Crispy Battered Cod with Proper Chip Shop Chips

Ingredients

• 700 g thick cod fillets, skin removed
• 200 g self-raising flour
• 300 ml cold sparkling water
• 1000 g Maris Piper potatoes
• 1000 ml sunflower oil, for deep-frying
• 2 tbsp malt vinegar
• 2 tsp sea salt flakes

Method

1. 1

   Peel and cut the potatoes into thick chips. Rinse well, pat dry and blanch in the oil at 140°C for 8 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.

2. 2

   Whisk together the self-raising flour with a generous pinch of salt and enough sparkling water to make a thick, smooth batter. Rest for 10 minutes.

3. 3

   Heat the oil to 180°C. Increase the chip-oil temperature to 180°C and fry the chips for 4–5 minutes until golden and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper and season with salt.

4. 4

   Pat the cod fillets dry, season, then dip each one in the batter to coat thoroughly. Lower carefully into the hot oil and fry for 5–6 minutes until crisp and golden. Fry in two batches to keep the temperature steady.

5. 5

   Drain the fish on kitchen paper and serve immediately with the chips, malt vinegar and a side of mushy peas.