Homemade Fish & Chips
Fish and chips, from scratch! Easier than it sounds, and so satisfying – there really is nothing like it, fresh and crunchy from the hot oil. A great thing to make when it’s warm enough outside to open the windows! If you can get your hands on a bag of Billingsgate fish & chip batter mix, buy it and use it in place of the flour – if not, no worries. It will still be delicious.
I made chips the easy way – using that new method I learned from Cooks Illustrated. I put them on, sliced the fish, dredged and fried it, and the whole lot took under 30 minutes and made a great many people very happy.
I made a wobbly mayo to go with, using a generous spoonful of grainy dill Brassica mustard.
And the mushy peas – boil peas, then mush them with a dab of butter, splash of cream, and salt and pepper. Yes, I realize it’s not authentic, but it’s yummier than most mushy peas I’ve had.
Beer Battered Fish (for Fish & Chips)

Put 1/4 cup of the flour into a shallow dish. Cut the fish fillets diagonally into 1-inch wide strips.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour, a pinch of salt and the beer - you should have a mixture with the consistency of pancake batter.
In a shallow, heavy pot, heat a couple inches of oil until it registers 375°F.
Pat fish dry with paper towels and dredge in the flour, shaking off the excess. Coat a few pieces at a time in the batter and then into the oil. Cook, turning as needed, for 4-5 minutes, until deep golden and cooked through. Transfer to paper towels to drain and cool, then sprinkle with salt.
Ingredients
Directions
Put 1/4 cup of the flour into a shallow dish. Cut the fish fillets diagonally into 1-inch wide strips.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour, a pinch of salt and the beer - you should have a mixture with the consistency of pancake batter.
In a shallow, heavy pot, heat a couple inches of oil until it registers 375°F.
Pat fish dry with paper towels and dredge in the flour, shaking off the excess. Coat a few pieces at a time in the batter and then into the oil. Cook, turning as needed, for 4-5 minutes, until deep golden and cooked through. Transfer to paper towels to drain and cool, then sprinkle with salt.
I would eat Fish n Chips for breakfast! Anytime you want to cook this for me I’m there.
I just had fish and chips the other night for the first time in ages. It hit the spot. Before 8am? Does that mean you had fish and chips for breakfast. Stranger things have happened, I suppose! (And mushy peas – awesome!)
Spot on!
Sorry, that was a little cryptic! I made it for the morning show on CBC radio.
Have you tried Jamie Oliver’s Minty Mushy peas?…also tres easy and tasty!
Oooh, sounds fab! And leaves your breath minty fresh, I’ll bet!
This might be one of my favorite dishes. The best fish – chips – peas I have ever ate was in Squamish BC. I actually will find any excuse to be in the town and always follow the day with the dish.
Question for Michelle: Where do you go in Squamish for the fabulous fish and chips? I often drive up for a day visit whenever I stay in N. Van. It would be great to have a really good feed of F&C when there. Of course, I am definitely going to give this recipe a try too! Beer batter is also super for onion rings!
Homemade fish and chips is one of our favorite meals. Yum!
This brings me right back to being a little girl at my grandma’s house. She could make fish and chips like few others.
My goddaughter is studying in London this semester and we were just talking about the fish and chips. 🙂 Yours look perfect.
I am new blogger .. started in Jan this year. As I was blog hopping I came across your FANTASTIC blog.. there is soo much to learn for here.. will visit you every day ..
Hi Julie,
For the fries, what temperature do you “boil” them at? High, or medium-high?
Also, have you tried this with sweet potato or beets? Just wondering if they come out as crispy.
Thanks,
I caught an episode of America’s Test Kitchen a month or two ago. They did the fries, but they said they’d updated the method. And now I can’t remember the difference. Argh.
My brother recommended I might like this blog.
He was totally right. This post actually made my day.
You can not imagine just how much time I had spent for this information!
Thanks!
Here is my web-site Quotes (saveelectricitytips.tumblr.com)