Recipe45 minutes · serves 4 · Moderate

Classic Fish and Chips with Beer Batter

Haddock loins in a shattering beer batter, with the tartar sauce we sell at the counter.

Buy the fish for this recipe

Ingredients

  • 700 g haddock loins or cod, cut into 4 pieces
  • 150 g all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 50 g cornstarch
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 330 ml cold lager
  • Neutral oil for frying
  • Tartar sauce and malt vinegar, to serve

Method

  1. 01

    Heat the oil to 180°C. Pat the fish very dry and dust lightly in plain flour.

  2. 02

    Whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and a big pinch of salt, then pour in the cold beer. Leave it lumpy.

  3. 03

    Dip one piece at a time and lower it into the oil away from you, holding the tail for two seconds so it sets straight.

  4. 04

    Fry 6–7 minutes until deep gold. Fry in two batches so the oil stays hot.

  5. 05

    Drain on a rack, not paper, and salt straight away. Serve with tartar sauce.

From the counter: Cold batter plus hot oil is the whole trick. Mix the batter last, right before frying.

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