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Tempura Fish with Matchstick Fries & Minted Mushy Peas

Serves 2

This recipe uses:

Thatchers

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For The Fish

  • 2 x 150g flat fish: Lemon sole, dab or plaice (100g skin off) each fillet cut into 2
  • 115g Thatchers Zero cider, chilled
  • 60g plain flour (for gluten free use rice flour)
  • 60g corn flour
  • ¼ tsp sea salt
  • Scant 1/8 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 2L of vegetable oil

For The Mushy Peas

  • 300g frozen peas
  • Salt and pepper
  • 5g fresh mint leaves, chopped
  • 1 tbsp yogurt
  • 3 tbsp reserved cooking water

For The Chips

  • 300g Cyprus potatoes (Marfona, charlotte) or Rooster, Russet, washed, skin on
  • Salt and pepper
  • Oil spray
  1. Preheat the oven to 230°C/446°F/Gas mark 8.
  2. Line a large tray with parchment paper and have all the ingredients weighed out and ready to go. Pop the cider into the freezer to chill until you need to use it.
  3. To prepare the matchstick fries: Create a flat side by chopping a small slice off the length of the potato, and then turn onto the flat side. This now has stability to enable you to slice 2-2.5cm rounds off the potato. Lie the potato roundsflat on the chopping board and cut off the matchsticks. Dry them well with kitchen roll to remove any excess moisture.
  4. Put the vegetable oil in a large pan and slowly bring it up to a temperature of between 170-180°C on a medium to high heat. Fill a medium sized pan with water and bring it up to the boil.
  5. Once the hot water is boiling, add a good pinch of salt and add the frozen peas. Leave them on a medium heat and allow them to come back up to a rapid boil, then turn off.
  6. Spray the matchstick fries with the oil spray, season with salt and pepper and then mix to ensure they are all evenly coated. Place them onto the lined tray in a single layer and cook for 10 minutes. Then turn the tray around to ensure even cooking and set the timer for them to cook for 5 more minutes.
  7. Drain the peas into a colander (retaining a few tablespoons of the cooking water) and place them into a food processor with the yogurt, cooking water, mint and salt and pepper. Pulse the mixture to create a rough,mushy pea texture. (You could also use a stick blender) Check the seasoning and return the peas back into the pan until you are ready.
  8. When the matchstick fries timer goes off, turn them over with a fish slice to cook on the other side for a further 6 minutes. They are done when they are golden and crisp. Keep them warm with the oven off and door open.
  9. Meanwhile, add a little of the Thatchers Zero cider to the egg yolk, whisk to make it well blended and then add the rest of the cider to it. Add this to the dry batter ingredients and mix gently until it has the consistency of melted ice cream and possible has a few lumps. It does not need to be whisked.
  10. Make sure that your oil is at the right temperature and that the fish has been dried on kitchen roll. Then drag the fish through the tempura batter, allowing any excess to drip off and then gently lay (away from you) into the oil. Put a low heat under the peas at this point to bring their temperature back up, ready for serving.
  11. Depending on the size of your fish, smaller fillets should cook in 2-3 minutes and larger ones in 3-4. Turn them around to make sure they cook evenly. Once they are cooked, remove onto a piece of kitchen roll and get ready to plate up.
  12. Place 2 pieces of fish on each plate. Share out the mushy peas and matchstick fries and serve with a glass of chilled Thatchers Zero. Enjoy!