Fish and chips with tartare sauce

This version of classic fish and chips features delicate flathead in airy beer batter served with crisp wedges and a bright, herb-laden tartar sauce. A dreamy combination, especially for actress Danielle Cormack.

Credit: Kitti Gould

• serves

  6

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  30 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 500 g King Edward potatoes, washed and cut into wedges
• 1 kg flathead, cut into 5 cm pieces
• 1 can cold beer
• 2 cups flour (extra for dusting)
• 1 tbsp rice flour
• Vegetable oil for frying
• salt
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges, to serve

For the tartare sauce

• ½ cup yoghurt
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ¼ bunch dill, finely chopped
• ¼ bunch parsley, finely chopped
• ¼ cup capers, chopped
• 2 dill pickles, finely chopped
• zest and juice of 1 lemon
• Salt and cracked pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a pot of water add in a good pinch of salt and potatoes and bring to a boil. Once potatoes are starting to soften drain and set aside on a wire rack in the freezer.
2. For the tartare sauce, mix all ingredients together and set aside.
3. Make beer batter by mixing ¾ beer (approx 250ml) in with flour, but do not over mix — some small lumps are ok. Dust fish with a little flour and set aside on a plate.
4. Heat fryer oil to 180°C and oven to 100°C. First, cook your fries in batches and transfer them to a wire rack and keep warm in the oven.
5. Dip the fish into the beer batter and then into the fryer. Use the first piece as a test and see if you need to loosen the batter or make it thicker. Repeat with the rest of the fish.
6. Serve fish hot with chips, tartare sauce, and lemon wedges. Sprinkle with lots of sea salt.

Watch how to make this recipe on Memory Bites with Matt Moran.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.