Michael E. Generalifish and chips
July 20th 2007 11:31
the perfect setting for fish and chips
My family and I went on a short trip to the south coast recently. We had in mind a 36-hour holiday with a few key elements of a full coast trip to get us through the canberra winter. A hotel stay, shopping, a trip to the beach, a rain forest walk and the obligatory fish and chips. I am easily pleased but I have to ask, where does one find amazing fish and chips? Do you have to be a local to be offered the good stuff? Is there some kind of code word you have to use? Or is the perfect fish and chips just a myth. My assertion is that all the good fish leaves the water at places like Bateman’s bay to the Sydney fish market, with a small percentage of the catch going home with the fisher-people themselves, while the fare you can get at the numerous takeaways of the area are imported pre-battered varieties. as I ticked off the itinerary I could not help feeling let down I came to the coast in part to eat fresh battered fish giving half my chips to a surging throng of seagulls, but the reality never quite meets the expectation. My advice is catch your own, cook it and make the sides it could take you almost 36 hours to do it but for my money the outcome and the activities involved are all you would need to make a great holiday.
Beer battered fish with iceberg salad lemon aioli and potato wedges
big flat head
Step one: catch enough flat head to feed the troops. This is a prolific fish around sandy inlets ask where you get your bait and licence. it makes a great activity and even if you are not at all experienced (like me) its worth a try. To clean the fish scale it first under running water, then make a neat incision under the head in the soft part (belly) and clean out the cavity of all guts. Slice the flesh carefully off the ribcage and cut close to the backbone all the way down either side to get the fillets. Once you have these get a large knife between the skin and flesh at the tail end so you can have enough skin to grab hold with a tea towel. While having the fillet skin side down with the blade angled towards the skin gently pull on the tail end skin flap while moving it side to side. when done properly this will remove all the skin. If a few hours fishing brings no luck buy the freshest fillets you can find.
For two people
300 grams flat head fillets cut into four pieces
beer batter
1 cup plain flour
salt
hand full ice
1 egg lightly beaten
1 stubby beer, preferably the one you will match with your meal.
1. put the flour and salt in a bowl and make a well
2. add ice and egg and pour half the beer in.
3. mix a bit with a fork leaving some lumps
4. test to see if the batter will coat a finger and add beer if needed, other wise drink the rest of the beer.
5. this is a yeast batter and will work better if left to sit at least 30 minutes. Do not be tempted to bet out all lump as this adds a pleasant rustic quality to the end product.
Aioli (garlic mayonnaise)
2 egg yolk
30 ml fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic
1 tsp caster sugar
salt
pepper
1 cup olive oil blend
herbs to finish (1 tbl sp chopped basil or parsley)
1. microwave I unpeeled clove of garlic for 25 seconds. Remove skin when cool an mash to a paste.
2. whisk together yolk, garlic, sugar and lemon juice.
3. keep whisking and slowly add the oil till all incorporated.
4. if it is too thick a splash of warm water whisked in will thin it out. Mix through herbs and season to taste.
For the salad I would use shaved red onion roma tomatoes and iceberg lettuce chopped roughly. Dress with lemon juice when you are about to serve.
For the potatoes get 8 chat potatoes and prick the out side with a fork all over.
Cook them in the micro wave for a bout 5 minutes (checking every minute or so)cut the cooked potatoes into quarters and toss with a splash of oil salt and pepper. Bake in a single layer on 190 degrees C till crispy.
To cook the fish heat a pot half full of oil (rice bran or cotton seed oil both work well) on a medium heat. when the oil looks hot enough test it with a bit of the batter on a fork if it sizzles it is ready to go, turn the flame to low (if it is too hot just turn off the heat for a bit) coat the fillets thoroughly in flour then dip in the batter letting the excess drip off . Lower the fish gently into the oil allowing the batter to set slightly before letting go. The fish will be cooked when the outside is golden. If you are cooking a lot and can only fit small amounts in the oil have the oven on low so you can slip the cooked fish in to keep warm.
the perfect fish and chips
After all this labour set up the plate with the potatoes and salad first place the fish on top an drizzle with aioli. Now isn’t that better. Just don’t forget to turn off the oil!!!
Happy holidays, regards, Dave
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