Homemade Fish and Chips

Cod Loins. The pieces of fish were thick serving-sized pieces. Only salt had been used to 'preserve' them. I was fed up with the take-out overcooked fried fish variety and companion 're-fried' chips, in over-used oil of 'questionable parentage' and paying top dollar for the privilege. One piece of fish with thrice-fried fries and barely there coleslaw was enough! There was the time when our fish and chips order arrived to our table already rancid, fried in oil that should have been discarded long ago. The customer is not king, anymore. Let us take our dollars home.

The other day, we had fish and chips at home, in that place where good food usually happens. The worry of quality and quantity, gone awry, was history. We were getting annoyed reminding 'them' not to overcook the fries, disappointed in the one size-fits-all piece of fish and asking where the side order of coleslaw was, refusing to accept the 2 tablespoons of this cabbage mix as if that was regulation side dish to the main fish course. (a head of cabbage that makes oodles of slaw with a cheap grated carrot included, cost $2-$3 at the retail level.) Barely there coleslaw, over-cooked fish and leftover fries, refried again. Whatever has happened to common sense and respecting the consumer? Gone, I guess.

Following is Momsey's recipe for homemade fish and chips. Buy the fish you want. Wild caught is preferred. Experiment with different kinds. How bad could that be? Expand your world of seafood. What is good for fish is fine for other seafood, as well. Choose a high smoke point oil. A low smoke point oil, such as olive oil is harmful to health, degrades quickly, changes colour while it smokes and is a very costly oil to use. I use avocado, sunflower or peanut oil, to name a few. Other frying oils are yours for the choosing. Cooking at home is so much cheaper, fun, healthier and relaxing, especially, when babysitting pets and young children. Home is where the heart and good food are found.

The batter I make consists of any combination of organic all-purpose flour, powdered buttermilk, baking powder, tapioca flour, brown rice flour and organic sprouted buckwheat flours. (Keep a record of the list of all ingredients and the changes made to achieve perfection). An egg is added though I forgot to include this dairy staple, the other day. Grass fed or organic 2% milk is used since learning of the health benefits of organic and grass fed. Organic is the way I go for all baking and cooking purposes. (Water or beer can be substituted for milk for the liquid in the fish batter). Spices such as tumeric, onion powder, salt and pepper can also be added. We are only limited by our imagination and our food preferences. The batter is left to rest. The fish pieces are dipped in tapioca flour (gluten-free) to facilitate batter adhesion before pieces are dipped into batter for frying. Oil should be hot, not smoking. Never leave unattended!!

Fish can also be simply pan fried with seasoned sourdough breadcrumbs as a outer coating. Season as needed. Coat with egg prior to dipping into breadcrumbs. Yum, yum. Place battered fish into hot oil, slowly, to help batter stick to fish before going fully, into oil. (The 'yellow' fleshed or russet potato fries have already been blanched in a bit of oil, in the air fryer). My final step for the fries is to continue the cooking time, in oil, for that final takeout-look and taste. This final step is not required though I do it now for that extra kick of yum! Cooking the cut potatoes fully can be done in the air fryer. I choose the oil step, a few minutes more, at medium high heat, for overall crispness, colour and flavour. The battered fish, once deep fried, can be returned to air fryer to crisp the outside 'coating' and placed on bed of fries, next to the homemade coleslaw.

Coleslaw can be made many ways. There is the oil and vinegar dressing, boiled then added to mix and allowed to infuse flavour, overnight, in the fridge. Grated carrot that great precursor of vitamin A is added. Other vegetables can be added, too. Then there is the dollop of mayonnaise with vinegar, sugar and salt to create that barely there dressing for immediate indulgence. Another version is simply mayo with salt and vinegar, a common coleslaw dressing many might prefer. My mom's version was still different, an accompaniment to sandwiches, meats or chicken: lemon juice, salt, pepper, and diced green onions mixed into shredded cabbage and carrots for that healthy no-dairy version. This 'childhood' coleslaw was served, often, with much delight. Finally, we have delicious homemade fish and chips with that barely noticeable batter coating that is as yummy and healthy as the fish itself, with a large bowl of coleslaw! What a meal! What a deal!