Beer-Battered Fish and Chips

Beer? Fried? Need I say more?

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Ingredients:

• 2 cups AP (all purpose) flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 2 cuts of halibut or cod, skin removed and deboned
• Vegetable oil, for frying (enough to fill your high-lipped pan at least 1/2 way up
• 1 cup vodka
• 1 1/5 cup strong beer
• 2-3 russet potatoes, peeled
• Parmesan cheese (not that pre-grated crap!)
• Salt and pepper
• Fresh parsley

Steps:

1. Chop the potatoes into french fry shapes / size
2. Add the potato slices into a large bowl filled with ice water and allow to sit for about 30 min-1 hr
3. Drain the potatoes from the water and pat completely dry with paper towles – sprinkle with salt and then set aside
4. Fill a deep pan with vegetable oil
5. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, making powder, cayenne, salt, vodka, and beer until it is fully integrated, like pancake batter
6. Season the fish with salt, then keep in the fridge until ready to cook
7. Heat the oil in the pan on medium-high heat until it is hot enough that you can sprinkle plain flour in the oil and it sizzles upon impact
8. Working in batches, fry the potatoes until they just begin the change color
9. Remove from the oil onto a paper towel-lined plate or draining rack (hint: if you have a toaster oven that uses a grate-style insert…that’s very useful here!)
10. After 30 seconds out of the oil, place the fries very, very briefly back into the oil for a second time – barely 30 seconds – until they are a rich golden color
11. Remove from oil and place again on the paper towel or draining rack, sprinkling with salt (for the courageous type, feel free to sprinkle garlic powder too)
12. Allow to cool for about a minute, then toss in a large bowl with freshly grated parmesan and fresh parsley
13. Remove the fish and batter from the fridge and dredge the fish, piece by piece, into the thick batter until each piece is fully coated
14. Immediately place the battered fish into the oil, possibly turn the heat down first so it doesn’t fry too quickly
15. Wait until the batter is lightly golden brown, and the flip the fish over using tongs without disrupting the batter as much as possible
16. Continue to flip the fish and cook thoroughly until the outsides are deep golden brown, then remove onto a paper towel-lined plate or draining rack, and sprinkle with salt
17. Allow to cool before serving but once ready…
18. Serve with a damn good beer