flipDiscovery Night Fish and Chips
Discovery Night Fish and Chips
Why this dish? On 28 February 1953, Crick is said to have announced at The Eagle pub that they had "found the secret of life". Fish and chips was the popular celebratory dish that accompanied these pub evenings in Cambridge.
Cod fillet in golden batter, thick-cut chips, all generously doused with malt vinegar and salt. The national comfort food, perfect for celebrating big news without ceremony.
That famous February lunchtime, I didn't beat around the bush when I walked into The Eagle: we had cracked the secret of life! And what do you order to celebrate that? Not champagne — fried fish and greasy chips, malt vinegar on top until it stings. We ate with our fingers, sometimes with the newspaper as a plate. Triumphant science tastes of malt and frying, I assure you.
- •Cod or haddock — 1 nice fillet per person (white fish)
- •Flour — for the batter (batter)
- •Brown ale — a splash (leavens the batter)
- •Potatoes — 2 large per person (thick chips)
- •Lard or beef dripping — for frying (cooking fat)
- •Malt vinegar — as desired (signature acidity)
- •Coarse salt — as desired (seasoning)
Discovery Night Fish and Chips
Cod fillet in golden batter, thick-cut chips, all generously doused with malt vinegar and salt. The national comfort food, perfect for celebrating big news without ceremony.
Why this dish? On 28 February 1953, Crick is said to have announced at The Eagle pub that they had "found the secret of life". Fish and chips was the popular celebratory dish that accompanied these pub evenings in Cambridge.
That famous February lunchtime, I didn't beat around the bush when I walked into The Eagle: we had cracked the secret of life! And what do you order to celebrate that? Not champagne — fried fish and greasy chips, malt vinegar on top until it stings. We ate with our fingers, sometimes with the newspaper as a plate. Triumphant science tastes of malt and frying, I assure you.
Ingredients (period version)
- Cod or haddock — 1 nice fillet per person (white fish)
- Flour — for the batter (batter)
- Brown ale — a splash (leavens the batter)
- Potatoes — 2 large per person (thick chips)
- Lard or beef dripping — for frying (cooking fat)
- Malt vinegar — as desired (signature acidity)
- Coarse salt — as desired (seasoning)
Ingredients
- Cod fillet — 150 g per person (white fish)
- Flour — 150 g (batter)
- Cold lager or ale — 200 ml (leavens the batter)
- Baking powder — 1 tsp (crispiness)
- Potatoes for frying — 400 g (thick chips)
- Frying oil — 1.5 L (cooking)
- Malt vinegar — as desired (signature acidity)
- Salt — as desired (seasoning)
Method
- Cut the potatoes into thick batons, rinse and dry thoroughly.
- Pre-cook the chips at 150°C for 6-7 minutes without browning, drain.
- Prepare the batter: mix flour, baking powder and cold beer until it reaches the consistency of thick pancake batter.
- Pat the fish dry, dip into the batter.
- Fry the fish at 180°C for 6-8 minutes until golden and crispy, drain on paper.
- Re-fry the chips at 180°C for 2-3 minutes to brown them.
- Serve immediately, sprinkle with malt vinegar and salt.
How it was made : Fish and chips, born in the mid-19th century, escaped wartime rationing because it was deemed essential for morale. Sold wrapped in newspaper, it was eaten standing up or at the pub counter.
The contemporary twist : Serve the fish on a printed page styled like the April 1953 issue of Nature, a nod to the issue that published the seminal paper.
Sources : James D. Watson, The Double Helix, 1968 · Brenda Maddox, Rosalind Franklin: The Dark Lady of DNA, 2002
James Watson & Francis Crick · Charactorium
