James Martin’s fish ‘n’ chips with mushy peas and tartare sauce
Nothing says holiday eating like fish and chips, says James Martin, who scoured the UK to come up with the ultimate recipe.
Nothing says holiday eating like fish and chips. This recipe comes from two ends of the UK – from the south, where chef Nathan Outlaw showed me this batter (which I have used it ever since), and from the north, where Whitby’s Magpie Café serves some of the best fish and chips in the world.
Put the peas and baking powder in a bowl, cover with cold water and soak overnight in the fridge. Drain and rinse the peas, then place in a saucepan. Cover with cold water and bring to the boil, then simmer for 30 minutes, season and stir through the sugar and butter.
To make the chips, blanch the potatoes in a pan of boiling water for 5 minutes, then drain and tip onto a baking tray lined with kitchen paper. Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil in a deep-fat fryer or large pan to 170C. Add the potatoes to the hot oil and fry for 8-10 minutes until crisp. Drain onto kitchen paper. Whisk all the ingredients together for the batter. Dip both fish portions in the batter and fry individually for 6-8 minutes, then drain onto kitchen paper.
To make the tartare sauce, blitz the egg yolks and mustard in a food processor, slowly drizzling in the oil. Spoon into a bowl, mix in all the remaining ingredients and season. To serve, spoon the sauce onto plates and top with the fish, chips and a spoonful of mushy peas.
Serves 2
This is an edited extract from Potato: Baked, Mashed, Roast, Fried – Over 100 Recipes Celebrating Potatoes by James Martin (Hardie Grant Books, $45). Photography: John Carey