Last week during the 2012 Olympics in London I was inspired to make a classic British recipe to watch the games with. Fish and chips is always on my list of things to eat when I’m visiting London, so I put a fun twist on this English classic. I went to my local fishmonger and got some mahi mahi fillets, my husband reluctantly provided one of his bottles of Guinness, we kicked the deep fryer into gear, and a few minutes later, we had a delicious meal. Sorry Britain, I took the liberty of switching your traditional chips for my husband’s favorite homemade sweet potato fries. This beer-battered fish is so crispy and flavorful, we couldn’t get enough.
For the batter:
• 1 cups flour
• 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• Dash cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
• 1 bottle Guinness (or any other dark beer)
• 12 ounces (2/3 pounds) mahi-mahi (or any firm-fleshed whitefish like tilapia, mahi mahi, or cod), cut into strips
• Cornstarch, for dredging
1. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cayenne pepper, and Old Bay seasoning.
2. Whisk in the beer until the batter is completely smooth and free of any lumps. Refrigerate for 15 min. Note: The batter can be made up to 1 hour ahead of time.
3. Allow oil to return to 350 degrees. Lightly dredge fish strips in cornstarch. Working in small batches, dip the fish into batter and immerse into hot oil. When the batter is set, turn the pieces of fish over and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Drain the fish on the roasting rack.
4. Serve with your favorite sauce: ketchup, garlic aioli, or the English classic – malt vinegar. Enjoy!
