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The main dish, From around the world

Homemade fish and chips

Homemade fish and chips is a fish dish for 6, with cod fillets in beer batter, double fried chips, and tartar sauce. It takes 45 minutes of active work, ranks as medium difficulty, and costs €5.60 per person. The batter, par cooked chips, and sauce can be made in the morning, leaving only the frying for right before serving. The key is keeping the batter very cold until the last moment so it turns light and crisp in the hot oil.

Fish and chips, all crispy with a golden beer batter, eaten with your fingers just like in London.

Homemade fish and chips
For
6 people
Work
45 min
Total time
1 h 15
Prep
Prepared the same day
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€5.60
Calories per person
880 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach

Under a golden, crackling crust, the cod stays moist and flakes into big pieces. The chips, fried twice the English way, turn out soft inside and crisp outside. Mashed peas with mint add a fresh note that balances the fried food, and homemade tartar sauce, sharper than a store bought version, lifts every bite.

This is a dish that works for every age, perfect for a relaxed dinner with friends or a family weekend meal. You eat it with your fingers, no fuss, and it suits a rainy winter night just as well as early spring. Keep the rest of the menu simple, a salad to start is plenty.

The schedule

What happens when, so you can be with your guests instead of in the kitchen.

  1. The day before Nothing to do
  2. The same day 2 steps, 33 min
  3. Before the guests arrive 2 steps, 22 min
  4. When it's time to serve 2 steps, 13 min

In the morning, fry the chips once, make the tartar sauce, and let it rest in the fridge. Right before your guests arrive, cook the peas and mash them. At serving time, dip the fish in ice cold beer batter, fry it, then finish the chips at high heat before plating everything.

The ingredients

6 people

Fish counter

  • Cod fillets 1 kg

Pantry

  • Flouroften in the pantry 300 g
  • Lager 33 cl
  • Baking powderoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Frying oiloften in the pantry 200 cl
  • Mayonnaise 150 g
  • Gherkins 100 g
  • Capers 1 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 2 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 2 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Potatoes for chips 1.5 kg
  • Mint 1 sprigs
  • Lemons 2

Frozen foods

  • Frozen peas 400 g

Dairy

  • Butter 30 g

Allergens Fish, Gluten, Eggs, Mustard, Lactose

The recipe, moment by moment

The same dayDuring the day, whenever you get a moment.

  1. Cut the potatoes into thick sticks, rinse them, then dry them thoroughly. 25 min

    The thicker the chips, the closer they get to real English chips.

  2. Chop the gherkins and capers, mix them into the mayonnaise and add a splash of lemon for the tartar sauce. 8 min

    Let it rest in the fridge for a few hours, the flavor deepens.

Before the guests arriveThe last hour, right before the doorbell rings.

  1. Fry the chips a first time at 150 degrees for 8 minutes, drain them and let them sit at room temperature. 12 min

    This first fry makes them soft inside.

  2. Cook the peas in boiling water, mash them with the butter, mint, and salt. 10 min

    Keep a few whole peas for texture.

When it's time to serveThe final touches, right in front of your guests.

  1. Mix the flour and baking powder, add the ice cold beer for a smooth batter, dip in the fillets and fry for 5 to 6 minutes at 180 degrees. 8 min

    Dust the fillets lightly with flour before dipping, the batter sticks much better.

  2. Fry the chips again at 180 degrees until golden, salt them, then serve with the sauce, peas, and lemon. 5 min

    Drain on paper towels and keep the fish on a rack, not on paper, so it stays crisp.

Our tips to get it right

  • Dry the potatoes really well before the first fry, leftover moisture makes the oil spatter and keeps the chips from browning properly.
  • Lightly flour the cod fillets before dipping them in the batter, otherwise it slides off during frying.
  • Fry the fish in small batches so the oil temperature doesn't drop, otherwise the batter soaks up too much oil and turns soggy.

The variations

  • Swap the cod for haddock or pollock, two firm white fish that hold up just as well in the fryer.
  • For a faster version, use good quality frozen fries and spend your time on the fish and the sauce instead.
  • For kids, skip the extra pepper on the fish and serve ketchup alongside the tartar sauce.

What to serve it with

  • A crunchy coleslaw
  • Malt vinegar on the table
  • A tart lemonade

Storage

The battered fish is best eaten right away, it loses its crunch in the fridge. The tartar sauce keeps for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container, and the mashed peas reheat gently in a pan the next day.

Questions about this recipe

Can you bake the fish instead of frying it?

Beer batter needs hot oil to puff up and turn crisp, baking gives a flatter result. If you want to skip frying, coat the fillets in breadcrumbs instead and bake at high heat.

How do you know when the frying oil is hot enough?

Without a thermometer, drop a small bit of batter into the oil, it should rise right away and sizzle. If it browns too fast, lower the heat a bit before continuing.

Can you replace the beer in the batter with something else?

Yes, very cold sparkling water also gives a light batter, with a more neutral flavor than beer. The result will taste less distinctive but still turn out crisp.

Why fry the chips twice?

The first fry at a lower temperature cooks the inside of the potato without browning it. The second, hotter fry builds the golden, crispy crust on the outside.

Can homemade fish and chips with tartar sauce and mashed peas be made ahead?

Yes, during the day. The recipe needs 45 min of work in total, split up like this, the same day, 2 steps, before the guests arrive, 2 steps, when it's time to serve, 2 steps.

How long does it take to make homemade fish and chips with tartar sauce and mashed peas?

Allow 1 h 15 in total, including resting and cooking time, of which 45 min is actual work. The recipe is rated "medium".

How many calories are in homemade fish and chips with tartar sauce and mashed peas?

About 880 kcal per person, for a recipe meant for 6 people. The calories are calculated by Kiloach, your kilo coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does homemade fish and chips with tartar sauce and mashed peas cost?

About €5.60 per person, that's €33.60 for 6 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains fish, gluten, eggs, mustard, lactose. Remember to ask your guests about their allergies before putting your menu together.

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