King George whiting and chips

With its delicate white flesh and light, nutty flavour, South Australia’s favourite fish is perfect for fish and chips. Just a simple beer batter, some crispy chips and a fresh, undressed salad are all you need.

• serves

  4

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  50 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 800 g large starchy potatoes, peeled, cut into thick chips, soaked in cold water
• 2 tbsp white vinegar
• 2 litres rice bran oil
• 225 g (1½ cups) self-raising flour
• 375 ml (1 bottle) Coopers Pale Ale, chilled
• 800 g King George whiting fillets
• lemon wedges, lettuce leaves, shredded red cabbage, thinly sliced red onion, cherry tomatoes, avocado, gherkin, caper berries, to serve

Tartare sauce

• 2 egg yolks
• 1 tbsp tiger’s milk (from Oyster ceviche), or lemon juice
• 250 ml (1 cup) grapeseed oil
• 2 tbsp finely chopped spring onions
• 2 tbsp finely chopped gherkins
• 1 tbsp finely chopped capers
• 2 tbsp finely shredded parsley
• 1 tbsp finely chopped dill
• 1 tbsp finely chopped chives
• 1 hard-boiled egg yolk, finely chopped

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 120°C.

Place the chips in a large saucepan and cover with about 2 litres of water until completely submerged. Add the vinegar and bring to the boil. Cook for 10-15 minutes until the chips are tender but still retain their shape. Drain and spread out in a single layer over a baking tray lined with a tea towel. Place in the oven for 15 minutes until dry.

Place the oil into a wok or large saucepan and heat to 200°C. In batches, deep-fry the chips for 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes. Return to the hot oil for a further 4 minutes or until golden brown.

To make the tartare sauce, place the egg yolks and tiger’s milk into a small food processor and process until combined. In a slow, steady stream, pour in the oil and process until thick and emulsified. Stir through the remaining ingredients and season to taste with salt. Set aside until needed.

Place the flour into a large bowl set inside a large bowl of iced water. Pour in the beer, lightly whisking until just combined. Coat the fish fillets in the batter, shaking off any excess.

In batches, deep-fry the fish fillets for 2-3 minutes until golden brown and just cooked through. Drain well on a wire rack set inside a tray. Season fish and chips with sea salt.

Serve fish and chips with tartare sauce, lemon wedges and salad ingredients.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.