- 1 1/2 lb Cod (or other similar fish)
- 4 C vegetable oil (or other preferred oil- for frying)
- 1 1/2 C all-purpose flour
- 1/2 C cornstarch (trust me on this!)
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/8 tsp Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning
- fresh ground pepper to taste
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 12 oz. beer (I used Sam Adam's Hazel Brown)
1) In a large bowl, thoroughly combine flour, cornstarch, salt, cayenne, Old Bay, paprika, Creole Seasoning, and pepper (basically, all ingredients except baking powder). Transfer 1 cup of mixture to a Pyrex baking dish.
2) Heat oil over medium heat. Meanwhile, dry fish and cut into serving-size pieces. Dredge, both sides, in mixture in baking dish. This is to help the batter stick.
3) Combine baking powder with flour mixture. Add beer slowly until consistency is a little thicker than pancake batter.
4) Dip fish in batter, coating thoroughly. Again dredge the fish in the baking dish mixture- this will help make the fish nice and crispy.
5) Once the oil is hot enough (around 375 degrees is the goal, but I just use my judgement), place the fish in the oil a couple pieces at a time. You don't want more than two or three pieces, or just one if your pan is very small, so that they can cook evenly. About 7-8 minutes total for each piece is perfect, flipping once the first side is golden brown.
6) As you finish each piece, set on a wire cooling rack over some paper towels and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt. Serve with fries, and corn on the cob.
I like mine with tartar sauce, but my husband likes his with HP Sauce. It's a steak sauce, but it has a strong vinegar taste that pairs well with the fried fish. I didn't take any pictures- sorry!- but I'll update the post next time I make it. Happy eating! :)
