Make classic fish and chips with tartare sauce using Mary Berry's simple recipe
There's something nostalgic about paper-wrapped fish and chips from a chippy, but the satisfaction of cooking them from scratch is just as hard to beat.
Swapping deep-fried fish and chips for a lighter homemade version is a great way to cut costs and calories.
Plus, with this recipe by Mary Berry, it's easy to get right without compromising on flavour.
Sharing the dish on her BBC show Mary Berry Everyday, the British cooking icon demonstrated how to make all three components; battered fish, crispy chips, and tangy tartare sauce.
Mary calls upon pank breadcrumbs and cod fillets to replicate chip-shop-quality results and of course, floury potatoes (Maris Piper's) for the best homemade chips.
The best thing about this recipe is there's no deep-frying necessary - just a few tablespoons of oil and the oven for cooking.
Fish and chips with tartare sauce recipe
Ingredients
50g plain flour
100g panko breadcrumbs
Two eggs, beaten
6 x 150g tail-end pieces of cod fillet, skinned
1kg medium Maris Piper or King Edward potatoes
105ml sunflower oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Parsley sprigs, to garnish
Lemon wedges, to serve
For the sauce
90g mayonnaise
Two tbsp double cream
Two tbsp sweet gherkins, very finely chopped
Half a lemon, juiced
One tbsp snipped chives
One tbsp chopped parsley
A pinch of sugar
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How to make fish and chips
First, measure the flour and breadcrumbs onto two separate plates and beat the eggs in a shallow bowl.
Season the cod fillets on both sides with salt and pepper then dip each fillet first into the flour, then the egg and then the breadcrumbs. Be sure to press the crumbs onto the fish so that each piece is evenly coated on both sides.
Transfer the breadcrumbed fillets to a plate or tray, cover and chill in the fridge for half an hour to firm up. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7 and line three baking sheets (one large, two standard-sized) with baking paper.
Peel the potatoes and slice them into thick chips, adding them to a resealable freezer bag as you go. Pour three tablespoons of the sunflower oil and toss together to coat the potatoes evenly in oil.
Tip onto the two smaller baking sheets in an even layer, place on separate shelves towards the top of the oven and roast for about 15 minutes. At this point, turn the chips over and swap the trays around on the shelves so they cook evenly.
Roast for a further 15 minutes or until golden and tender. Meanwhile, start cooking the fish. Pour enough of the oil (about two tablespoons) into a large frying pan so it forms a thin layer on the bottom and set over high heat.
Add the cod fillets and fry on each side for about three minutes or until golden. Do this in two batches, adding the remaining oil for the second batch, and sit on kitchen paper to drain for a minute.
Shortly before the potatoes have finished cooking, transfer the fish to the large baking sheet and cook in the oven for five minutes, or until cooked through.
For the sauce, mix all the listed ingredients in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Adjust the taste if necessary, then plate up.
Remove the fish and chips from the oven, and serve one fish fillet per person with a portion of chips, sauce and lemon wedge.
