Pub’s Best Fish & Chips

1 large “separated” egg
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup milk or water
2 pounds “Idaho” russet potatoes
¼ cup beer (at room temperature and flat is preferred)
Peanut oil or vegetable oil for deep-frying
Salt, for serving
Malt vinegar, for serving
2 pounds skinless fish fillets – cod, haddock, sole or flounder (fillets should be approximately 5 inches long and 3/8 inches thick)

The batter must be made first and in advance (approximately one hour before frying). In a mixing bowl, mix the salt and flour. Take another bowl and stir the beer, milk, and egg yolk. Now, pour these wet ingredients into the salt/flour bowl and stir well with a wire whisk (do not beat). The finished batter should be allowed to rest at room tem¬perature for at least 45 minutes.Cut the potatoes into sticks of 3 or more inches long (approximately 3/8 of an inch thick). The cut potatoes should be placed in a bowl of cold water and stirred to remove the excess starch.

In a deep fryer, Dutch oven or stockpot, pour oil to a depth of 3 or 4 inches. The goal is to get the oil to 375°F. In preheated oven, place a wire rack on a baking sheet.

On the kitchen counter, lay out one or two “lint-free” kitchen towels (do not use terry cloth). Then, drain and rinse the potatoes well under cold water. The potatoes should be placed on the towels and patted totally dry. Once the oil reaches 375°F, the potatoes should be fried in small batches until they are completely brown (8 to 10 minutes). When frying, two things are important. First, the 375°F must be maintained in the frying pot. Second, do not overfill or over crowd the pot with potatoes while frying. When the potatoes are finished, they should be placed on the wire rack in the oven (for drainage) and to keep them warm.

Finally, rinse the fish fillets and pat them dry with paper towels. The egg white must now be beaten to soft peaks and gen¬tly, but fully folded, into the batter. The fish is now rolled in the batter before being transferred to the hot oil for frying. Again, maintain the 375°F for the frying pot because this will assure a cooking time of approximately 4 minutes. This dish should be served hot with salt and malt vinegar to taste.

Diva Tips:

• Limit Fish & Chips to a maximum crowd of 4, so you’re not spending the whole time at the deep fryer.
• For light batter, allow beer to sit at room temperature for 1 hour before frying.
• If using a dark stout, add water to the batter.
• If using a pale ale or lager, add milk.