Local chef Jack Dale, owner of Hote Plate Catering Oldham, shares some of the techniques, dishes and tricks he has picked up over the years and hopes you will give them a go. Let him know what you think at jackdale@hotplatecatering.co.uk

It’s a National institution and a dish which has fed us Brits for generations across the Country. It’s something we can all agree on. Eaten with greasy fingers by the seaside or on a Friday night as a treat at the end of the working week. Such a simple dish with such a diverse variety of preferences. Salt and vinegar? Cod or haddock? Scraps?

Winston Churchill called them ‘the good companions” and whilst the two elements of this classic dish started life as solo performers, their marriage was definitely a match made in England. A fierce controversy over whether that was in the North and South is still ongoing. Some claim a Northern entrepreneur called John Lees was selling fish and chips out of a wooden hut at Mossley market in industrial Lancashire as early as 1863. Others claim it was Jewish immigrant, Joseph Malin, who opened the first fish ’n’ chip shop in East London around 1860.

Today, our beloved fish and chips are no longer the league leaders of takeaway as Indian and Chinese dishes, burgers, pizza’s and kebabs all outsell fried fish. The dish, in some places, has even become an afterthought at the back of some Chinese takeaway menu’s.

But wherever you live, good old fish ’n’ chips aren’t far away. If not, or if you fancy having a crack at this one from home, here’s my recipe.

FISH AND CHIPS

Jack Dale

Serves 4

x4 175g/6oz thick cod or haddock fillets

225g/8oz self-raising flour (plus extra for dusting)

300ml ale or lager (fridge-cold)

8 large floury potatoes (preferably Maris piper or Desiree)

Salt and black pepper

Sunflower oil (for frying)

Mushy peas to serve (optional)

Lemon wedge to serve (optional)

Tomato ketchup to serve (optional)

Vinegar (optional)

1) Peel and slice your potatoes into chips. Don’t slice them too thick or they will retain a lot of water and end up soggy. Once you have your chips, place them in a pan of salted water and boil on medium heat until they have almost cooked but still hold their shape. Keep a close eye on them so they don’t break up. Then carefully place them on a tray in a single layer and place them in the fridge for about thirty minutes. This is the best way to get perfectly crispy chips, as the cold air in the fridge will dry the chips ready for frying.

2) Make your batter by whisking together the self-raising flour with your lager or ale until lovely and smooth (don’t open the ale until the last second to keep as much air in the bottle or can as possible). Place the batter in the fridge for thirty minutes to chill and take your fish out of the fridge at this point to come to room temperature.

3) Pre-heat your deep fat fryer or pan of sunflower oil to around 220c. Always take extreme caution when frying with oil, especially if you are using a pan on gas.

4) Once the oil is heated, carefully place your chips into the oil and fry until golden brown. Have some kitchen paper ready on a plate to drain them when they are cooked. When they are crispy and golden, drain them and immediately season with a little salt and set to one side (don’t add any vinegar yet).

5) Then for the fish, dust lightly in flour so the batter sticks, then cover in the batter and carefully place in the hot oil, laying the fish away from you so you don’t splash yourself. Don’t be tempted to cook all of the fish in one go if you have a few fillets to cook, as that will take the temperature of the oil down and render the fish soggy in the end. Do it in batches. A great tip here is to spoon a little extra batter over the fish as it cooks to get some extra crispy bits. (If you aren’t too confident with this step, keep your chips in a low oven to stay warm and take your time).

6) Once the fish has cooked remove from the oil, turn off the gas or deep fat fryer and carefully pat the fish dry with kitchen paper to take away some of that excess oil.

Serve with your homemade chips and some optional mushy peas, extra salt and vinegar and some tomato ketchup on the side if you like.

TIP - Homemade mushy peas are so simple to make and far better than canned. You can purchase them in small boxes from the supermarket and they come with bicarbonate tablets. Simply dissolve the bicarb in hot water and pour over the dried peas until covered in a bowl and leave overnight. Then drain and rinse, cover again with water and boil until you have mushy peas. Season well with salt and black pepper.