Fitzfishsupper
SERVES2 // PREPTIME 30 MINS// COOK1 HR 45 MINS(PLUSCHILLING,RESTING)“Chipswithcurrysaucehastobeonelife’smosthorrifyinglydelicioussnacks,”saysHill.“Everychippy
intheUKhasitsownrecipe,generallybasedonKeen’scurrypowder.Asfarasa fishsuppergoes,this
ticksalltheboxes.Toachieveperfectlycrisp,crunchychips,youneedtocookthemtwice,leavingthem
foruptotwohoursinbetween.” Start this recipe a day ahead to make the curry sauce and chips.Vegetableoil,forfrying
8 largesebagopotatoes,
washed,cutandpre-cooked
(seenote)
1 wholeflounder(800gm),
cleanedandscaled
50 gmbutter,chopped
2 clovesgarlic
2 sprigscurryleaves
Zestof½lemon
Lemonwedges,slicedwhite
breadandsoftbutter,
mushypeasandpickled
onions,toserve
CURRYSAUCE
125 gmbutter
1 smallonion,finelychopped
3 garliccloves,sliced
50 gmraisins
1 tbspKeen’scurrypowder
1 tbspWorcestershiresauce
5 freshcurryleaves
2 tsphotEnglishmustard
50 gmGreek-styleyoghurt
2 tbsplemonjuice
POTATOSCALLOPS
2 mediumDutchcream
potatoes,peeled
Chickensalt,forseasoning
2 largescallops(withoutroe),
halvedhorizontally
180 gmplainflour,plusextra
fordusting
325 mlcoldbeer (preferably
Resch’s)1 Forthecurrysauce,heat
butterina largesaucepanover
medium-highheat.Addonion
andgarlic,andcook,stirring
occasionallyuntilmixturestarts
tocaramelise(6-7minutes).
Addraisinsandstirtocombine.
Addcurrypowderandcook
untilfragrant(1-2minutes).
AddWorcestershiresauce
and250mlwater,stirringto
deglazethepan.Addcurry
leavesandmustard,bringto
theboil,thenremovefromheat.
2 Coolslightly,thenblenduntil
smooth.Addyoghurtandstir
tocombine.Stirinlemonjuice
andseasontotaste.Coverand
refrigerateovernight.Curry
saucewillkeepinthe fridge
forupto1 week.
3 Forchips,preheatovento
120°C.Pour10cmofoilinto
a largesaucepanandplace
overmediumheatuntilit
reaches190°C.Frychips,in
batches,untiltheyforma crust
(1-2minutes).Removechips
witha slottedspoon(reserve
saucepanwithoil),transferto
a largeoventrayandplacein
theovenuntildriedout(1 hour).
4 Forthepotatoscallops,slice
Dutchcreampotatoesintofour
2.5cm-thickrounds.Usinga
2.5cmroundpastrycutter(or
thediameterofthehalved
scallops)cuta holein thecentre
ofeachslice.Steamorboil
gentlyinsaltedwateruntiljust
tender(10minutes).Season
lightly with chicken salt, cooltoroomtemperature,then
refrigerate(30minutes).
5 Increaseovento185°C.
Heatanovenprooffryingpan,
largeenoughtofittheflounder,
overhighheat.Add50ml
vegetableoilandheatuntiljust
smoking(30seconds).Season
theflounderskinwithsalt.
6 Cookflounderinthehotoil
untilgolden(3-4minutes),then
carefullyturnandaddbutter
andgarlic.Transferpantothe
ovenandcookuntilfleshis just
cookedthrough(4minutes).
Removepanfromovenand
returntostovetopovermedium
heat,bastingfishwithpan
juicesuntilgoldenandcrisp
(1 minute).Setasidetorest
inthepanjuices(6minutes).
7 Meanwhile,forthebatter,
gentlystirflourandbeerin
a bowluntiljustcombined.
Setasidetorest(5minutes).
8 Reheattheoilinthereserved
saucepanto190°C.Pusha
scallophalfintotheholeof
eachpotatoround.Tosspotato
scallopsinextraflour,then,
workingoneata time,dipinto
batter.Removewitha slotted
spoonandlowerintothehot
oil.Fryuntilthebatteris deep
golden(2-3minutes).Drainon
papertowel.Seasonwellwith
chickensaltandkeepwarm.
9 Frychips,inbatches,fora
secondtimeuntilgoldenand
crisp(5minutes).Removewith
a slottedspoon,drainseason
and keep warm. Carefully addcurryleavestothepanand
fryuntilcrisp(10seconds).
Drainandsetaside.
10 Warmcurrysaucein a small
saucepanovermediumheat
(3minutes).Ina largebowl,add
currysaucetochips,topwith
friedcurryleaves,lemonzest,
andflounderpanjuices.Foran
authenticOldFitzexperience,
servealongsidetheflounder
andpotatoscallopsona platter
linedwithbutcher’spaper,with
lemonwedges,whitebread
andbutter,mushypeas and
pickledonions.
NoteTopre-cookthechips,
washandcutpotatoesinto
thickchips.Steamorboilin
a saucepanofsaltedwater
untiljusttenderbutnotfalling
apart(10minutes).Placeon
a cleanclothorteatowelin
the fridge to dry overnight.➤72 GOURMET TRAVELLER