Fish N’ Chips

[Eran Elhalal, regales us yet again with one of his delicious recipes. SYR tested it last night and loved it. CS]

Comfort food is what it’s all about! What is comfort food, you ask? It’s fun food, heart-warming food, food that brings memories of warmth, memories of times past. Interestingly enough most comfort food stems from poverty. Creations relying on inexpensive cuts of meat/fish, and the cheapest ingredients available. There are countless examples: American Soul food,Mac&Cheese, Meatloaf, Rice & Refried beans (also Latin Americas’ protein supplement), Hummus & Fava Beans (the North African protein supplement), Pasta,etc.

Every country has its own array of comfort food, Fish N’ Chips are The British Empires’ greatest contribution to the culinary world! Well… that may be debatable, but it’s definitely the food for which English cuisine is most famous. It became popular in South-East England and London in the early 1800’s. They were even referenced in Charles Dickens’, “Oliver Twist” (published 1838). The first recorded Fish N’ Chip shop was opened between 1860-1865 by one Joseph Malin in London. Selling for Nine Pence in the 1800’s, it soon became the quintessential poor man’s food.

Trawling (pulling nets through the water behind the ship), which became the main fishing method in 19th century England, made fish abundant and thus inexpensive. Along with the fact that potatoes could be farmed on almost any soil and could survive the British Isles’ harsh winter, fish and potatoes became the perfect choice for the hungry working class.

Fish N’ Chips shops and carts are still the main British working stiff’s lunch or traditional Friday night dinner.

Traditionally served wrapped in newspaper, the fish is beer battered and deep fried with the fries. It is then drizzled with malt vinegar or onion vinegar (the vinegar used for pickling onions). Classically a Cod family fish is used (Cod, Haddock, Pollock, Hake), these are lean white flesh fish that are found in great numbers in the Atlantic Ocean.

I developed this recipe while doing my very first stint as Chef, at UnWined, in Manhattan’s Upper West Side:

Photo from: SugarMama Baking Company blog

Makes 12 servings

Ingredients:

3 lbs Cod fillets cut to 2 oz pieces
salt & white pepper to taste
oil for frying (for best results use peanut oil – it has the highest smoking point)
2 lemons cut to wedges

Batter:

2 cups flour
1 tbsp active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
2 tsp oil
1 bottle (12 fl oz) beer – (I use toasted lager!)
2 egg whites whipped to soft peaks
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt

Chips:

3 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and cut to battonettes (1/2 inch wide finger shaped)
cold water to cover fries (keeps potatoes from oxidizing and maintains crispness)

Directions:

1. Sprinkle yeast over the warm water and let stand until fully dissolved.
2. Mix flour, salt and sugar and make a well in the center. Add the yeast mixture, oil and beer and stir to combine only. Gently fold in the egg whites.
3. Let stand for 1/2 hour until the batter becomes frothy.
4. Pat the fish fillets and season.
5. Heat frying oil to 350 degrees F. Drain well and fry potatoes, only to cook through – no color! Fry in batches! Set aside.
6. Reheat the oil to 400 degrees F (the cold batter will make the oil temp drop initially).
7. Dip the fish in the batter and fry. Add the fries for the last 2 minutes to color and crisp up.
8. Toss the fries in a mixing bowl with salt.
9. Serve with malt vinegar and lemon wedges .

Enjoy it folks, enjoy!

Eran Elhalal

Nine Days’ Specials – Part 1

Considering we do not eat meat during the Nine Day (which started last evening and runs through the 20th, the day of Tisha B’Av  – 9th of Av, when the Romans burned down the Second Temple. It continued smoldering until noon the next day.) meat restaurants either close down during this period or readjust to a special menu.

Though at very opposite ends of the price spectrum, these two restaurants – among others – offer special menus for the Nine Days. While one is a high end eatery, outstanding in its delicious and very imaginative gourmet dishes, Mike’s Bistro, the other is a more down to earth establishment with superb sushi, great appetizers and tasty, wholesome, fish dishes 18 Restaurant, very moderately priced.

Mike’s Bistro: Nine Days’ Menu

Cold Appetizers

• Baby Spinach Salad red wine vinaigrette, boiled egg, tomatoes, red onions, chives
• Garden Vegetable Salad tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, peppers, avocado, snow pea shoots, parsley & lemon vinaigrette
• Portobello Mushroom and Arugula Salad balsamic reduction, red onions, enoki mushroom, crushed croutons, caesars style mushroom dressing
• Fresh Legume Salad mixed legumes, marinated tomato, sprouts, white wine vinaigrette
• *Roasted & Marinated Beet Salad candied walnuts, fresh citrus segments, orange beet vinaigrette, shaved endive, haricot vert

Roasted and Marinated Beet Salad

Hot Appetizers

• Hand Shucked Corn Chowder cajun mirepoix, diced fish, chili oil, fresh herbs
• Chipotle Spiced Bean Soup black rice, avocado, crispy corn tortilla, cilantro
• *Porcini & Wild Mushroom Consomme acini di pepe, shitake mushrooms, sliced portobello, fresh herbs
• Braised Royal Trumpet Mushrooms english pea puree, white asparagus, marinated tomato, mushroom glace, fresh herbs
• Fresh Cod Fritters frisee, house-made remoulade sauce

Main Courses

• Wild Striped Bass acini di pepe, fresh summer succotash, smoked vidalia onion vinaigrette
• Mushroom Scented Rice Noodles edamame, sprouts, carrot puree, exotic mushrooms, toasted sunflower seeds
• *Handmade Gnocchi “Ala Vodka” smoked salmon, fresh peas, fresh herbs
• Chinese Style Steamed Market Fish pan charred napa cabbage,  ginger, scallions, garlic, sesame oil
• Summer Squash Cannelloni spicy marinara sauce, breaded zucchini, fresh mint, extra virgin olive oil
• Grilled Hawaiian “Walu” Fish marinated artichokes, peppers, beans, capers, lemon vinaigrette, olive tapenade

*denotes signature item

18 restaurant: Nine Days’ Menu

Sushi

Eighteen Fresh Crisp Salads

• Eighteen Salad cucumbers, carrots, avocado, cherry tomatoes on top of mesclun, romaine lettuce
• Salad Nicoise white tuna salad, capers, olives, avocado, egg, cherry tomatoes on top of mesclun, romaine lettuce
• Grilled Fresh Salmon Salad grilled salmon steak on top of mesclun, romaine lettuce with assorted vegetables
• Tuna Salad Platter

All salads come dressed with a choice of balsamic vinaigrette, red wine vinaigrette, Thousand Island dressing or dill dressing

• Eighteen Tricolor Pasta Primavera
  

Eighteen Fresh Fish Selection

• Fish N Chips
• Pan Fried Filet of Sole
• Broiled Filet of Sole
• Salmon
• Chilean Sea Bass

All fish served with grilled vegetables and choice of French Fries, mashed potatoes or basmati rice

Eighteen Tasty Side Dishes

• Grilled Vegetables
• Mashed Potatoes
• Basmati Rice
• Homemade French Fries
• Potato Salad
• Coleslaw
• Sweet Red Pepper

Just because we can’t eat meat doesn’t we can’t eat well!

CS