Beer Battered Fish and Chips

In keeping with my trend of posting Irish related recipes for St. Patrick's Day, I decided to make fish and chips for dinner.  This dish always manages to make me melancholic of my trips to Ireland and England that I took last summer since it is on every menu in every pub! If you are abroad in either of these places and are craving fish and chips, you will never have to worry about finding a place that serves this meal!  Although it may not be the healthiest of dishes, there is just something so satisfying about sinking your teeth into beer battered fish and enjoying with a nice cold glass of Guinness!

Fish and Chips

Ingredients:
-4 large potatoes (such as Idaho)
-1 or 2 pounds of cod or haddock fillets
-2 cups all-purpose flour
-2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning or Emeril's Essence (recipe follows)
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-12 ounce can of beer (I used Guinness since I love the flavor)
-Salt
-Peanut or vegetable oil (about 3 quarts)
(Note: If using Guinness, the batter will be darker and the outside crust on your fish will end up being slightly darker as well). 


Emeril's Essence (From Food Network)
-2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
-2 tablespoons salt
-2 tablespoons garlic powder
-1 tablespoon black pepper
-1 tablespoon onion powder
-1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
-1 tablespoon dried oregano
-1 tablespoon dried thyme
(Combine all ingredients well and store in an airtight container.  This makes about 2/3 cup so you can save the rest for later use.  This can be used as a substitute for Old Bay). 


Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.


In a large, deep, pot, heat the oil until it reaches 325 degrees.  While the oil is heating, wash and peel your potatoes and cut lengthwise into wedges or sticks about 1/4 inch wide.

                                              Wedges                                             Sticks

Before frying the potatoes, place them in an ice bath for at least 10 minutes.  Remove potatoes from the ice bath and dry off completely.  Working in batches, place a handful of the potatoes into the oil and cook through until they are tender, but have no color (about 4-5 minutes).  Remove from the oil and immediately place them onto paper towels.  

Raise the temperature of the oil to 375 degrees. 

Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix together the flour, seasoning (either Old Bay or Emeril's Essence), baking soda, and pinch of salt.  Mix in the beer until just combined.  Lather your fish fillets up in the batter and place in the oil slowly.  Cook for about 5 minutes, turning the fish over halfway through. 

Once the fish are fried, place them on paper towels and pat dry.  Put the fillets in the preheated oven in order to help them maintain their warmth and crispness while you finish your fries. 

Again, working in batches, fry your fries for a second time until they are golden brown and crispy.  When they are done, remove them from the oil, place them on paper towels, and sprinkle them with salt while they are still hot.  

Remove your fillets from the oven and place them on a dish with the French fries.  Serve with a glass of Guinness, or your favorite beer, and enjoy! 

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