Beer-Battered Fish and Chips with Curry Aioli

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Pub-style cod in a shatteringly light beer batter, kept ice-cold right up to the moment it hits the oil and fried in two stages so the crust sets first and crisps second. The chips go in the oven instead of a second fryer, which means one pot of oil, one sheet pan, and a curry aioli whisked together while the potatoes roast.

Ingredients

• 2.5 lb russet potatoes
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1.5 tsp kosher salt, plus more for finishing
• 0.5 tsp baking soda

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tsp mild curry powder
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp water, or as needed
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• kosher salt, to taste

• 2 lb skinless cod loin, cut into 8 pieces
• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 1.25 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 12 oz cold lager or pilsner, refrigerated until icy
• 1/4 cup flour, for dredging
• 2 quarts peanut or canola oil, for frying
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• malt vinegar, for serving

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 450°F with a rack in the upper third. Scrub the potatoes and cut them into 1/2-inch-thick batons, leaving the skin on. Put them in a large pot, cover with cold water by 1 inch, add 1 tablespoon salt and the 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and bring to a boil. Boil for 6 minutes, until the edges are just softened but the centers are firm.
2. Drain the potatoes well and let them steam dry in the colander for 3 minutes. Return them to the empty pot, add the 3 tablespoons oil, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and toss firmly 5 or 6 times so the exteriors rough up into a starchy paste — that is what turns crisp.
3. Spread the potatoes in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet and roast 20 minutes. Flip with a spatula and roast 15 to 20 minutes more, until deep golden and crisp. Reduce the oven to 200°F and leave the fries inside to hold.
4. While the fries roast, whisk the mayonnaise, curry powder, garlic, lemon juice, honey, cayenne, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Thin with the water until it is spoonable but not runny. Refrigerate until serving; the curry flavor blooms as it sits.
5. Pat the cod pieces completely dry with paper towels and season them lightly with salt. Toss them in the 1/4 cup dredging flour, shake off the excess, and set them on a plate in the refrigerator.
6. Pour the frying oil into a heavy 6-quart Dutch oven to a depth of about 2 1/2 inches and heat over medium-high to 325°F on a clip-on thermometer. Set a wire rack over a second baking sheet next to the stove.
7. Just before frying, whisk the 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch, baking powder, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, and pepper in a bowl. Pour in the icy beer and whisk only until the batter is the texture of heavy cream — lumps are fine and welcome. Set the bowl inside a larger bowl of ice water to keep it cold throughout frying.
8. Working with 3 or 4 pieces at a time, lift a piece of cod by one end, dip it fully into the batter, let the excess drip for 2 seconds, and lower it halfway into the 325°F oil, holding for 3 seconds before releasing so it does not stick to the bottom. Fry 4 minutes, turning once, until the crust is set and pale blond. Transfer to the wire rack and repeat with the remaining fish, letting the oil return to 325°F between batches.
9. Raise the heat and bring the oil to 375°F. Return the fish to the pot in batches of 3 or 4 and fry a second time for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, until deep golden and audibly crisp; the interior should read 140°F. Drain on the rack and season immediately with salt.
10. Pile the fries and fish on a platter or on paper-lined plates, sprinkle the fries with more salt, and serve at once with the curry aioli, lemon wedges, and malt vinegar on the side.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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