Ainsley Harriott Beer-Battered Fish and Chips Recipe
Crispy, golden beer batter that shatters on the outside while keeping the fish perfectly moist and flaky within, triple-cooked chips that are fluffy in the middle and deeply golden on the outside, and a vibrant mushy minted pea purée with a gentle kick of chilli.
Equipment
- Deep-Fryer or Deep Heavy-Based Saucepan
- Cooking Thermometer
- Large Saucepan
- Food Processor
- Slotted Spoon
- Kitchen Paper
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Whisk
Ingredients
For the Fish and Chips
- 1.5 kg Maris Piper or Russet potatoes peeled and cut into chunky chips
- 4 skinless and boneless white fish fillets (pollock, haddock, or cod) 175g each, from a sustainable source
- 0.5 lemon for squeezing
- 250 g plain flour plus extra for dusting
- 0.5 tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp baking powder
- good pinch of cayenne
- 300-330 ml cold beer straight from the fridge
- sunflower or vegetable oil for deep-frying
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the Mushy Minted Peas
- 400 g peas defrosted if frozen
- 40 g butter
- 6-8 mint leaves chopped
- 0.5 medium-hot fresh chilli de-seeded and chopped
To Serve
- lemon wedges or malt vinegar
- your sauce of choice for dipping
Instructions
- Rinse the chips thoroughly under cold running water. Place in a large pan of salted cold water and bring to the boil over a medium heat. Cook for 4–6 minutes until just tender. Drain well and set aside on kitchen paper to dry completely.
- Pat the fish fillets completely dry with kitchen paper. Squeeze a little lemon juice over each fillet and season lightly with salt and pepper. Dust each fillet lightly all over with plain flour, shaking off any excess.
- Sift the plain flour, sea salt, baking powder, and cayenne into a large bowl. Whisking continuously, gradually add the cold beer until you have a thick, smooth, shiny batter. You may not need all the beer — stop when the batter coats the back of a spoon thickly.
- Bring just enough water to cover the peas to the boil in a small saucepan. Add the peas and cook for 2–3 minutes until tender. Drain, reserving a little cooking water. Transfer to a food processor with the butter, one tablespoon of reserved cooking water, the mint, and chilli. Pulse to your preferred consistency. Season well and keep warm.
- Heat enough oil for deep-frying in a deep-fryer or deep heavy-based saucepan to 180°C — no more than two-thirds up the pan. Test with a drop of batter: it should sizzle and crisp immediately.
- Pat the parboiled chips completely dry with a clean tea towel or kitchen paper. Carefully lower into the hot oil and fry for 3–5 minutes until just beginning to colour. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain well on kitchen paper, and set aside.
- Dip each floured fish fillet into the batter, turning to coat completely and letting any excess drip off. Carefully lower into the hot oil one or two at a time. Fry for 6–8 minutes depending on thickness until crisp and deeply golden. Remove, drain on kitchen paper, season with salt immediately, and keep warm.
- Return the par-fried chips to the hot oil and fry for a further 3 minutes until deeply golden and crisp all over. Drain well on kitchen paper and season generously with salt the moment they come out of the oil.
- Plate the battered fish hot alongside the triple-cooked chips and a generous spoonful of mushy minted peas. Serve with lemon wedges or malt vinegar and your favourite dipping sauce.
Notes
Use cold beer straight from the fridge — cold liquid creates steam bubbles in the batter that give it a light, airy, crispy texture.
Pat the fish and chips completely dry before frying — moisture is the enemy of crispiness at every stage.
Use Maris Piper potatoes for the best fluffy interior and crispy exterior.
Season the chips the moment they leave the oil — salt only adheres properly when they are hot.
Choose sustainable fish — pollock, MSC-certified haddock, or cod from a verified sustainable source.