for perfectly cooked fish with a light, crisp batter and crisp chips. I received high marks on all points, but ultimately Mat’s traditional recipe took the win. This may not have been a triumph for the New World, but luckily we can share in the prize of A Salt & Battery’s jolly good fish and chips.
Bobby Flay’s
Fish and Chips
SERVES 4 TO 6
Canola or peanut oil
3 large Idaho potatoes, peeled, cut into
¼-inch-thick fries, and soaked in cold water
3 cups rice flour
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
2½ pounds fresh cod, cut into 8 pieces
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Lemon-Habanero Tartar Sauce (recipe follows)
Serrano Vinegar (recipe follows)
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Fill a deep-fryer or a deep pot halfway with oil, and preheat to 325°F.
2. Drain the fries in batches on paper towels. Fry each batch until a pale blond color, 3 to 4 minutes, and remove to a baking sheet lined with paper towels.
3. Raise the oil temperature to 365°F.
4. Whisk 2 cups of the rice flour with 1 cup cold water in a medium bowl, and season with salt, pepper, and the 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder.
5. Put the remaining 1 cup flour on a large plate and season with salt and pepper. Season the fish fillets on each side with salt and pepper, and lightly dredge them in the seasoned flour, tapping off any excess. Working in batches, dip the fish in the batter and fry until golden brown on both sides and just cooked through, about 5 minutes total. Remove the fish with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels. Then transfer to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven until ready to serve.
6. Raise the oil temperature to 375°F. Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons ancho chile powder with 1 tablespoon salt in a small bowl.
7. Fry the potatoes again, in batches, until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove to a baking sheet lined with paper towels, and season with the chile mixture and the cilantro.
8. Serve the fish and chips in baskets, with the tartar sauce and vinegar on the side.
Lemon-Habanero Tartar Sauce
3 cups fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons honey
1½ cups mayonnaise
3 anchovy fillets in oil, patted dry and chopped
1 habanero chile, chopped
6 cornichons, finely diced
2 tablespoons brined capers, drained
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Bring the lemon juice to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced to ¼ cup, about 20 minutes. Whisk in the honey and let cool.
2. Combine the reduced lemon juice, mayonnaise, anchovies, and habanero in a food processor and process until smooth. Scrape the mixture into a medium bowl, and stir in the cornichons and capers. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
Serrano Vinegar
2 cups white wine vinegar
8 serrano chiles, pricked with a fork
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Bring the vinegar to a simmer in a small saucepan. Add the chiles and salt, remove from the heat, and transfer to a glass bottle or jar. Let sit at room temperature for 8 hours before refrigerating.
Mat Arnfeld’s
Fish and Chips
SERVES 4
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted, plus more as needed
Kosher salt
1 pint brown ale
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
8 large Idaho potatoes, peeled and sliced ½ inch thick
4 (6-ounce) cod, haddock, or halibut fillets, about 1 inch thick
Malt vinegar, for serving
1. Put 1½ cups of the flour and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in the ale until smooth. (For a lighter batter, use a handheld immersion blender to combine.) The batter should have the consistency of heavy cream; if it is too thin, whisk in a little more flour. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Fill a deep-fryer or heavy pot halfway with oil, and heat to 300°F. Add your chips carefully, so as not to excite the oil, and cook for about 3 minutes; they shouldn’t color. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined baking
Bobby Flay’s
Fish and Chips
SERVES 4 TO 6
Canola or peanut oil
3 large Idaho potatoes, peeled, cut into
¼-inch-thick fries, and soaked in cold water
3 cups rice flour
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
2½ pounds fresh cod, cut into 8 pieces
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Lemon-Habanero Tartar Sauce (recipe follows)
Serrano Vinegar (recipe follows)
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Fill a deep-fryer or a deep pot halfway with oil, and preheat to 325°F.
2. Drain the fries in batches on paper towels. Fry each batch until a pale blond color, 3 to 4 minutes, and remove to a baking sheet lined with paper towels.
3. Raise the oil temperature to 365°F.
4. Whisk 2 cups of the rice flour with 1 cup cold water in a medium bowl, and season with salt, pepper, and the 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder.
5. Put the remaining 1 cup flour on a large plate and season with salt and pepper. Season the fish fillets on each side with salt and pepper, and lightly dredge them in the seasoned flour, tapping off any excess. Working in batches, dip the fish in the batter and fry until golden brown on both sides and just cooked through, about 5 minutes total. Remove the fish with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels. Then transfer to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven until ready to serve.
6. Raise the oil temperature to 375°F. Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons ancho chile powder with 1 tablespoon salt in a small bowl.
7. Fry the potatoes again, in batches, until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove to a baking sheet lined with paper towels, and season with the chile mixture and the cilantro.
8. Serve the fish and chips in baskets, with the tartar sauce and vinegar on the side.
Lemon-Habanero Tartar Sauce
3 cups fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons honey
1½ cups mayonnaise
3 anchovy fillets in oil, patted dry and chopped
1 habanero chile, chopped
6 cornichons, finely diced
2 tablespoons brined capers, drained
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Bring the lemon juice to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced to ¼ cup, about 20 minutes. Whisk in the honey and let cool.
2. Combine the reduced lemon juice, mayonnaise, anchovies, and habanero in a food processor and process until smooth. Scrape the mixture into a medium bowl, and stir in the cornichons and capers. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
Serrano Vinegar
2 cups white wine vinegar
8 serrano chiles, pricked with a fork
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Bring the vinegar to a simmer in a small saucepan. Add the chiles and salt, remove from the heat, and transfer to a glass bottle or jar. Let sit at room temperature for 8 hours before refrigerating.
Mat Arnfeld’s
Fish and Chips
SERVES 4
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted, plus more as needed
Kosher salt
1 pint brown ale
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
8 large Idaho potatoes, peeled and sliced ½ inch thick
4 (6-ounce) cod, haddock, or halibut fillets, about 1 inch thick
Malt vinegar, for serving
1. Put 1½ cups of the flour and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in the ale until smooth. (For a lighter batter, use a handheld immersion blender to combine.) The batter should have the consistency of heavy cream; if it is too thin, whisk in a little more flour. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Fill a deep-fryer or heavy pot halfway with oil, and heat to 300°F. Add your chips carefully, so as not to excite the oil, and cook for about 3 minutes; they shouldn’t color. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined baking
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