Ingredients

• 2 egg yolks
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 200ml/7fl oz vegetable oil
• plus extra for deep-frying
• squeeze lemon juice
• ½ red onion
• chopped
• 1 tbsp gherkins
• roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp capers
• roughly chopped
• small handful parsley
• finely chopped
• 4–5 green olives
• chopped
• 12 tbsp plain flour
• 6 tbsp cornflour
• 200ml/7fl oz ale
• pinch salt
• 8 large Maris Piper potatoes
• peeled and cut into chunky chips
• 4 x 150g/5½oz cod (or haddock) fillets

Directions

• First make the tartare sauce. Whisk together the egg yolks
• mustard and vinegar and gradually pour in the oil in a steady stream until you have a thick
• creamy mayonnaise. Season to taste and add a squeeze of lemon.
• Stir in the onion
• gherkins
• capers
• parsley and olives. The sauce should be quite piquant and chunky and have the consistency of very thick double cream.
• To make the batter
• mix the flours together and whisk in the ale until you have a double cream consistency. Add a pinch of salt.
• Heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer to 140C (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.). Cook the chips for 8–9 minutes and set aside on kitchen paper.
• Increase the heat to 190C. In batches
• dip the fish fillets in the batter and drop carefully into the hot oil. Shake the basket gently so the fillets don’t stick
• and cook for about 3–5 minutes. Don’t overload the basket or the oil will cool and you’ll get soggy batter. Remove and drain on kitchen paper.
• Return the chips to the deep-fat fryer a further 2–3 minutes and drain on kitchen paper. Serve with the battered fish and the tartare sauce.