You can't have a thread about British food and not include Fish and Chips.

Some folks can enjoy the take-out from the local fish and chip shop, others might prefer home made.

What a delight it is to tuck into a plate of home-made and home cooked Fish, Chips and Mushy Peas.

The simplicity can be raised to whatever level you want limited only by your imagination (and cooking capability)

Plenty of ways to cook chips:- shape, thin, thick, skins on or off and importantly cooking method. Even more importantly is what 'oil' you cook the chips in. Some folks (like me) say beef dripping is best
I also like to prepare by the re-fry method. Means frying the chips 2 or 3 short times with increased temp each time.
If you don't like the idea of frying chips you could always consider oven cooking.

Put the chips into a large saucepan of water, bring to the boil then turn down and simmer for 3-4 mins.
Drain and spread onto a clean tea towel.
Carefully pat them dry and allow to cool
Add just a tablespoon of rapeseed oil (or olice oil) in a shallow Non-Stick roasting tray and put in a hot oven (220C) for 10 minutes
Transfer the chips to a bowl, add a tablespoon of rapeseed oil (or olice oil) and mix well by hand.
Tip out into a single layer on the hot roasting tin. Bake for 10 mins, then turn them over and bake for another 5 more mins, then turn again and bake for
a final 5-8 mins until crisp. Drain on kitchen roll.

Sometimes I'll use my Actifry with beef dripping.

When it comes to mushy peas I prefer to use frozen garden peas.
Just heat the peas as normal (microwave is best). Drain them, put into a bowl, then lightly crush with the back of a fork. Mix in some olive oil, lemon juice and freshly grated pepper, mix with some chopped fresh mint. Then cover and set aside for a quick short re-heat in the microwave.

Mushy peas are easy to make but do take some time a forward planning to make properly from scratch
Soak the dried peas in a large bowl of water, you'll need about 3 times their volume of water (with a little bicarbonate of soda) and they'll need a good soak for at least four hours or better still overnight.
Drain and rinse well then add to a large saucepan, cover with the water, bring to the boilthen turn down and simmer with the lid on for a couple of hours giving a good stir from time to time.
The peas need to be soft and mushy but not too dry. If they're still too wet just continue cooking without a lid to dry out a little.
Beat in a little butter and season with sea salt and fresh black pepper. Add additional flavour to you own taste if you want.
If you like experimenting try forming the peas into a ball (tennis ball size) coat in your batter a fry off until the batter is crips. (mushy pea fritter)

Or just buy a tin of mushy peas from your local supermarket and bung it in the microwave.

The batter you use is going to make a big impact.
It's really worthwhile to take some time on the type, flavour and texture of your batter.

If you're a real traditionalist that's fine continue with what you like.
If you like to experiment a little why consider something a little more exotic like beer and dill, gin and tonic or vodka and tonic whatever tickles your taste buds
As your base prepare a well comined mix of 15g yeast, a pinch of salt and good pinch of caster sugar in a bowl.

Add 200ml of the liquid of your choice (200ml Beer, 200ml Gin and tonic, 200ml Vodka and tonic etc) into the yeasty mix and whisk in 200g plain flour and a teaspoon of cider vinegar.
Leave to the mixture to ferment.(It's ready when the mixture starts to bubble.) When nicely bubbling, add any 'extras' (like a little dill for the beer) and stir well.

These days it's quite easy to find a pre-mix Tempura batter.
But, if you want to try making your own Tempura batter just mix together an egg, 50g plain flour, 50g cornflour a pinch salt and about 200ml sparkling water.(Make sure the sparkling water is very very cold) whisk well until the mixture forms a thick, smooth batter.
You really need to make the batter just before frying. It doesn't work well to prepare ahead of time.

The fish you use is really up to your own choice.
Personally, I like to quickly fry the naked fish for a couple of minutes before giving it a good dipping in the batter mix, then re-fry again for a couple of minutes.
It really keeps the batter crispy light, crispy and tasty without absorbing too much fat or getting soggy.


Hmmmm Fish'n Chips with mushy peas