Fish and Chips

During the summer my entire family spends the weekends at our beach house. My mom and I are always trying to come up with new things to cook to keep it interesting and tasty. I was walking on the boardwalk and saw a big sign for Malt Vinegar Fries-- a boardwalk staple and one my favorites. Suddenly I got the urge to make homemade fish and chips and after a quick visit to the grocery store, I came home, broke out the deep fryer and got to cooking.

All I can say is w-o-w. These were so crispy and delicate, the fish flaked apart beautifully and the flavor was amazing--my family loved them and the fries were better than anything you would get on the boardwalk. I used rice flour which is much lighter than regular flour and the reason these came out so crispy and airy. Just make sure that your oil is nice and hot before you start frying otherwise the fish will get soggy and greasy. Fry the fish pieces first and keep them warm in a 200 degree oven while you work on fries.

Fish and Chips
Serves 4

Vegetable oil, for frying
3 large russet potatoes
2 cups rice flour plus 1/4 cup for dredging
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
14 ounces seltzer water
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 pound cod fillets, cut into 1/2 pieces
Malt Vinegar and/or tartar sauce for serving

1. Heat oil in a deep fryer to 325 degrees or use a deep heavy skillet.
2. Peel the potatoes and cut them into fries about the size of your index finger. Place the potatoes into a bowl and run warm water over them for about 5 minutes. This will help wash off the starch and prevent the fries from sticking when they are in the oil. Drain the water and pat the fries dry well.
3. Fry the potatoes for 2 to 3 minutes just until the skin starts to blister. You do not want the potatoes to get brown at this point. Remove the fries to a paper towel-lined platter to drain.
4. Turn the oil temperature up to 375 degrees and preheat the oven to 200 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Combine seltzer and egg and pour into the flour mixture. Whisk to a smooth batter (the batter will be thick). Spread 1/4 cup rice flour on a plate. Dredge the fish pieces in the rice flour and then dip them into the batter, letting the excess drip off.
5. Fry the fish for 5 minutes until crispy and brown. Remove the basket and drain on paper towels. Season lightly with salt.
6. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil, place fried fish on the foil and keep warm in the oven. Fry french fries in batches, 4-5 minutes until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and season lightly with salt. 
7. Serve fish and chips together with malt vinegar or tartar sauce.