Fish and Chips New Experience: Recipe From Chef Thomas Sixt
Author:
Thomas Sixt is a chef, food photographer, cookbook author and blogger.
Here he shares recipes, answers cooking questions and helps with cooking.
This post presents you with my new fish and chips recipe.
The culinary classic from Great Britain is originally a fish prepared in batter and served with special fries (chips).
I came up with a new variant with corn flake breading 🙂
In addition to the original, you will find many tips here for suitable sauces and preparation options in the deep fryer or pan.
Have fun and good luck!
Table of Contents
1. Recipe Fish And Chips
The British classic comes to my table in a new version with cornflakes.
For fish in batter, simply follow the instructions for preparing the batter according to the recipe.
Feel free to leave me a comment, a cooking question or some nice kitchen gossip at the end of this page.
Fish and Chips
Cooked, photographed and written down by chef Thomas Sixt.
Simple instructions for a new variant of preparing fried fish with crispy breading.
Ingredients
| 1/2 | Stück | Lemon |
| 1 | EL | sweet chili sauce (Sweet and sour chili sauce) |
| Fish ingredients | ||
| 250 | g | rose fish fillet (Or cod, cod) |
| 100 | g | flour (Type 405, chef uses Wiener Grießler) |
| 1 | Stück | eggs (Depending on size) |
| 4 | Prisen | primal salt |
| 4 | Prisen | black ground pepper |
| 140 | g | Cornflakes |
| 300 | ml | Sunflower oil (depending on the pan size) |
| 5 | Stück | fresh parsley (flat-leaf parsley) |
Equipment
Instruction
Sides
Prepare Fries
Prepare the fries, you can find exact instructions in the French fries recipe.
You can pre-fry the fries and then finish frying them just before serving while keeping the fish warm in the oven.
For authentic chips like in Great Britain, please follow the tips in the article.
Alternative Salad
As an alternative side dish, I recommend a green salad or lettuce .
Prepare fish
Fish Fillet
Portion the fish fillet and cut into 8-12 cm, even pieces.
Season fish with salt and pepper.
Bread Street
Prepare a breading line:
–> Prepare finely sifted flour in a roasting pan.
–> Prepare the cornflakes in a roasting pan.
–> Prepare eggs scrambled in a roasting pan.
Make the cornflakes a little small with your hands so that pieces of different sizes can later create an even breading.
Flour Fish
Place the prepared fish fillets in the flour and coat in flour on all sides.
The fish fillets should be completely covered in flour.
Cooks call this process flouring.
Fish Egg
Place the fish pieces, evenly coated with flour, into the egg.
Dip the fish fillets in the egg; the entire fillet must be covered with egg on all sides.
Fish Cornflakes
Place the egg-coated fish fillets in the cornflakes.
Bread Fish
Roll the fish fillets in the cornflakes on all sides and coat them well by pressing them down.
Fry Fish
Heat a large, wide pan with oil and fry the cornflakes fish and chips over medium heat for a good 4-5 minutes.
Complete Fish
Turn the crispy browned fish fillets in the pan and cook until crispy.
You can then briefly keep the fried fish warm at 130°C hot air.
This is practical, for example, when guests come.
Fry Parsley
Fry the parsley leaves on the stalks in the available fat until crispy.
Then remove and place on a plate lined with kitchen paper.
Season with salt and keep ready.
Serving
Arrange the fish pieces on a hot plate.
Add the sweet and sour sauce and serve decorated with parsley leaves.
Wish you bon appetite!
Video
I already have my own version of the sweet and sour sauce in my first cookbook: “The minute cook tastes faster.” published.
Maybe you want to try the sauce and skip the store-bought one:
Ingredients:
30 g brown cane sugar, 1 piece of red chili, 1 piece of garlic clove, 0.2 l water, 1-2 teaspoons rice vinegar or white wine vinegar, a little salt.
Preparation:
Melt the sugar in a saucepan and caramelize slightly. Add the garlic clove and chilli, finely chopped with seeds.
Fill with water and let it steep for a few minutes.
Boil the dip to taste, season with rice vinegar and salt as desired and serve.
Courses
Cousine
Keyword
2. Calories And Nutritional Values
Conscious enjoyment is a central point of a balanced diet.
To give you an overview of the calories and nutritional values of fish and chips in cornflake breading, you will find a detailed table in the following section.
It is a hearty dish, combine it with a green salad and leave the fries in the freezer.
