Crispy Cerveza Battered Fish Food

CRISPY BEER BATTERED FISH

Steps:

• Dry & cut fish: Pat fish dry using paper towels or a tea towel. Cut into 7 x 3cm / 3 x 1¼" batons, or larger fillets if you prefer. If you have very thick fillets, cut in half horizontally (Note 1)
• Dusting bowl: Place ¼ cup rice flour in a shallow bowl.
• Heat oil: Heat 6cm / 2" - 3" oil in a large heavy based pot over medium high heat to 190°C/375°F.
• Salt & dust: While oil is heating, sprinkle 3 or 4 pieces of fish with a pinch of salt, then coat in rice flour and shake off excess. You can leave them like this for up to 10 minutes.
• Cold batter: Just before cooking, whisk together the flour, rice flour, baking powder and salt. Add very cold beer into the batter and whisk just until incorporated evenly into the flour. Do not over-mix, do not worry about flour lumps (Note 4). It should be a fairly thin batter but fully coat the back of a spoon. If too thick, add beer 1 tsp at a time.
• Dredge fish: Dunk a piece of fish in the batter, the let the excess drip off very briefly.
• Fry 3 minutes: Carefully lower into oil, dropping it in away from you, one piece at a time. Don't crowd the pot; fry in batches. Fry for 3 minutes, flipping after about 2 minutes, until deep golden.
• Drain: Drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining fish. Serve hot! However it will stay crisp for 15 - 20 minutes. (Note 5 for larger batch cooking).
• Serve with Tartare Sauce, lemon wedges and a leafy green salad on the side dressed with a classic vinaigrette. Easy single-fry-ultra-crunchy chips coming soon! In the meantime, use oven baked wedges!

CRISPY CORN AND BEER-BATTERED FISH TACOS

Steps:

• Lightly sprinkle the cod with salt and pepper. Transfer to a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Chill, uncovered, at least 1 hour and up to overnight (this air-dries the surface so the batter will adhere better to the fish).
• Whisk the flour, cornmeal, seasoned salt, paprika, baking powder and baking soda in a medium bowl. Add the beer, club soda and vinegar and whisk just until combined and no lumps remain.
• Fit a large heavy pot with a deep-frying thermometer; pour in oil to a depth of 3 inches. Heat over medium-high heat until the thermometer registers 375 degrees F.
• Working in batches, dip the fish into the batter, allowing excess batter to drip back into the bowl. Lower the fish carefully into the oil and fry until light golden brown and just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
• Serve the fried fish with the warm tortillas, pico de gallo, hot sauce, pickled vegetables, lime wedges, avocado, cilantro and cabbage.
• Toss the tomatillo, kiwi, lime juice, basil, serrano, garlic and onion in a small bowl to combine; season with salt. Cover and chill 1 hour to allow the flavors to come together.
• Puree the carrots, lime juice, salt, garlic, habanero and 1 cup water in a blender on high speed until completely smooth and no large chunks remain. Transfer to a 1-quart jar or nonreactive container, cover loosely with plastic wrap and poke a few holes in the plastic to allow the hot sauce to breathe. Let sit at room temperature for at least 24 hours before serving and up to 3 days. The hot sauce can be made 1 week ahead; chill after 3 days.
• Pack the chiles, carrots and onion into a 1-quart heatproof jar or a nonreactive container. Put the peppercorns and allspice berries in a dry large saucepan over medium heat and toast, tossing constantly, until just fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the vinegar, sugar and salt and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar and salt. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest and juice, oregano, garlic and bay leaf. Let cool slightly, then pour the brine over the chiles, carrots and onion to submerge. Seal and chill at least 3 hours before serving. The flavor will mellow as it sits. The vegetables can be pickled 3 weeks ahead. Keep chilled.

CRISPY BEER BATTER FISH & CHIPS

Steps:

• Whisk self-rising flour, rice flour, and baking powder together in a bowl. Freeze until ready to use.
• Pat fish as dry as possible. Cut pieces lengthwise to get eight 1-inch thick strips. Place rice flour on a plate and season with salt. Dust fish lightly with the mixture and shake off excess. Cover a plate with crinkled foil to make a quick drying rack; place fish on top.
• Heat oil in a deep-fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Pour beer into the flour mixture and whisk, adding more as needed, until batter is the consistency of thick pancake batter. Dip fish pieces into the batter to coat; lift out and let excess drip off.
• Fry fish in batches until golden brown, dunking occasionally if needed, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Serve immediately.

