Last week I talk about sustainable fish and my journey to “De La Mer” to get some. I picked up 2 beautiful pieces of tilapia and put them in my freezer for future fun. The future is here and because my usually-not-picky boyfriend doesn’t run a mile for fish, I wanted to make something he would defitniely love. Fish n’ chips. Even the most staunch non-fish eaters usually like fish n’ chips. I was originally going to do a panko crusted baked version but then I thought, screw it. I want something I’d get in a restaurant. I decided on beer battered fish, roasted fingerling “chips” and steamed asparagus. I have never attempted beer battered fish so this was a daunting task.

After reading some literature about beer batters I created one of my own using 250 ml of IPA, ¼ cup buckwheat flour, ¼ cup durum semolina, 1 tsp each salt, pepper, cayenne, paprika, garlic powder. Let the mixture stand for about 10-15 minutes. Salt and pepper each side of the fish and lightly dust with flour to help the batter stick. Heat ¾ oil (grapeseed, canola, veg oil-NOT OLIVE OIL. It doesn’t deal with high temperatures very well and loses all of it’s nutritional value) until the oil starts to dance (be careful not to get burned!) and dip your fish into the beer batter, gently shaking the excess off. Place the fish in the oil and cook until golden brown. About 4 minutes a side. Place on paper towel to soak up oil.

Before you make the fish you should tackle your “chips”. Fingerling potatoes are my favorite of the potato family. They’re sweet and adorable, just like me…;) I zapped them in a covered dish with water in the microwave for 6 minutes to speed up the roasting time. Cut the large fingerlings lenthwise and leave the small one as it. Toss in a bit of oil and steak spice of your choice. Roast for 20 minutes at 400.

Assemble your masterpiece on a plate and serve with lemon wedge and tartar sauce. I must say, I was VERY concerned about how my fish might turn out. I’ve never done a shallow fry before and was worried it might be greasy and soggy. It couldn’t have been better. You could hear the crunch of the batter as you bit into it. The potatoes tasted like clouds with a crispy savoury exterior. The asparagus and lemon added brightness and colour. I WOULD SERVE THIS TO THE QUEEN. Seriously, try this! The trick is making sure you oil is hot enough or your fish will end up oily and gross. Yes, oven roasting fish is healthier BUT this is a Hell of a lot more heart friendly than the deep fried version you’d get at a pub. And I dare say it’s even tastier!