3. Fish And Chips Sauce
What would a fish and chips dish be without the right sauce?
No matter whether you prepare classic fish fillet in batter or choose my cornflakes version, different sauces enrich this dish and it simply cannot be done without sauce.
Maybe I can give you new ideas with the following ideas.
In any case, we usually combine cold sauces and dips with the baked fish.
The exception will follow later 🙂
The typical sauce accompaniment is a tartar sauce.
According to the kitchen textbook, the fine cold sauce is prepared from a spicy mayonnaise with hard-boiled and chopped eggs and finely chopped chives.
English recipes differ a little, the typical British sauce is a tartar sauce, supplemented with boiled, chopped egg.
A tartar sauce would also be a great idea for baked fish; you can already find the recipe elsewhere.
My tip for light white sauces:
Swap mayonnaise for a cream consisting of 50% sour cream and 50% crème fraîche.
I have already introduced this easy sauce base to the 8-fondue sauces , the 5-grill sauces , the tartar sauce and the chive sauce .
Another insider tip:
I recently combined the Vietnamese Nuoc Mam sauce with the fried fish.
This is an ingeniously fine variant that is not yet known.
Please try it out and serve it at the next party 🙂
By the way, it tastes even better with the corn flake breading!
Now let yourself be inspired by some recipe ideas for cold sauces:
4. Fish And Chips Original
The authentic preparation of fish and chips has a rich history and diverse regional characteristics.
In this part we explore the roots of this British classic and I share with you the original recipe, as prepared in the pubs of London, Manchester and Co.
Let’s delve into the world of British gastronomy:
Fish:
These types of fish are preferred for fish ‘n’ chips:
The often used cod, also known as “Cod”, can be found on numerous menus as “Cod ‘n’ Chips”.
But the choice of fish doesn’t have to end here:
Haddock, pollack, merlan or plaice , all with their characteristic white flesh, are also popular alternatives.
In many fish ‘n’ chip shops you can choose from different types of fish.
Have you ever heard of “Scraps ‘n’ Chips”?
These are pieces of dough that have fallen off from the frying oil and are offered as a side dish, especially towards the end of the day, although they sometimes have a “dubious reputation”.
In Ireland you might come across a version with smoked cod – a local specialty.
When frying fish and chips, they are baked in oil heated to 185°C to 190°C for 4 to 5 minutes.
Crisps:
Let’s take a closer look at the British chips that form the distinctive partner for fish in fish ‘n’ chips.
The origins of this delicate side dish are simple and simple:
Table potatoes that are cut into sticks and either fried several times until crispy or pre-cooked and then fried.
For us from the mainland, chips are something different, thinly sliced crispy fried potato slices.
That can be confusing, chips are fries on the island, we have cleared that up.
Depending on the region in Great Britain, the preference for the combination of chips varies:
While salt and malt vinegar (salt ‘n’ vinegar) are the favorites in the south and central England and western Scotland, salt and brown sauce (salt ‘n’ sauce) are preferred in northern England and eastern Scotland.
I find it interesting:
In central England, beef fat is used to fry chips.
Here we see a parallel to the wonderful Belgian fries, which are known worldwide for their special taste.
Although chips are the British answer to French fries, they tend to be thicker than their German counterparts and tend to be softer rather than crispy.
Side dishes
The world of fish ‘n’ chips offers a delicious range of side dishes that complement baked fish wonderfully.
Some side dishes seem strange to us mainlanders, but I would still recommend that you try them when you get the chance.
A porridge made from smooth mashed peas, i.e. mushy peas, or pickled onions often accompany the crispy fish dish.
Pickles and beans cooked in tomato sauce, known as baked beans, also find their way onto the plate.
Interestingly, the combination of chips and gravy is widespread in the north of England, while this variant is less common in the south of England and Scotland.
This version tastes really strong with a home-made veal stock that you cook down to make a veal jus.
This variant is particularly interesting to me because it reminds me of the faux pas Wiener Schnitzel with sauce.
Wiener Schnitzel with veal stock is a similarly “wild” dish; you should really try this combination once in your life.
She tastes delicious!
Drinks tip:
Many people choose tea as a drink, especially as many fish ‘n’ chip shops in the UK do not have a liquor license and therefore cannot serve alcoholic drinks.
At this point I recommend you a Lapsang Souchong tea (smoked black tea), which has a strong taste and is a great option.