BEER BATTERED FISH

Steps:

• For the fish: Combine 1/2 cup of cornstarch with 2 teaspoons of kosher salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper in a shallow dish. Combine the flour, baking powder, paprika, remaining 1 cup of cornstarch, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper in a large bowl. Gently stir in the cold beer until just combined. Cover and refrigerate the batter until ready to use.
• For the tartar sauce: Combine the mayonnaise, dill pickle relish, lemon zest, lemon juice, dill, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
• In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 inches of oil to 375°. Place a wire rack over a baking sheet.
• Pat the fish dry with paper towels. Cut the fish into 10 to 12 3-inch pieces. Dredge the fish in the cornstarch mixture, shaking off excess. Working in 3 to 4 batches, coat the fish in the chilled batter. Carefully transfer the battered fish in hot oil and cook until golden and crispy, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the fish to a wire rack and sprinkle with salt.
• Serve the fish with the tartar sauce, lemon wedges, and malt vinegar.

BEER-BATTERED FISH AND CHIPS

Steps:

• Set a colander in a large bowl of ice water. Slice the potatoes lengthwise 1/4 inch thick, then stack the slices and cut into 1/4-inch-thick sticks, adding them to the ice water as you work. Refrigerate 30 minutes or up to 1 hour. Lift the colander out of the ice water, rinse the potatoes well and pat very dry.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat 4 inches vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven until a deep-fry thermometer registers 280 degrees F. Add half of the potatoes; fry until tender but still colorless, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with the remaining potatoes. Increase the oil temperature to 365 degrees F.
• Whisk 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, the rice flour, baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt and the cayenne in a large bowl. Whisk in the beer until mostly smooth. Let sit 5 minutes to thicken.
• Set a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet. Season the fish with salt. Working in two batches, dredge the fish in the remaining 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, then dip in the beer batter, letting the excess drip off. Fry until crisp and golden brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer to the rack; sprinkle with salt. Keep warm in the oven.
• Increase the oil temperature to 380 degrees F. Working in two batches, fry the potatoes again until crisp and golden brown, about 2 minutes. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate and season with salt. Serve the fish and chips with malt vinegar and lemon wedges.

GOLDEN BEER-BATTERED FISH WITH CHIPS

Steps:

• Combine the flour, cornflour, baking powder and turmeric in a large bowl, season, then spoon 1 tbsp onto a plate and set aside. Gradually pour the beer and water into the bowl, stirring with a wooden spoon until you have a smooth, lump-free batter. Leave to rest for 30 mins while you prepare the chips.
• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Boil a large pan of water, then add the chipped potatoes and boil for 2-3 mins until the outsides are just tender but not soft. drain well, then tip onto a large baking tray with the flour, oil and some salt. Gently toss together until all the potatoes are evenly coated and the flour is no longer dusty. Roast for 30 mins, turning occasionally, until the chips are golden and crisp.
• To cook the fish, heat the 1 litre oil in a deep saucepan until a drop of batter sizzles and crisps up straight away. Pat the fish dry with kitchen paper, then toss it in the reserved turmeric flour mix. Shake off any excess, then dip into the batter. Carefully lower each fillet into the hot oil and fry for 6-8 mins - depending on the thickness of the fish - until golden and crisp. Using a large slotted spoon, lift out the fish, drain on kitchen paper, then sprinkle with salt. Serve with the hot chips and Homemade tomato sauce (see 'goes well with').
• Combine the flour, cornflour, baking powder and turmeric in a large bowl, season, then spoon 1 tbsp onto a plate and set aside. Gradually pour the beer and water into the bowl, stirring with a wooden spoon until you have a smooth, lump-free batter. Leave to rest for 30 mins while you prepare the chips.
• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Boil a large pan of water, then add the chipped potatoes and boil for 2-3 mins until the outsides are just tender but not soft. drain well, then tip onto a large baking tray with the flour, oil and some salt. Gently toss together until all the potatoes are evenly coated and the flour is no longer dusty. Roast for 30 mins, turning occasionally, until the chips are golden and crisp.
• To cook the fish, heat the 1 litre oil in a deep saucepan until a drop of batter sizzles and crisps up straight away. Pat the fish dry with kitchen paper, then toss it in the reserved turmeric flour mix. Shake off any excess, then dip into the batter. Carefully lower each fillet into the hot oil and fry for 6-8 mins - depending on the thickness of the fish - until golden and crisp. Using a large slotted spoon, lift out the fish, drain on kitchen paper, then sprinkle with salt. Serve with the hot chips and Homemade tomato sauce (see 'goes well with').