and fry for 5–7 minutes until deep golden and crisp. Drain and keep warm in a low oven.
5. Fry the chips again at 180°C for 3–4 minutes until golden and crunchy. Drain and sprinkle with salt.
6. Serve the fish and chips with lemon wedges, tartare sauce and mushy peas.

Calories are an estimate per serving. Diet tags are a guide only: always check ingredient labels for allergens, and see our food safety note.