Fish and Chips with Pollock

Ingredients

• Wheat Flour 5 oz
• Glutinous Rice Flour 10 oz
• Baking Powder 1 tablespoon
• Honey 1 tablespoon
• Vodka 10 fl oz
• Beer 10 fl oz
• Vegetable Oil 5 qt
• Navy Pollock 20 oz
• Potato 0 lbs
• Salt to taste

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1

The batter is prepared easily and quickly, but it needs to rest in the cold for about 30 minutes. Then, you need to work quickly so that the bubbles don’t dissipate. For the perfect result, a siphon will be needed. Mix a little rice flour, regular flour, and baking powder, then add honey, vodka, and the remaining flour, leaving about 50 grams of rice flour for preparing the fish. At this stage, it is most important to open the beer just before adding it to the batter to ensure it is as carbonated as possible. Pour in the beer and mix again.

Step 2

Pour the mixture into a siphon, even if there are some small lumps remaining. Charge the siphon with 3 cartridges and place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Step 3

Meanwhile, wash and peel the potatoes, then cut them into sticks about 1.5 cm thick. It's not necessary to cut them perfectly; there's a charm in their irregularity. Rinse the potatoes thoroughly under cold water for 2–3 minutes to remove excess starch.

Step 4

In a deep pot, bring lightly salted water to a boil. Cook the potatoes until they are tender. It's important to catch the moment when the potatoes just begin to fall apart, so it's best to cook them over low heat. These small cracks will allow the chips to become especially crispy during the subsequent frying.

Step 5

Use a slotted spoon to remove the boiled potatoes and let them cool. A baking rack lined with parchment paper works perfectly for this. Pat them dry, then place them in the refrigerator.

Step 6

After 15–20 minutes, remove the potatoes and fry them in a deep pot with oil, preheating it to 265°F. As soon as the sticks begin to turn golden, take them out, dry them off, and store them in the refrigerator.

Step 7

When the potatoes have cooled, heat the oil to 375°F. Fry the chips until they are a deep golden color. Drain and season generously with salt.

Step 8

In a deep skillet or another pan, heat a sufficient amount of vegetable oil to 430°F. The easiest way to monitor the temperature is with a food thermometer. Pat the fish fillets dry and coat them in rice flour; this will help the batter adhere to the fish. Shake off any excess flour.

Step 9

Shake the siphon well and dispense a little batter into a deep bowl. Do not dispense too much, as the batter will start to lose its bubbles immediately. Dip the fish into the batter and lower it into the boiling oil.

Step 10

During frying, the fish can be turned several times and drizzled with batter to achieve a thick, crispy crust. Once the fish has developed a rich golden color, it should be removed and transferred to a paper towel to absorb any excess fat. You can check the fish's doneness with a food thermometer: the internal temperature of cooked fish should be 40–115°F.