Crispy fish fillets and tender fries are a classic British dish. The combination first appeared in England in the 1860s. Both fish and chips—a.k.a. French fries—had been around long before that. When and where the two were initially combined is unknown. Frying fish in oil originated with Jews from Spain and Portugal. The dish likely arrived in the United States by way of British immigrants. In parts of the Northeast and the upper Midwest, the combination is called a fish fry. Serve plain, with tartar sauce, or salt and vinegar.
Recipe Servings: 4
Prep Time
10 minutes
+ 20 minutes resting
+ 20 minutes resting
Cook Time
35 minutes
Total Time
1 hour 5 minutes
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Kosher
Halal
Ingredients
- 4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into strips
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 cup milk
- 1 egg
- 1 qt vegetable oil, for frying
- 1½ lbs cod fillets
Directions
- Place potatoes in medium bowl of cold water.
- Combine flour, baking powder, salt and pepper in a separate bowl.
- Add milk and egg, stirring until mixture is smooth. Let stand 20 minutes.
- Preheat oil in large pot or electric skillet to 350°F.
- Fry potatoes in hot oil until tender and then transfer them to paper towel to drain.
- Dredge fish in batter, one piece at a time, and place in hot oil.
- Fry until the fish is golden-brown. If necessary, increase heat to maintain 350°F.
- Transfer the fish to paper towel to drain.
- Fry potatoes again, 1–2 minutes, for added crispness.
- Combine fish and fries on plates and serve.
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