FORKD FISH N’ CHIPS
I for one have never been a fish snob, except when it comes to making fish and chips. Early on, flounder was always the most accessible – and affordable mind you – but the most flimsy and, alas, disappointing. Cod, however, had meat so to speak and haddock gives it that restaurant pastiche, yet both disappear in the batter; offering up little to no flavor. I mean, it is fish and chips after all; not crust and fries. My aquatic craniate of choice is tilapia. It’s rich, sweet and flakey; and makes for the most succulent tête d'affiche for my Forkd Fish N’ Chips. And that’s neither hook nor line.
PREP/COOK TIME: 45 Minutes
Makes 2 – 4 Servings
INGREDIENTS
4 (5 Oz) – Tilapia Fillets
½ Tsp, plus 1 Tsp for Seasoning – Kosher Salt
½ Tsp – Coarse Black Pepper
½ Tsp – Cayenne Pepper
1 Cup – All Purpose Flour
1 Tsp – Table Salt
1 Tsp – Baking Soda
1 Tsp – Distilled White Vinegar
¾ Cup – Water
1 ½ Lb (About 4) – Medium Russet Potatoes, Cleaned, Peeled (Optional, I don’t), Cut Into Strips
1 ½ Cups – Vegetable Oil
¼ Cup – Mayonnaise
1 Tb – Sour Cream
1 Tsp – Worcestershire Sauce
A splash of Tapatío Hot Sauce
2 Tsp – Fresh Lemon Juice
¼ Cup – Chopped Bread and Butter Pickle Chips
THE NITTY GRITTY
In a small mixing bowl, combine mayo, sour cream, Worcestershire, hot sauce and lemon juice; whisk till blended. Add in chopped pickles and stir. Cover and chill in the fridge till fish and chips are ready.
In a sizeable microwavable bowl, add potato strips along with ¼ Cup water; cover tightly with cling-film and heat in microwave on high for 10 minutes. Carefully remove film; allowing steam to escape. Check for doneness; potatoes should be pliable. Transfer steamed potatoes single layer onto a tray lined with a lint-free towel to extract moisture.
Meanwhile, place tilapia single layer on a plate, or tray; season both sides with cayenne pepper, ½ Tsp Kosher Salt, and black pepper. In a large pie plate, or shallow baking dish, add flour, table salt, baking soda, ½ Cup water and vinegar; whisk together till batter is blended and smooth. Set aside covered with cling film till ready to use.
In a large skillet, or non-stick pan, heat oil at medium high till shimmering. Fry potato strips in batches, allowing room to turn spuds over while cooking. Fry strips for 3 – 4 minutes or till crisp and golden. Transfer fries to a baking sheet lined with paper towels; fitted atop by a wired rack to catch oily excess. Season each batch with a sprinkling of kosher salt. Place fries in a pre-heated 250° F oven to keep warm before getting started on the fish.
Using paper towels, pat dry fillets; dropping one at a time into batter – coating both sides. Add batter dipped fillets carefully to hot oil and fry for 6 – 8 minutes, turning over once during cooking, till puffy, crisp and golden. Transfer fried fish to baking sheet used for fries to drain any oily excess; season with a pinch of kosher salt.
Serve with lemon wedges and tartar sauce and enjoy.
AUGUST 24, 2020
