Oven Fish and Chips

Being English, I consider fish and chips a national dish. Fish fried to perfection in a rich batter, served with chips (English terminology for fries), sprinkle with malt vinegar and salt. All eaten on the paper it’s wrapped in, it’s delicious. Well, I’m a little more health conscious these days, so, baked, not fried. This post is oven fish and chips. An easy dinner that reminds me of days gone by.

As with most recipes, there’s a history, and, because the meal has two components, there two parts to the story. Starting with the fish. The Sephardi Jews from Spain and Portugal brought with them the recipe to coat fish in flour and fry it. Fish would be dipped in flour and fried in hot oil, it could then be eaten cold on Shabbat when cooking wasn’t allowed. Fried fish became popular in England in the middle of the 19th century. About the same time fried potato chips began to get a mention. Charles Dickens mentioned potato chips in The Tale of Two Cities in 1859. Things kind of took off from there.

“Chippys” (the word used to describe a fish and chip shop) were on nearly every street corner by the early 20th century. During the first and second world wars, the British government realized the cultural importance of the dish. They sought to secure fish supplies and fish was not on the rationed list. Times have changed though. The number of Chippys has declined these days. What type of fish used has to be specified on the menu. But it’s cultural importance has not diminished, and, it’s still a delicious meal. When prepared as a baked dish, certainly healthier.

Interestingly enough, the “chips” come first, why? because they take longer to cook. Everything has to be ready at the same time, so their start times are staggered. Oven chips take 40 mins to cook. I use russet baking potatoes, their large and are easier to cut into the shape of potato chips. Put the chips in a bowl, add some fresh cut up garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper and rosemary, lay flat on a baking sheet in a 400 degree oven for 40 mins. Turning after 20.

Now to the fish portion. There are a few options, but it has to be a flaky white fish, cod or haddock are two good choices. The original recipe uses batter, in this case breadcrumbs are the batter. The most effective way to coat anything is the three step process. Dredge the fish in flour, dip in an egg wash, then dredge in breadcrumbs. And, there’s some science behind it. The flour helps the egg wash stick to the fish, and the breadcrumbs stick to the egg wash. The fish cook at 400 for 20 mins. This will produce the crispy outside that tastes so good, always need that crunch. And the white flaky fish on the inside.

When everything is done, plate and serve. The traditional way is with salt and malt vinegar, however, ketchup and tartar sauce can be added as sides. It’s all whatever your preference is. Either way enjoy your oven fish and chips and thank you for reading.