Fish and chips are a Kiwi classic that never fail to please. Be it in a neighbourhood café, local bistro, or fine dining restaurant, served at a cocktail event or even as resident favourite at rest homes, it’s a dish that can be adapted to suit. They might seem basic, but by refining the components you’ll soon build a name in your neighbourhood.
THE CHIP
There are endless ways to serve up everyone’s favourite carb, the humble potato fries. From shoestring, to chunky cut, to potato skins, they come in all shapes and sizes. A good chip is crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside and perfectly seasoned. Both skin on and skin off are delicious in their own ways. Leaving the skin on adds extra rustic and earthy tones, plus it saves time on prep. With chips being one half of ‘Fish and Chips’, it’s important that you get them right.
Chip Cuts
Prepared Produce potato skins are a great alternative
to a classic chip. Fry them at a low temperature to cook through, then finish them off in hot oil to order.
Hand cut chips are a hit on any menu. Putting the time in to craft the perfect chip always shows in the result. Use a low moisture, high starch potato such as an Agria, or Moonlight.
There are a huge range of ready to fry chip cuts that make your life easier for a quick service. Will you stick to the classic straight cut or branch out to criss-cut, wedges, or beer battered?
Alternatives to Potatoes
Potatoes aren’t the only vegetable that lends itself to being deep fried. Most starchy vegetables can be crafted into chips, with a favourite being kūmara. Bidfood have a range of ready to fry kūmara chips that are a deliciously sweet alternative to potato fries. You can also make your own using either red, purple, gold, or Beauregard varieties from Bidfresh.
SEASONINGS
Whether it’s by flavouring the oil or seasoning the finished product, there are ways to turn fries from bland to brilliant. Fryer oil can be infused with aromatics like curry leaves and garlic or you can use a blend of animal fat, such as duck fat, to take it to the next level. Creating seasoning blends allows you to add influence from different cuisines to your fish and chips, or simply boost the flavour. Try a Japanese inspired togarashi seasoning, a curry salt to pair with curry leaf infused oil, or a Mexican dusting.
THE FISH
Beer battered fish is the most recognisable coating for a classic fish and chips. A good beer batter needs to be crispy and light; you don’t want pockets of trapped oil.
Use a tempura batter for an extra light option. It can easily be made gluten free too so you can cater to guests with dietary requirements.
Crumbed fish is equally as delicious as beer batter but gives you a lighter, thinner coating. Change up the crumb by using quinoa flakes, cornflakes, oats, or shredded coconut and bake instead of frying it for a healthier alternative.
And who says the fish has to be battered or crumbed? A crispy skin fish will have the same effect.
SIDES AND SAUCES
Whether it’s a simple lemon wedge or a fennel salad, freshening up your fish and chips will balance out the greasiness. The acidity in tomatoes does the same thing and thus a fresh salsa or tomato salad will provide both balance and colour to your dish.
Forget mushy peas from a can, a broad bean smash or silky pea puree are a fresher take on the classic.
Tartare, aioli, and tomato sauce will always be favourites when it comes to fish and chips, but so too does a beautiful house-made relish.
FISH AND CHIPS MADE FOUR WAYS
CRISPY SKINNED SALMON, PEA PUREE, POTATO MILLE FEUILLE, PEA TENDRILS
Who said fish and chips could only be served wrapped in newspaper? Create a plated restaurant version for your menu this spring. Mushy peas are a classic accompaniment with fish and chips in Britain; swap this for a silky pea puree on the base. Instead of potato chips, top the pea puree with a crispy potato mille feuille. Not all fish has to be deep fried, instead, serve a piece of crispy skinned salmon or pan fried fish fillets. Garnish with pea tendrils to complement the pea puree, or micro radish for a peppery hit.
POTATO SKINS, BEER B AT TERED FISH FILLETS, TARTARE + A LEMON WEDGE
Appealing to a wide variety of customers, classic fish and chips like this version doesn’t require too much prep, perfect for the current situation in many kitchens.
Fish can be beer battered to order with the batter quick to whip up before service. As an alternative to shoestring fries, use Prepared Produce’s potato skins. Make your fish and chips stand out by perfecting a house-made tartare sauce, and don’t forget the lemon wedge to serve.
CRUMBED FISH, CHUNKY FRIES, RADISH AND FENNEL SALAD
Serve a fresh take on fish and chips with a zingy radish and fennel salad on the side. The salad will cut through the greasiness of the fried items while providing vibrancy both in colour and flavour. You could use a Prepared Produce slaw and add in julienned fennel, raddish, apple, or herbs to make it your own.
While beer batter is delicious, it can leave an oily feeling, so crumb the fish for a more refined coating. Add in herbs or spices to the crumb to give it that extra layer of flavour.
Cut potatoes into even sized, chunky fries so they can be stacked when plating up. It may take more effort to prepare, but you can serve a smaller portion to mitigate this.
NEWSPAPER CONE OF FISH BITES, KŪMARA CHIPS
Add a little fun by creating single serve fish and chip cones for walk and fork catering, food trucks, and events.
Use Seafrost Pollock Fish Bites for the perfect sized pieces and pair them with crispy kūmara fries.