British Classic · uk cuisine
Proper Fish and Chips with Mushy Peas
Batter cold, oil hot, fish dry. Peas get butter and mint — I refuse the grey cafeteria version.
Recipe card
Why this recipe works
A Friday fish supper is sacred in many British homes. The batter should shatter; the fish should steam gently inside; the chips should be fluffy within. Double-cooking the potatoes — simmer, cool, then fry hot — is the chip-shop method worth copying. I season the fish lightly and keep the batter ice cold so it puffs. Mushy peas are not optional if you are going full traditional; a knob of butter and a squeeze of lemon keep them bright.
Expert kitchen tips
- Dry fish thoroughly or batter slides off.
- A wire rack beats paper towels for keeping crust crisp.
- If you cannot deep-fry fish, a heavy shallow fry with enough oil still works for smaller fillets.
Ingredients
- 4 thick cod or haddock fillets, patted dry
- Batter: 150g plain flour + 50g cornflour, 1 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp salt, 250ml very cold beer
- 1kg Maris Piper or russet potatoes, thick cut
- Oil for deep frying
- Mushy peas: 400g marrowfat peas (canned or cooked), butter, mint, salt, lemon
- Malt vinegar, salt, lemon wedges
Step-by-step method
- Parboil chips in salted water 6–8 minutes until edges soften. Drain, steam-dry, cool.
- Heat oil to 140°C / 285°F. Blanch chips 5 minutes until soft, not brown. Drain. Raise oil to 180°C / 350°F later for finishing.
- Whisk batter quickly — a few lumps fine. Dredge fish in flour, dip in batter, fry 5–7 minutes until deep golden. Drain on a rack.
- Finish chips at 180°C until crisp. Salt immediately.
- Warm peas with butter, mint, salt, lemon until spoonable. Serve fish and chips with vinegar and peas.
Estimated nutrition
About 520 calories per serving (based on 4 servings). Values are estimates for home cooks and vary by brands, oil used, and portion size — not lab-analysed.
Serving ideas & leftovers
Serve hot, taste for seasoning at the table, and store leftovers in an airtight container once cool. Most of these dishes reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water, stock, or the dish’s own sauce so the texture stays kind.
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