Recipe For Fish And Chips

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by Chef Lucia Watson

The distinctive texture of walleye lends perfectly to deep frying. A batter coats the fish so it steams inside.

To keep frying time even, cut the walleye into consistent pieces or "fingers" about 3 inches long and 1 inch wide. Pat the fish dry, submerge in batter, and deep fry.

Batter

Combine . . .

3/4 c. flour

salt and pepper, to taste

dash cayenne

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1/2 tsp. baking soda

15 minutes before frying the fish, add . . .

1 c. milk

1 egg

2 tbsp. beer

Mix until smooth and let stand for 15 minutes. Lightly dust several fish fingers in flour, immediately dip them in batter, shake off the excess batter, and submerge in hot oil. Turn the pieces occasionally so they don't stick. Fry about 3 minutes. Test the first piece. Serve with lemon, tarter sauce, or malt vinegar.

Tips . . .

The oil must be 360°F to 380°F so the batter crackles distinctively. Peanut oil or corn oil (or a combination) works best. Be sure the batter is ice cold. Between batches, let the oil return to the proper temperature.

Use a deep pan so fish can be submerged without the oil being too near the top of the pot. Outdoors, a 2-pound coffee can works well.