Fish and Chips, Mushy Peas and Tartar Sauce

Crispy cod or haddock fillets served up with mushy marrowfat peas, Maris Piper fried chips and tartar sauce.
Directions for: Fish and Chips, Mushy Peas and Tartar Sauce

Ingredients

Batter

cup sparkling water

5 Tbsp quality lager

1 cup + 2 Tbsp self-raising flour

1 tsp white wine vinegar

1 pinch salt

Mushy Peas

1 cup dried marrowfat peas (available at bulk food stores)

2 tsp baking soda

1 oz butter

Salt and pepper, to taste

Chips

6 - 8 Maris Piper potatoes (2 lbs), cut into thick chips (or other high dry matter potatoes)

Rapeseed oil, for frying

Tartar Sauce

1 cup + 4 tsp quality mayonnaise

cup whole capers, chopped

cup chopped gherkins

large shallot, finely chopped (4 1/4 Tbsp)

1 lemon, juiced and zested

Assembly

6 boneless, skinless cod or haddock fillets

Flour

Salt and pepper

Lemon, sliced

Directions

Batter

1. To make the fish batter, combine sparkling water, lager, self-rising flour, white wine vinegar, and salt in a large bowl.

2. For best results, cover and refrigerate batter for 24 hours.

Mushy Peas

1. To prepare the peas, transfer peas to a large bowl of cold water and set aside for 24 hours to soak.

2. Once batter has rested for 24 hours and peas have soaked until tender, preheat deep-fryer or oil in a heavy-bottomed pot to 250F.

3. To make the mushy peas, place the soaked peas in a large heavy-bottomed pot.

4. Cover peas with 1 cups of water and stir in baking soda.

5. Bring the peas to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 45 minutes, skimming the foam off the peas as they cook.

Chips

1. Drop chips into the fryer to blanch for 15 minutes; remove chips from the fryer and set aside to drain on a paper towel-lined baking sheet.

Tartar Sauce

1. While the peas cook, make a tartar sauce by stirring together mayonnaise, capers, gherkins, shallots, and lemon zest; cover and refrigerate until use.

Assembly

1. Preheat deep fryer or oil in a heavy-bottomed pot to 360 to 375F.

2. To fry the fish, toss the fish in flour and season lightly with salt and pepper.

3. Holding the fish from the tail, transfer the fish fillet to the reserved batter; coat with batter, allowing excess batter to drain before dropping the fish into the hot oil.

4. Fry the fish for 5 to 6 minutes, turning the fillets every 1 minute, until fillets are golden brown.

5. Remove fish from the fryer and place on a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain.

6. Drop the chips back into the fryer to finish frying until golden brown.

7. Remove chips from the oil and season with salt.

8. To serve the Mushy Peas, remove the peas from heat once they are soft and stir in butter, salt, and pepper, to taste.

9. Serve the fried fish with the hot chips, warm Mushy Peas, and reserved Tartar Sauce.

10. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and enjoy!