Recipe: Fish and Chips (with vinegar and soda) - 5 recipes for Lisa, Vancouver

Hi Lisa :-) I could not find anything close to what you are looking for in the Joy of Cooking edition that I own but here are 5 recipes that I found on the internet. I have not tried any of them. Do any of them sound close to the recipe you are looking for? (You didn't say whether it was baking soda or soda water that was one of the ingredients.)

English-Style Fish and Chips
Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence
Yield: 4 servings

Vegetable oil, for deep frying
4 large russet potatoes
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 (12-ounce) can soda water
1/2 cup rice flour, for dredging
2 (8-ounce) cod or haddock fillets, cut in 1/2 on an angle
Malt vinegar, for serving
Tartar Sauce, recipe follows

Heat 3-inches of the oil in a deep fryer to 325 degrees F. Alternately, heat 3-inches of oil in a deep pot.
Peel the potatoes and cut them into chips, about the size of your index finger. Put the potatoes in the oil. Fry the chips for 2 to 3 minutes; they should not be crisp or fully cooked at this point. Remove the chips with a spider strainer or slotted spoon, to a paper towel-lined platter to drain.

Crank the oil temperature up to 375 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, and egg. Pour in the soda water and whisk to a smooth batter. Spread the rice flour on a plate. Dredge the fish pieces in the rice flour and then dip them into the batter, letting the excess drip off.

Put the chips in the bottom of the fryer basket and carefully submerge in the hot oil. Carefully wave the battered fish into the bubbling oil before dropping them in on top of the chips. Fry the fish and chips for 4 to 5 minutes until crispy and brown. Remove the basket and drain the fish and chips on paper towels; season lightly with salt. Serve wrapped in a newspaper cone with malt vinegar and/or tartar sauce.

Tartar Sauce:
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon chopped capers
1 tablespoon chopped cornichons
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/2 lemon, juiced
Dash hot sauce

In a small mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Chill before serving to let the flavors marry.
Yield: about 1 1/4 cups

FISH AND CHIPS BATTER

2/3 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tbsp. vinegar
2/3 c. water
Mix all the ingredients above. Dip fish or your favorite veggies into the batter and fry immediately. Serve hot

ENGLISH FISH AND CHIPS

1 1/2 lbs. white fish fillets
2 potatoes, sliced thin
1 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. oil
2 c. flour
1 tsp. white vinegar
2 eggs
1/2 c. corn meal
1/2 c. ice water

The first thing to do is make the batter. So in flat dish or bowl combine the oil, salt, flour, vinegar, eggs, corn meal and ice water. Stir until it looks smooth and creamy. Next in a deep fat fryer start shortening or oil heating at 400 degrees.

Roll our dip cut-up fish fillets in the batter making sure each fillet is well coated. Drop battered fillets in the fryer to cook. Now drop the potatoes slices in and cook all until golden brown. Remove and serve.

We found that using 6 ounces of beer instead of ice water worked great. Potatoes have a tendency to mingle with the fish and pick up some of the batter. Malt vinegar can be put on fish and chips before eating.

FISH & CHIPS

1 3/4 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp. white vinegar
Approximately 1 c. liquid (1/2 beer, 1/2 water)
2 tbsp. fresh white fish fillets (cod or haddock)
Oil for deep frying
2 lb. potatoes, peeled into thin strips

Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix the liquids in a measuring cup. Make a well in the center and gradually add the liquid to make a smooth batter. If it is too thick, add a little more water. Allow the batter to stand for about 1 hour. Rinse the potatoes after peeling and slicing into thin strips. Dry and sprinkle them with salt before deep frying to golden.

Dip the fish into flour and then in batter and place skin side down into the hot oil. (The fish should rise to the surface within a minute if the oil is hot enough.) When the underside is golden, turn to finish the topside (approximately 5 to 10 minutes depending upon thickness of the fish). Yields 6 servings.

Fish And Chips
Serves: 4

4 Potatoes
Vegetable oil
1 Pound cod or other lean
Fish fillets
3/4 c All-purpose flour
1/2 ts Salt
1/2 ts Baking soda
1 tb Vinegar
3/4 c Water

The traditional English way to serve Fish and Chips is to drizzle them.
Cut potatoes lengthwise into 1/2-inch strips.
Heat oil (2 to 3 inches) in deep fryer or Dutch oven to 375 degrees.
Fill basket one-fourth full with potatoes.
Slowly lower basket into hot oil.
(If oil bubbles excessively, raise and lower basket several times.
) Use long-handled fork to keep potatoes separated.
Fry potatoes 5 to 7 minutes or until golden brown; drain on paper towels.
Place potatoes in single layer on cookie sheet and keep warm.
Repeat with remaining potatoes.
Cut fish fillets into 2 X 1-1/2 ~inch pieces.
Pat dry with paper towels.
Mix flour and salt.
Mix baking soda and vinegar.
Stir vinegar mixture and water into flour mixture; beat until smooth.
Dip fish into batter, allowing excess batter to drip into bowl.
Fry 4 or 5 fish pieces at a time (do not use basket) ABOUT 3 minutes, turning fish once, until brown.
Drain on paper towels.
Set oven control to broil.
Broil potatoes 6 inches from heat 2 to 3 minutes or until crisp.