Fish and Chips

Ingredients

• 4 skinless cod or haddock fillets, about 180g each
• 1kg floury potatoes, cut into thick chips
• 200g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 100g cornflour
• 330ml very cold beer
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Neutral oil for deep frying
• Malt vinegar and lemon, to serve

Before you cook

• Cut the chips and rinse them under cold water until it runs clear, then dry them thoroughly.
• Pat the fish completely dry and season it.
• Keep the beer in the fridge until the moment you mix the batter.

Steps

1. Fry the chips at 140C for 6 minutes until soft but pale, then lift them out and let them cool completely.
2. Raise the oil to 190C.
3. Whisk the flour, cornflour, baking powder and salt, then pour in the cold beer and whisk just until combined, leaving some lumps.
4. Dust each fish fillet in plain flour, shaking off the excess, so the batter grips.
5. Dip a fillet in the batter, let the excess run off, and lower it gently into the oil away from you.
6. Fry two at a time for 6 to 7 minutes until deep golden and crisp.
7. Drain the fish on a rack, never on paper, or the underside goes soft.
8. Fry the chips a second time at 190C for 3 minutes until golden.
9. Salt the chips immediately and serve with vinegar and lemon.