JP McMahon's Galway Hooker battered ling with chips and lemon mayonnaise
Ingredients
- 2 x 150 g ling (you can use any other white round fish, such as cod, haddock, hake, or cooley). make sure your fishmonger removes the bones for you.
- 4 large rooster potatoes
- 200 g strong white flour
- 1 bottle of galway hooker (you can use any other beer or water if you like)
- pinch of yeast (fresh or dried)
- 1 lemon
- 450 g good quality mayonnaise
- handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 2 l rapeseed oil or sunflower oil (light, unflavoured)
- some small greens, such a mizuna or baby spinach
- sea salt
- deep fryer
- sieve
- balloon whisk
- tongs
- mircoplane
Method
- Set the fryer at 140°C.
- For the chips: cut the potatoes into finger sized lengths and blanch until soft. You should be able to pass a cocktail stick through the potato. They will be pale and without colour.
- Turn the fryer up to 170°C.
- Place some flour in a separate bowl and lightly dreg the fish to ensure an even coating of flour.
- To make the batter. Sieve the rest of the flour into a bowl and season with some sea salt. Add the pinch of yeast. Whisk in the Galway hooker until you achieve a velvety consistency. You won’t need all the beer, so pour slowly. It’s roughly twice liquid to flour (200ml liquid to 100g flour)
- Place the fish into the batter with the aid of a tongs. Left out and allow to drip. Ensure that the fish is evenly coated.
- Place the fish into the fryer. Depending on the thickness of the fillet it will take 3-4 minutes. Keep an eye on the fillet so it doesn’t get to brown. It should have a nice golden colour. If your fillet is particularly thick you can place it in a 200°C oven for a further 3 minutes to ensure the centre of the fish is warm. The inside of the fish should still have a nice transparent texture and should not be too hot. It is importance not to overcook the fish as you’ll lose all the flavour and nutrients.
- Drop the chips in a separate basket alongside the fish.
- To make the mayo: place the mayo in a bowl and add the juice of half the lemon. Grate the zest of other half with the mircoplane. Add the parsley and mix thoroughly.
- To serve: Dry the fish and chips on some kitchen paper to remove excess fat. Season both the chips and fish with some sea salt. Serve on a warm plate with the green and the lemon mayo on the side.
