Fish and Chips?

[wheels]

Halibut's lovely fish, but I'd cook it in another way. For me it's too expensive for a fried dinner.

Coley's (a.k.a. Saithe) great, but climbing in price 'cos of all the chefs that are mentioning it on TV. We used to use it all the time at work. I'm not so keen on Pollock but it can be improved by lightly salting for an hour or so. It also smokes well. I've never cooked River Cobbler, but notice that a lot of chip shops are now using it.

I've been using some frozen at sea Cod which I understand to be from sustainable sources (Barents sea?). It's been superb - nice 2lb fillets and only about £2.60/lb.



I also favour Maris Piper spuds. Another variety that seems to becoming popular in the chip shops around here is Victoria - I'm not so keen though.

The addition of vinegar to the batter is said to keep it crisper for longer. For me, egg in the batter is a no, no.

Like you Jim, dripping aside, my choice of oil would be rape seed. Corn oil is revolting!

Have you tried Ling?

Phil

[captain wassname]

There is a lot of frozen Alascan pollock in supermarkets its dirt cheap and orrible mostly 5-8 oz fillets,The atlantic pollock is a lot bigger and I was buying this from Morrisons up to a year or two ago Frozen at sea cod from Norway and Iceland is about as good as it gets.So called fresh can be a week or two old before it sees the slab.Tried ling in Canada (West coast) where they called it cod wasnt too taken.But again atlantic maybe nicer.
For white fish these days I use mainly cobbler some times steamed ready for the plate or smoked with salmon in fish pies.
Agreed coley is good but handicapped by those who eat with their eyes.
Thats a good price on the cod where are you buying?

Jim

[wheels]

That lot was from Makro.

I used to buy from a bloke at Evesham who delivered to your locality about every 6 weeks. He retired, but I believe he's started up again doing just mail-order.

Phil

[saucisson]

Halibut's lovely fish, but I'd cook it in another way. For me it's too expensive for a fried dinner.

http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/9 ... he_world_/

[wheels]

That was one heck of a fish!

[Ruralidle]

I love my FnC to be made with fresh fish. Traditionally cod or haddock is good - definitely NOT salmon - but I did enjoy lots of halibut when we were on holiday on the west coast of Canada in 2005 - and it wasn't too expensive. Unfortunately there was less of it about and it cost significantly more on a visit a couple of years ago.

Maris Piper potatoes are the best generally available potatoes for chips (in the UK at least). Even so, they are best double (or triple as per Heston Blumenthal) cooked.

Frying medium is easy - beef dripping (as used by the renowned Magpie cafe http://www.magpiecafe.co.uk/ in Whitby) is top of the list but not very healthy so something like sunflower or grapeseed oil.

Batter made with SR flour and something fizzy but light (light ale, lager etc) with a touch of salt and some vinegar. Although - and this may be heresy - but batter made from gluten free flour can be even crispier.

Serve with malt vinegar or (my choice) fresh lemon - and Heinz Tomato Ketchup - but also a great tartare sauce (the recipe given earlier looked good except I leave out the onion and make my own mustardy mayo as the base).

BUT - as with so much of this food and cooking gig - tastes vary so there is no one right answer - just what you enjoy! (I would have been happy to sit down to the plate of food pictured earlier in the thread).

[Dogfish]

Few things I've found in botching quite a few projects.

-- a touch of icing sugar in the flour or batter browns the batter nicely.
-- egg/milk wash, then roll in flour and work it in a bit, then batter, keeps the crust from sliding off when the meat or fish is cooked.
-- room temperature ingredients.
-- corn starch mixed in for an Asian texture/more crispiness.