First, let’s get those chips rocking. The best chips come from baked potatoes. It’s pretty much like doing a twice-cooked chip! Make them the day before, as the potatoes need to cool completely before deep-frying.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/gas mark 4). Bake your potatoes for 45–60 minutes. Pull them out and let them cool. When you’re ready to fry, cut the potatoes into chip-like wedges.
Batter batter, hey BATTER! Batter up! Whisk the flour, beer and a pinch of salt and pepper in a large bowl until smooth. Or as smooth as you can – don’t worry if there are a couple of lumps.
Empty your tin of peas into a small saucepan. Add the butter and stir over a low heat on the hob (or indirect heat on the outdoor grill) for 10 minutes until mushy. Season with salt and pepper.
Mix all your tartare sauce ingredients together in a bowl and set aside, ready for the build.
Now for the interesting part! Pour the oil into a large deep saucepan (or you can use a deep-fat fryer) – it needs to be about half-filled.
Set it over a high heat and get that oil hot. Once the temperature reaches 180°C (350°F), you are good to fry.
Chuck some flour on a plate or chopping board and press your fish in it until it is lightly coated with flour. Now dip the fish into the batter so that it’s completely covered. Pull it out and let the excess batter drip off, then carefully slip the battered fish into the hot oil.
Leave to cook for 6–7 minutes until golden brown. Remove the fish onto a paper towel with a slotted spoon, and repeat. While your fish is resting, season with malt vinegar, salt and pepper.
When your fish is done, it’s time to batch-fry your chips. Make sure the temperature is still at 180°C (350°F), then carefully lower a handful of chips into the oil. Cook for 1–2 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Remove and drain alongside the fish. Season with salt.
When everything is cooked, it’s time to build this next-level burger.
Slather the mushy peas on the bottom bun, top with a handful of chips, then ‘plaice’ the fish on top. (Get it?! Plaice! Like the fish. It’s the ‘sole’ reason to include this recipe. Oh, for ‘cod’s’ sake. Sorry.) Spoon the tartare sauce onto the fish, then finish with the other half of the bun.
Wow! Yeah, you just did that! You made an almighty fish and chips burger. Well done, you wonderful member of Earth! Now get eating. And save some for us!
Recipe and image used with permission from The Burger Book by Christian Stevenson (DJ BBQ), published by Quadrille, May 2019. Photos by David Loftus.