The smoked tea can compete with the strong taste of the fried one and the combination is simply interesting.
Lady Gray or Earl Gray with bergamot flavor is also an interesting combination.
Green tea with ginger has an Asian touch and also goes well with my variant with cornflakes.
Of course, a well-chilled beer or a strong white wine also goes well with this dish.
5. Fish And Chips Recipe Without A Deep Fryer
No deep fryer at hand? No problem! The deep fryer offers various advantages during preparation, but preparation in the pan or pot still works.
If you choose the pot method, I ask that you use a thermometer.
Oil that is heated too much can ignite and we want to avoid that.
Deep frying in a pot also requires some experience:
If you put too much oil in the pot, the pot may overflow, especially if you take care of the chips and put them in a basket.
Always have a suitable lid ready so that you can extinguish burning fat.
Water would cause an explosion in the kitchen.
A good temperature range for fish and chips starts at 175°C to 190°C. I think 190°C is too hot and I always move between the temperatures.
Important: Fish and chips prepared in batter should ideally be fried floating in hot oil.
The batter can then bake evenly and your fried fish result comes out perfectly on the table.
Now let’s take a quick look at the advantages of the deep fryer when preparing:
—> A properly filled deep fryer keeps the oil at the set temperature. You can fully concentrate on preparing the fish.
—> The deep fryer usually offers more surface area for deep-frying, so you can put in and fry more fried fish at once.
—> Preparation in the deep fryer is safer than in a pot with heated oil.
6. Fish And Chips Recipe International
Although fish and chips declined in popularity in Britain during the late 20th century, largely due to the emergence of kebab stands and curry houses, the dish remains an iconic part of British cuisine.
At the start of the 21st century, an impressive 60,000 tonnes of fish and 500,000 tonnes of potatoes continued to be transformed into the traditional dish each year, with annual sales of between 250 and 350 million servings in the British Isles.
The classics of fish cuisine are experiencing a renaissance worldwide as a model example of British culinary art.
Today fish and chips can be found not only in Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the USA, but also in more distant areas such as the People’s Republic of China and Oman.
There is also a cultural bridge to Italy:
In Barga, Tuscany, the culinary connection to Britain is celebrated with “La Sagra Del Pesce e Patate” – the fish and chips festival that takes place every August.
The traditional dish is also experiencing a modern revival through variations and refined versions in posh restaurants and award-winning fish ‘n’ chip stalls.
Even star chefs developed their own variations again.
Heston Blumenthal shows how to prepare the baking dough with flour, rice flour, baking powder, honey, vodka and lager.
This evolution demonstrates the versatility and enduring appeal of fish and chips.
7. Fish And Chips Batter
In this section, we’ll take a closer look at the batter – the heart of battered fish preparation.
Baking dough is a mixture of flour, liquid (such as water, milk, wine or beer), and often other ingredients such as eggs or baking powder.
When you make a batter, you mix flour and liquid together to form a smooth, semi-liquid paste.
This batter later coats ingredients such as fish, vegetables or meat and gives them a crispy coating when fried.
Important: The food to be cooked is always rolled in flour first so that the dough sticks to the food when dipped.
The special feature of a batter lies in its ability to rise during the frying process and to develop a loose, airy structure that simultaneously protects and complements the taste.
The batter not only ensures an attractive look and texture, but also keeps the ingredients inside juicy and tender, while the outside itself becomes crispy and golden brown.
A runnier batter creates a thin layer of batter, a thicker batter creates a thicker coating.
Baking dough recipe:
2 pieces of cold eggs
125 g sifted flour
100 ml liquid (wine, beer, water, mineral water)
1 tbsp oil
5g sugar
2g salt
Preparation of the dough:
Separate eggs and provide them separately.
Beat egg whites and chill.
Quickly mix the remaining ingredients with the egg yolk.
Dough mixed for too long becomes tough.
Before dipping the ingredients, fold in the beaten egg whites.
You can replace the eggs with 1 teaspoon of baking powder
Original English batter recipes sometimes contain a little curry.
“Ale” is a special yeast beer and adds additional flavor to the dough.
You can try with wheat beer, use a naturally cloudy beer.
Since I have already covered the topic of batter and fish with the calamari fritti, I will show you here and some pictures.
Follow the recipe for an original fried fish experience .
8. Frequently Asked Questions About Fish And Chips
You can find answers to common cooking questions about fish and chips below:
How can I get the chips for my fish and chips recipe extra crispy?
