Fish and Chips

Instructions

1. 1 Peel the potatoes and cut them into thick chips about one and a half centimetres wide and eight centimetres long. Rinse in cold water to remove surface starch, then soak in a bowl of cold water for at least thirty minutes. Drain and pat completely dry.
2. 2 Heat the frying oil or dripping to 140C in a large deep pot. Blanch the chips in batches for six to seven minutes until they are cooked through and soft but have not taken on any colour. Remove and drain on a wire rack, letting them cool for at least fifteen minutes.
3. 3 Make the batter by whisking together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Pour in the cold sparkling water or beer and whisk briefly until just combined. The batter should be slightly lumpy; over-mixing makes it tough. Keep the batter cold.
4. 4 Increase the oil temperature to 190C for the second chip fry. Return the blanched chips to the hot oil in batches and fry for three to four minutes until they are deeply golden and crispy on the outside with a fluffy interior. Drain and season with salt.
5. 5 Season the fish fillets with salt and dust them lightly in plain flour, shaking off the excess. Dip each fillet into the cold batter, letting the excess drip off for a few seconds, then carefully lower into the 190C oil.
6. 6 Fry the battered fish for six to seven minutes, turning once, until the batter is puffed, deeply golden, and shatteringly crispy. The fish inside should be pure white, flaky, and steaming. Drain on a wire rack, never on paper towels which trap steam.
7. 7 Serve immediately on warmed plates with the crispy chips alongside, a generous splash of malt vinegar, a wedge of lemon, tartare sauce, and mushy peas. Wrap in paper for authentic presentation if serving takeaway-style.