Fish, no chips

As a former Catholic, I still miss the fish frys at lent. I remember having a heaping pile of fried shrimp with slices of white bread and butter. Fried walleye was always the most popular fish, but I do remember perfect squares of fried white fish. Oh how I miss all the fried fish goodness.

So when I have a craving for a good ol' fish fry, I just make my own. It beats standing in a long line at the local KC Hall. If only I had made some fried shrimp. Sigh

The only negative I had with this recipe, one I got from Ina, is the batter was a little thick on the fish. It was soft like a pancake batter and not crispy like a tempura batter. I think if I increase the amount of water in the batter, then I will have a more crispy and light crust.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds fresh cod fillets
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup water
1 extra-large egg
Vegetable oil, for frying

Directions:
~Lay the cod fillets on a cutting board. Pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Cut the fillets in 1 1/2 by 3-inch pieces. (I omitted this last step and kept the original shape of the fish fillet.)

~In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Whisk in 1/2 cup of water and then the egg.

~Pour 1/2-inch of oil into a large frying pan and heat it to 360 degrees F.

~Dip each fillet into the batter, allowing the excess to drip back into the bowl. Place it very carefully into the hot oil. Don't crowd the pieces. Adjust the heat as needed to keep the oil between 360 and 400 degrees F. Cook the fish on each side for 2 to 3 minutes, until lightly browned and cooked through. Remove to a plate lined with a paper towel. Sprinkle with salt. Serve with tarter sauce or malt vinegar.

recipe modified from: Ina Garten