That looks fab.

It's such a fish and chips kind of a day....

Double cooking,s the only way to get good fries

Mine always seem to be a touch overdone that way. Maybe I should turn the oil down a bit for the second cooking?

The really poncy method Is to parboil them, cool them, dry them and then fry them twice.....

I have determined that life is way too short....

most if the cooking should be done at a lower temperature than the final stage - that's when the crisping happens, and it doesn't take long.

My husband told me about that. I actually didn't believe him. He laughed when I asked him what desperate person with too much time on their hands thought up that one. I expect the next iteration of the recipe to specify which tune I need to whistle in what key as I stand on my head facing North while the chips fry.

I also think that soufleed potatoes, with its best-case 50-percent success rate, is what perfectionists are forced to cook in Hell.

Is lard better to do fish&chips than oil ? I've never tried Lard , whats the difference if any ?

mainly that they ain't vegetarian anymore....

'Tis true, all the decent chip shops do it - they call it 'blanching' and will say that's how you get the soft fluffy centre (it also works for roast potatoes by 'par-boiling' before roasting).

Lard is out-dated, the od-fashioned stuff is made from animal fat (rather than veg) and is seriously high in cholesterol.

Before I left the UK, I'd started using something called PURA which was in a big solid block like the lard my mum used, but it was vegetable fat. Can't find it anywhere down here in TN. I prefer it in a fryer because solidified fat is easier to store than oil.

One of several reasons that I fell in love with my wife, her roast potatoes.

:The chips look perfect, the fish maybe a bit too thick on the batter, looks a tad stodgy. I think I agree on the open fryer, we always had one at home as a kid, but don't think I would do it now, because of fire risk.

Sounds as if it could be similar to Crisco. At home the lard was always allowed to solidify in the pan in between frying sessions (mind you, that wasn't long, something was getting fried most days!) and the pan was put in a cupboard with the fat. I'm horrified at the thought these days . . .

Speedwell, you made me smile thinking of the time many years ago when I decided to cook fish and chips for two friends in my NYC kitchen. I only had one small fryer with a basket in it and it took so many frying sessions to get food on everyone's plate -- we basically had to eat in relays as I fried up a storm. Not a successful dinner party from the gourmet dining point of view, but one of those times you never forget!

Speedwell - it looks great. Nice job!

+1

Although I normally just par boil then fry mine as I don't have the patience. More often than not I just do sweet potato fries these days though which I just straight up fry.

I just fry in a deep saucepan with a basket. None of this deep fat electric fryer business!

Ain't that the truth, it's miserable today.

Where have you been all my life???