Fish
Beer battered pollock fillets with tomato sauce and rice
Beer battered pollock fillets are pieces of white fish dipped in a light beer batter, fried until golden, and served with homemade tomato sauce and rice. This recipe serves 4, takes 45 minutes, and is rated easy, at €3.00 per serving. Success comes down to letting the batter rest and keeping the oil hot enough for a crisp, not greasy, fritter.
Tonight it's the school cafeteria's best day, with golden beer battered pollock, homemade tomato sauce and rice, the kids are going to love it.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Cost per person
- €3.00
- Calories per person
- 570 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
- Season
- Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
- The kids
- They generally like it
Under the golden, crackly batter, the pollock stays moist and flakes into big pieces. The light beer gives the batter a lift that water alone can't match, and the contrast with the well seasoned tomato sauce is what makes this dish work. Plain rice soaks up the sauce and balances the crunch of the fritter, a simple combination that works for the whole table.
This is the kind of dinner that turns plain fish into a small celebration, with no special equipment or tricky ingredients. Kids love dunking their fritters into the tomato sauce, and parents appreciate a change from simply pan seared fish. Plan it for an evening when you have a bit of time, a weekend or an unhurried weeknight, since frying means staying close to the stove.
The ingredients
Fish counter
- Pollock fillets 700 g
Pantry
- Flouroften in the pantry 150 g
- Light beeroften in the pantry 15 cl
- Tomato passataoften in the pantry 500 g
- Riceoften in the pantry 300 g
- Frying oiloften in the pantry 50 cl
- Olive oiloften in the pantry 1 tbsp
- Sugaroften in the pantry 1 pinch
- Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
- Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch
Dairy
- Eggs 2
Fruits and vegetables
- Onion 1
- Garlic 2 cloves
- Lemon 1
Allergens Fish, Gluten, Eggs
The step by step recipe
-
Make the batter by mixing the flour, egg yolks, beer and a pinch of salt, then fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites. 15 min
Stiffly beaten egg whites are the secret to a light, crispy batter.
-
Sauté the chopped onion and garlic in the olive oil, add the passata, sugar, salt and pepper, and let it simmer. 15 min
The sugar cuts the acidity of the passata, a pinch is enough.
-
Cook the rice in salted water, then drain it. 12 min
Keep it warm under a kitchen towel, it stays nice and moist.
-
Cut the fillets into pieces, pat them dry, dip them in the batter and lower them into oil at 180°C. 10 min
Fry a few pieces at a time, too much fish at once drops the oil temperature.
-
Drain the fritters on paper towels and serve with the tomato sauce, rice and lemon.
Salt the fritters right out of the oil, the salt sticks better that way.
Our tips to get it right
- Pat the pollock pieces dry before dipping them in the batter, moisture keeps the batter from sticking properly.
- Test the oil temperature with a small drop of batter, it should rise to the surface and sizzle right away.
- Never crowd the fryer or pan, frying in batches keeps every fritter crisp all over.
The variations
- Swap the pollock for cod or hake, two white fish that hold up just as well during frying.
- For an alcohol free version, use very cold sparkling water instead of beer, the batter stays just as light.
- To save time on a weeknight, swap the homemade tomato sauce for store bought passata simply warmed with a pinch of sugar.
What to serve it with
- Fresh lemon wedges
- Green salad with a sharp vinaigrette
- Lemon water or homemade iced tea
Storage
Keep leftovers in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 2 days, the batter softens quickly. Reheat the fillets in the oven for a few minutes to bring back some crispness, avoid the microwave which makes them soggy. The tomato sauce and rice freeze well on their own, but not the already fried fritters.
Questions about this dish
Can you make the batter ahead of time?
Yes, you can make it up to 2 hours ahead and let it rest in the fridge. It actually gets better that way, just give it a good stir before dipping the fish.
What fish can you use instead of pollock?
Cod, hake, or whiting all work well, just pick a firm white fish. Avoid very thin fillets since they tend to fall apart during frying.
Can you make this without a deep fryer?
Yes, a large pot with about an inch and a half of oil works fine, just watch the temperature with a kitchen thermometer. A deep skillet also works as long as the oil doesn't come too close to the top.
How do you make this kid friendly?
Cut the fillets into smaller pieces before battering them, they're easier to eat with fingers that way. Serve the tomato sauce on the side so everyone can dip at their own pace.
How long does it take to make beer battered pollock fillets with tomato sauce and rice?
Count 45 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.
How many calories are in beer battered pollock fillets with tomato sauce and rice?
About 570 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.
How much does beer battered pollock fillets with tomato sauce and rice cost?
About €3.00 per serving, or €12.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.
What allergens does this recipe contain?
This recipe contains fish, gluten, eggs. Always check the labels of the products you buy.
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