Newport Landing Fish and Chips
A fillet of white fish in a golden, crispy batter, served with thick-cut chips, a splash of malt vinegar and a scoop of mushy peas. The hot, generous feast of coming ashore.
A fillet of white fish in a golden, crispy batter, served with thick-cut chips, a splash of malt vinegar and a scoop of mushy peas. The hot, generous feast of coming ashore.
After weeks of living on tins and dried food, I have only one thought when I hit land: a real fish and chips, the fish still scorching under its crispy batter, the chips well browned, and that dash of malt vinegar that wakes everything up. You eat it from the paper, greasy fingers, finally feeling the ground that doesn't move beneath you. Believe me, no banquet matches that first meal back – it's the taste of deliverance and a job well done.
- •White fish (cod or haddock) — 1 fillet per person (cœur du plat)
- •Flour — for the batter (pâte à frire)
- •Beer or sparkling water — for the batter (légèreté de la pâte)
- •Potatoes — generous (frites épaisses)
- •Lard or oil — for deep frying (cuisson)
- •Malt vinegar — for serving (acidité, signature)
- •Peas — for mushy peas (accompagnement)
- •Salt — to taste (assaisonnement)
Newport Landing Fish and Chips
A fillet of white fish in a golden, crispy batter, served with thick-cut chips, a splash of malt vinegar and a scoop of mushy peas. The hot, generous feast of coming ashore.
Why this dish? After weeks of tinned and freeze-dried food solo on the Atlantic, the first meal ashore is a celebration. For a British sailor, what could be more natural and comforting than fish and chips – crispy fried fish, chips, vinegar – the national dish that says 'you're home'.
After weeks of living on tins and dried food, I have only one thought when I hit land: a real fish and chips, the fish still scorching under its crispy batter, the chips well browned, and that dash of malt vinegar that wakes everything up. You eat it from the paper, greasy fingers, finally feeling the ground that doesn't move beneath you. Believe me, no banquet matches that first meal back – it's the taste of deliverance and a job well done.
Ingredients (period version)
- White fish (cod or haddock) — 1 fillet per person (cœur du plat)
- Flour — for the batter (pâte à frire)
- Beer or sparkling water — for the batter (légèreté de la pâte)
- Potatoes — generous (frites épaisses)
- Lard or oil — for deep frying (cuisson)
- Malt vinegar — for serving (acidité, signature)
- Peas — for mushy peas (accompagnement)
- Salt — to taste (assaisonnement)
Ingredients
- Cod or haddock fillets — 4 fillets (cœur du plat)
- Flour — 150 g (+ a little for dusting) (pâte à frire)
- Cold lager (or sparkling water) — 200 ml (pâte croustillante)
- Baking powder — 1 tsp (légèreté)
- Large potatoes — 800 g (frites épaisses)
- Frying oil — for deep frying (cuisson)
- Malt vinegar — for serving (acidité)
- Peas — 300 g (for mushy peas) (accompagnement)
- Salt, pepper — to taste (assaisonnement)
Method
- Peel and cut the potatoes into thick chips. Blanch in oil at 150 °C until tender but not coloured, then set aside.
- Prepare the batter: mix flour, baking powder and salt, then pour in the cold beer until a smooth, runny batter forms.
- Lightly dust the fish fillets with flour, then dip into the batter.
- Deep fry the fish at 180 °C until the batter is golden and crispy (5 to 7 min), drain on paper.
- Refry the chips at 180 °C to brown and crisp them. Season with salt.
- Mash the cooked peas with a little butter and salt for mushy peas. Serve everything with a splash of malt vinegar.
How it was made : Fish and chips has been the quintessential British popular dish since the 19th century, traditionally served in newspaper with malt vinegar. In the 1970s, it was the universal comfort food, from ports to cities. Evocation: we imagine here the feast of returning to land, faithful to the British tastes of the time, without claiming to document a precise meal of the sailor.
The contemporary twist : Plated on a sheet of kraft paper like a harbour cone, with a lemon wedge and homemade tartare sauce – the 'chippy' revisited.
Clare Francis · Charactorium
