Good Old Fashioned English Chip Shop Style Chips Recipes

Steps:

• Peel old potatoes and cut into sticks about 1cm thick and 8cm long.
• Leave the potatoes in cold water to remove some of the excess starch prior to frying, then drain and dry.
• Heat oil or deep fat in a chip pan, put a layer of chips in the bottom of a wire basket and lower into pan.
• Fry until the chips are pale golden.
• Remove them from the pan and drain on soft kitchen paper. Repeat this with the remaining chips.
• Just before serving, re-heat the oil and fry all the chips until they are very crisp and golden
• Serve immediately with battered fish (wrapped in newspaper if you like) adding salt and vinegar to taste.

Steps:

• For the twice-cooked chips: Peel the potatoes and cut them into approximately 5/8-inch-thick chips (i.e. 5/8-by-5/8-inch-by-potato length). Store them in water.
• Fill a large pot halfway with the oil or fill a deep-fat fryer with oil. Heat to 275 degrees F. Thoroughly drain the chips and add them to the oil, working in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Fry the chips until they are soft enough to squeeze but not yet browned, about 10 minutes. Once all the chips have been blanched, spread them on a sheet tray and store them in the fridge overnight.
• When ready to serve, heat the oil to 375 degrees F and fry the blanched chips, in batches if necessary, until golden brown and crispy on the outside and still fluffy on the inside, about 5 minutes.
• For the seasoned flour: Mix the flour, salt and black pepper in a large bowl and set aside.
• For the beer batter: Thoroughly mix the flour, paprika and salt in a large bowl. Whilst constantly whisking, add enough beer to stiffen up the mix. Whilst still continuing to whisk, add cold water until the batter resembles heavy cream consistency and contains no lumps.
• For the fish: Fill a large pot halfway with oil or fill a deep-fat fryer with oil. Heat the oil to 375 degrees F. Fillet the fish into six 8-ounce portions, removing any bones, skin or blood lines that are present. Dip the fish into the seasoned flour, tapping off any excess. Dip the fish into the beer batter, briefly allow the batter to drain off, and then gently place the fish into the oil, allowing the fish to float away from you. Cook, in batches if necessary, until golden brown and trying to float, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Remove the fish from the oil with a spatula and allow to drain on a cooling rack before serving on a bed of chips with lashings of kosher salt and malt vinegar.

Steps:

• Heat fat up in a chip pan or automatic deep fat fryer - mine has a chip setting which is 190°C.
• Peel the potatoes and cut into chunky sized chips. Rinse and dry thoroughly.
• Fry chips for about 3 minutes until soft but NOT coloured. Drain and shake well and set to one side.
• Put some flour onto a plate. Dredge the fish fillets in the flour thoroughly - this is VERY important, it stops the batter sliding off when fried! Leave the fish fillets in the flour whilst you make the batter.
• Some people say you should make the batter at least one hour before - I have found little difference - so make it before if it is convenient or now!
• Put flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt and pepper into a large roomy bowl. Add the beer gradually, stop when you have a thick coating type of batter. Drink any beer that is left! Whisk thoroughly until it is smooth and there are no lumps.Add the lemon juice OR a splash of malt vinegar if desired. Mix thoroughly again.
• Have your plates, newspaper or whatever ready for eating!
• Adjust deep fat fryer to fish frying temperature of 160°C.
• Take one fillet of fish at a time and holding it by the tail or thin end (!) swirl it around the batter until well coated - plunge into hot fat immediately. As soon as it has crisped up and set, add your other fillets one at a time, taking out the first ones as they cook - about 6 to 10 minutes depending on the thickness. Place onto a tray and keep warm in the oven.
• Turn up the heat setting to 190°C again and cook your chips until golden and crisp.
• Serve on plates or newspaper with salt & vinegar!
• All you need now is a pint of warm beer and Coronation Street on the TV to set the scene!
• This batter is great for small fish goujons, chicken goujons and also tempura vegetables too.