Salt and Vinegar Fish and Chips with Dill Tartar Sauce
Being a proud, born-and-raised Pacific Northwesterner, it should come as no surprise that I love love LOVE seafood. Salmon, oysters, mussels, Dungeness crab, even the Washington native geoduck tickle my fancy and I am just as happy as a clam (tee-hee) when I get to devour it.
One of the most classic ways I love to enjoy seafood is fish and chips style, because when was deep frying anything ever a bad idea? I'm talking super crispy, golden brown fish and chips doused in lemon and/or malt vinegar for a uniquely salty/sour bite. The only thing greater than a perfect bite of fish and chips is enjoying it by the water, sun shining on your face, with a cold one in hand.
The other day when I had a hardcore craving for some good fish and chips, I realized that I don't necessarily need the sea salt air and an iconic view of the Puget Sound to enjoy fish and chips. In fact, there really was nothing stopping me from attempting an easy and delicious fish and chips from scratch.
As someone who doesn't particularly enjoy frying foods at home (because it turns into one hot mess), I sought a homemade fish and trips recipe that I could actually bake in the oven. In fact, I went a step further and interpreted the "chips" portion a bit differently. Because I love the salty/sour combo of fried fish and malt vinegar, I came up with the wacky (yet brilliant) idea to coat my fish in, you guessed it, salt and vinegar chips. Two birds, one stone, my friends!
The crushed salt and vinegar chips create a naturally crisp and perfectly seasoned coating for the fish. It’s such a foolproof method for both easy cooking and flavor boosting, it seriously has me wondering why I never thought of this method before. The kicker, of course, is an easy, homemade dill tartar sauce for dunking.
My “fish and chips” interpretation is sure to be your new comfort food go-to, and your easiest way to make a beach moment happen in the comfort of your own home.
Salt and Vinegar Fish and Chips with Dill Tartar Sauce
Ingredients
1 pound cod or other firm white fish, sliced into 1/2-inch thick sticks
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs
1 tablespoon water
About 2 cups (almost a full bag) of salt and vinegar kettle style potato chips, roughly crushed
Dill Tartar Sauce
1/2 cup mayo
1 tablepoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon dill relish
1 teaspoon dill, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Set up a dredging station with three shallow plates or bowls - flour in one, eggs and water whisked together in another and crushed potato chips in another. Pat fish dry with a paper towel before dipping in flour to coat. Shake off any excess and dip in egg mixture. Drip off any excess egg and finally roll in crushed potato chips. Lay fish pieces on a greased baking sheet.
Bake for 20 minutes until fish is firm and golden brown. While fish is cooking, combine mayo, Dijon, relish, dill and salt in a ramekin or small dish. Remove fish from baking sheet with a spatula and serve with lemon wedges and tartar sauce.
