
Fi & chi with d&g as those living in St. John’s might refer to it. Fish and chips has long been a favourite the world over, but top those chips, or fries as many call them, and you are in a whole new world of amazingness. And this coming Friday is Good Friday in the Christian calendar, and with it, the busiest day of the year for fish and chips shops.
I’ve never been a big fan of battered fish. I always find it to be a bit greasy, and unless you get it in to you within moments of it coming from the fryer, it has a tendency to loose its crispiness. But take that same piece of fish, and coat with an extra fine bread crumb and you will be delighted with something that does not absorb anywhere near as much oil and a piece of fish that stays crispy. To make this delightful meal you will need the following:
For the fish:
cod fillets – you will know how much you can eat
extra dry and extra fine bread crumbs – I used a food processor to get them extra fine
flour
egg wash – mixed at a ratio of 1 egg per 1/4 cup of milk
salt and pepper
1. Season pieces of cod, or any other pieces of fish you might like to eat with salt and pepper. Roll in flour and shake off any excess flour.
2. Coat piece of fish in egg wash and allow excess to drain.
3. Coat fish in bread crumbs and pat around to ensure that crumbs stick to the fish.
4. Dip breaded fish in egg wash a second time, and coat with bread crumbs a second time.
5. Deep fry in oil at 350F until golden brown. Fish should be floating on top of the oil when it is fully cooked.
Fries
I don’t spend a lot of time on the fries in this video as I made them in a recent video but here is the procedure.
1-2 russet potatoes (or any potatoes labeled as baking potatoes)
1. Scrub, and if you prefer, peel the potatoes.
2. Begin by taking one slice off of the potato so that the thickest part of the slice is the same size you want your fries to be. Place to the side.
3. Lay potato of the flat side and cut into slices the same thickness you want your fries to be.
4. Cut your slices into fries. Place in cold water and rinse once or twice.
5. Place cut fries into the fridge for an hour (or a day or two if need be) so that some of the excess starch can dissolve away. This will give you a better looking french fry.
6. Drain fries and pat dry.
7. Cook fries in a deep-fat fryer at 250F until they are floating on the top. The fries will not have a lot of colour nor texture at this time. They should resemble frozen fries that have defrosted.
8. Place on a pan that will allow them to drain and cool. Let cool for at least 20-30 minutes (less if you place them in the fridge or freezer). The fries can also be frozen at this time or kept in the fridge for 2-3 days.
9. To finish cooking your fries, heat your deep fryer to 350F and cook until golden brown and crispy.
Dressing
2 cups of bread crumbs
1 small-medium onion diced small
2tbsp butter or margarine
1tbsp Mount Scio savoury
salt and pepper to taste
1. Melt butter or margarine in skillet and add onions. Sauté until until soft and turning translucent.
2. Add savoury and cook for 2-3 minutes on medium to low heat..
3. Add breadcrumbs and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes or until breadcrumbs have cooked and developed some colour.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Finally, there is the tartar sauce.
1/2cup mayonnaise
3-4 gherkins, chopped fine (almost any pickle will work if you don’t have gherkins)
1tbsp chopped parsley
1tsp lemon juice
1. Mix all ingredients together. If you prefer a sweeter tartare sauce, use some of the gherkin juice instead of the lemon juice.
To assemble, place fries on plate. Top with dressing and pour some of your favourite gravy over the top.
I hope everyone enjoys!!