| Author | Message | ||
     johnny_c Senior Member Username: johnny_c Post Number: 2458 Registered: 3-2002 Rating: N/A |
I can't remember the name off the top of my head, but Alan Coxon hosts a program on BBC2 about the science of food. Last night was fish and chips. Took me back as my first post here was about fish batter. It turns out your corner chippy doesn't make the batter themselves, there's a company in the Midlands that supplies most of it, they sell about 15 grades of batter. Here's Alan Coxon's 'best batter' recipe. Equal amounts of bread flour and self raising flour. 1 egg, separated and white reserved Milk Salt and pepper Liquid to get it to the right consistency - Alan recommended chilled sparkling wine as it has most bubbles, fizzy beer or milk if you have no beer. Optional Extras (JohnnyC's) A pinch of MSG (gives it that real chippy taste) A pinch of citric acid (adds a bit of bite) A pinch of chilli (adds a bit of bite) To use: Seasoned rice flour Lard or sunflower oil The rationale for the flours is that the gluten in the breadflour holds the batter together, so it doesn't break or fall apart. The self-raising flour puffs the batter so it goes crispy. In a bowl, sift the flours together and add a pinch of salt (this makes it cook hotter and less likely to burn) Mix the egg yolk into the flour, then add milk and mix well until it has a just-about runny consistency and no lumps. Set aside to allow the water to activate the self-raising flour. Don't stir it!. When you're ready to cook the fish, bring the fish to room temperature. Meanwhile beat the egg white until it's very stiff, and doesn't fall out of the bowl. Fold this into the batter. It will have stiffened up a bit, at this stage add liquid a bit of a time to achieve a napping consistency. Alan recommended using cold sparkling wine (champagne even) as it has lots of bubbles that will release into the batter when it cooks, fluffing it up even more. Cold beer is next best, or if nothing else milk. To cook, preheat the oil to 180C. Lard is best, or sunflower oil. Dip the fish into seasoned rice flour to coat, both sides, so they're well coated. Then lay the fish onto the batter, bother side and repeat for both sides. Then lay the fish into a deep-fat fryer, away from you to avoid splashes. Cook until golden crisp. Remove from fryer, allow to drain briefly and pat fat off with kitchen paper. Chips: These are best cooked using a floury potato, Waxy ones contain too much water and won't crisp up so much. Peel the potato, and cut the potato into chips that are 2 inches x ½ inch x ½ inch (5cm x 1¼ Cm x 1¼ cm) Season slightly with salt, then cook in pre-heated fat at 160C until they become limp. Remove, and allow to cool. They can be kept in the fridge overnight at this stage. When cooking, cook them briefly in oil at 180C until crisp and golden. | ||
| renée Senior Member Username: renée Post Number: 2246 Registered: 6-2002 Rating: N/A |
Thanks for this information, Johnny. It was very interesting. It's so difficult getting the batter 'just right' isn't it? We used to use Golden Fry batter when we were in manufacturing. It contains raising agents, I seem to remember. Renée 
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