British Fish & Chips Classic

# What You'll Need:

→ Battered Fish

01 - 4 fillets white fish (cod or haddock, skinless and boneless, about 5.3 oz each)

02 - 1 cup plus extra for dusting all-purpose flour (about 4.2 oz)

03 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch

04 - 1 teaspoon baking powder

05 - 1 teaspoon sea salt

06 - 1 cup cold sparkling water or beer

07 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

08 - Sunflower or vegetable oil, for deep frying

→ Chips

09 - 1.75 lbs russet or Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and cut into thick fries

10 - 1 teaspoon sea salt

11 - Sunflower or vegetable oil, for frying

→ To Serve

12 - Malt vinegar or lemon wedges

13 - Tartar sauce (optional)

14 - Peas or mushy peas (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Place cut potatoes in a bowl of cold water and soak for 15 to 30 minutes. Drain and pat dry thoroughly with a clean towel.

02 - Heat oil in a deep fryer or large heavy pot to 300°F. Fry potatoes in batches for 4 to 5 minutes until tender but not colored. Remove and drain on paper towels.

03 - Whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Gradually add cold sparkling water or beer, whisking until smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

04 - Increase oil temperature to 375°F. Fry chips again in batches for 2 to 3 minutes until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with sea salt.

05 - Pat fish fillets dry and lightly dust with flour. Dip each fillet into the batter allowing excess to drip off. Carefully lower into hot oil and fry for 5 to 7 minutes, turning once, until golden brown and crisp. Drain on a wire rack or paper towels.

06 - Plate hot battered fish alongside crispy chips. Add malt vinegar or lemon wedges and optional tartar sauce or mushy peas as desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -

The batter gets impossibly crispy without being greasy, thanks to the sparkling water trick that actually works.
Those thick-cut chips have fluffy centers and shatteringly crisp exteriors from the two-fry method, turning this into more than just a side dish.
It tastes like you've been doing this your whole life, even though the whole thing comes together in under an hour.

02 -

The two-fry method for chips isn't fancy—it's essential; the first fry cooks them through gently, the second fry at higher temperature seals the outside and creates crispiness that lasts longer.
Cold water or beer in your batter isn't just traditional, it's functional; the cold temperature keeps the gluten from developing too much, which would make your batter tough instead of light and crispy.
Oil temperature matters more than you think; if it's too cool, your fish absorbs oil and becomes greasy instead of crispy, and if it's too hot, the outside burns before the inside finishes cooking.

03 -