Tip:
The chips are often served in the original deep-fried not quite crispy.
Crispy chips:
Dip the potato sticks in cold water before frying, dry them thoroughly, and make sure the frying oil is hot enough.
For crispy fries, please fry them twice, I’ll explain it to you in the recipe fries.
What types of fish are best for an authentic fish and chips recipe?
Traditionally, cod and haddock are used, but other types of white fish such as pollock or merlan are also popular.
As a cook, I recommend you redfish, the fish fillet is pleasantly firm and creates a special mouthfeel.
Is there a gluten free option for the batter in the fish and chips recipe?
Yes, replace the regular flour with a gluten-free flour or mix with rice flour.
Alternatively, you can try the cornflakes variant, gluten-free flour, egg and cornflakes for breading the fish or food.
Make sure that all other ingredients are gluten-free.
How can I make fish and chips lower in calories without sacrificing flavor?
Honestly, baked (fried) fish does not get lower in calories.
In batter or coated in cornflakes is high in calories.
Especially with chips (fries), the dish is a calorie bomb.
Instead of chips (fries), serve a green salad with the baked fish.
What sauces or dips traditionally go well with fish and chips and how can I make them myself?
Prepare a typical British sauce tartar:
Prepare a mayonnaise from 3 egg yolks, 1 tsp English mustard, 1 tsp white wine vinegar, 250 ml canola oil.
This mayonnaise with:
1 tsp fresh tarragon, chopped,
1 tsp fresh chives, finely chopped,
1 tsp. fresh chervil, chopped,
1 tsp. fresh parsley, chopped,
2 gherkins,
2 tsp. capers, chopped,
salt, pepper
mix.
Combine little malt vinegar with the baked fish and chips for an authentic taste experience.
Boiled and mashed peas are another addition for an authentic dish.
How are typical chips prepared compared to French fries?
In England, the potato sticks are often first boiled briefly in salted water.
The core of the cooked fries or chips should remain raw.
Important: Our chips are often thinner than the chips on the island.
Island chips you cut in a width of 5-7 mm for this form of preparation.
NAch the cooking and dry, important, the chips are deep-fried in hot oil.
How do I determine the ideal cooking time for the fish in batter to get a perfect fish and chips?
Fry the fish over medium heat (approx. 175°C) for about 5 minutes, carefully turning the baked fish.
Extend the baking time as needed until the batter is golden brown and crispy.
Any tips on how I can keep fish and chips warm in the oven without losing crispness?
To maintain crispness, place fish and chips on a sheet of baking paper in the oven.
A rack is also helpful.
Keep baked fish and chips warm at a temperature (about 130°C) for a maximum of 10-15 minutes
What is the typical fish and chips vinegar?
In the original British way of preparing fish and chips, malt vinegar plays a prominent role.
This vinegar is used as a seasoning for the deep-fried chips and fish.
Malt vinegar is usually made from barley and is characterized by a tart, slightly nutty flavor.
The use of “Malt Vinegar” gives the dish a characteristic British touch, which is a taste challenge for guests from the continent.
Here, tasting is the order of the day; the vinegar forms a spicy, sour counterpart to the fried dish.
How do I make fish and chips or a batter without beer or alcohol in general?
You want to prepare your dish or the batter alcohol-free?
Instead of wine, beer or vodka, use mineral water as the liquid for preparing the batter.
I expect guests who do not eat fish and meat, what can I prepare instead of fish with batter or cornflakes breading?
This preparation method in batter or breading with cornflakes is a super thing to complement vegetarian easy:
Use seasonal vegetables: celeriac, potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots*, zucchini, squash pulp.
Vegetables marked with * should be boiled briefly in salted water so that they are soft after coating and frying.
9. Matching Fish Recipe Ideas
Here in my food blog you will find many fish recipe ideas , I have included a small selection below:
Plum Sauce – German Pflaumenmus
Pancake Batter
Béarnaise Sauce
Pizza Dough Recipe For Fast and Slow Preparation
Breaded Schnitzel Cornflakes
Pancake – Palatschinken
Wild Garlic Pesto Basic Recipe
Chicken Broth Recipe with Chef Tips and Cooking Video for delicious Soup
Make French Fries Yourself, Recipe With a Chef Step By Step Cooking School
Hollandaise sauce
Comments, Cooking Questions and Answers
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