Fish and Chips

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 lbpotatoes, floury, such as russet, cut into thick chips
• 2 quartssunflower oil, for deep frying
• 4cod fillets, skinless, about 180 g each
• 5 1/4 ozall-purpose flour, for the batter
• 1 3/4 ozcornstarch
• 1 tspbaking powder
• 1 1/4 cupssparkling water, ice cold
• 1 1/2 ozall-purpose flour, for dusting the fish
• 2 tspsea salt
• 2 tbspmalt vinegar, to serve
• 1lemon, cut into wedges, to serve

Method

1. 1

   Rinse the cut potatoes under cold water until it runs clear, then dry them thoroughly in a clean cloth. Wet chips and hot oil are a bad combination in every sense.

2. 2

   Heat the sunflower oil in a deep pan to 285°F and cook the chips in batches until they are soft all the way through but still completely pale. Lift them onto a rack and let them cool.

3. 3

   Whisk the all-purpose flour, cornstarch and baking powder together, then pour in the ice-cold sparkling water and whisk just until it comes together. Lumps are fine and welcome.

4. 4

   Bring the oil up to 350°F. Dust each cod fillet in the dusting flour, shake off the excess, drag it through the batter and lower it into the oil away from you. Fry for 6 to 7 minutes, until the batter is deep gold and rigid and the fish inside is opaque and flakes easily.

5. 5

   Keeping the oil at 350°F, fry the cooled chips again in batches until they are golden and audibly crisp, then drain them and toss with the salt.

6. 6

   Serve the fish and chips immediately, with the malt vinegar and lemon wedges on the side.