Fish and Chips are Not as British as You Think.

July 4, 1776, Independence Day, when the colonists of the New World (America) declared all ties cut from their mother country, Britain.  While the residents of this newly established country might have thought, “Well that’s all done with, time for tea and biscuits”, King George had a whole other thought.  Time for an American history refresher.

Tensions between America and Britain began on March 22, 1765, when British Parliament   passed the Stamp Act or Duties in American Colonies Act.  Colonists had to pay taxes on every page of printed paper they used which also included fees on playing cards, dice, and newspapers.  Britain continued to come up with other types of taxation, but the tax that put the colonists’ knickers in a tight twist was the one on tea.  Tea?  The all-day, every day beverage of every British citizen, young and old!  This tax was just another way to “help” Britain get out of some type of debt, and the colonists were seen as having more money than they needed.  This time, the tea tax was meant to be a bailout policy to get the British East India Company out of debt.  In retaliation, December 16, 1773, Boston Tea Party where 340 chests, of British East India Company Tea, weighing over 92,000 pounds, was dumped into the harbor.

Then Parliament tells the colonists, “Remember the French and Indian War in 1763, and how we defended and saved all your ass-ets?”, now we are upping taxes, so you can pay that off as well.

Tensions grew sky high until, finally, on April 19, 1775, local militiamen fought with British soldiers in the Battles of Lexington and Concord, in Massachusetts.  That famous line, “The shot heard round the world.” signified this engagement as the start of the Revolutionary War.

Ah, so remember when I wrote about Baked Beans (May 7, 2024 issue of the San Juan Record), and that the recipe did not come from Britain?  I am about to blow another recipe bubble up, and this time about a well-known traditional meal, Fish and Chips.  Whether you have been to the UK, watched any number of British based movies or television series, even read any novels, fish and chips is a staple of the British diet.  Cod and haddock have always been the main two species of fish to be used for this dish, but nowadays any firm white fish (cod, pollock, haddock, catfish, perch, or mahi-mahi) is acceptable. Main condiment used is malt vinegar, and an ample seasoning with salt.  The “chips” are not the crispy type that come in a bag for snacking.  No, they are potatoes that are cut either into round or short rectangular shapes, then deep fried to a golden crispness on the outside, but fluffy on the inside.  Oh, what do they call the snack bag type of potatoes?  Crisps…for an obvious reason.

 

Fish Used: Catfish, and Great for Making Fish Tacos As Well.

 

So, the true origin of fish and chips goes back, well, for England about the 15^th century, but for Portugal, between the 8^th and 12^th centuries.  Basically, 20 percent of the population of Portugal, known then as Al-Andalus, was Jewish.  Since the Sabbath was on Saturday, and they were not allowed to cook, food was prepared on Friday afternoon that needed to last the next 24 hours. One very popular recipe consisted of white fish (cod or haddock) fried in a thin coating of flour or matzo meal. The batter preserved the fish so it could be eaten cold and still be quite flavorful.  Side note, with the recipe I will be giving, yes, the fish can be eaten cold, the batter is still crispy, not greasy, and the flavor is just as delicious as when it was served hot.

Jump to the 15^th century, the Jewish population was driven out by the Spanish Inquisition

("Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!" – Monty Python), driven into England and a cookbook from 1781 gives credit to “the Jews way of preserving and cooking fish”.  Fish and chips became such a popular dish in England, that it is even mentioned in Charles Dickens’ novel, Oliver Twist, as “fried fish warehouses”.  Traditionally, the “serving container” was grease proof wax paper, then wrapped in newspaper as insulation.  Nowadays, wax paper plus unprinted paper is still used, but so are the typical “take-out”, or as they are called there, “take-away”, disposable containers of thick paper or styrofoam.

When I make the batter for the fish, I prefer to use ale; pale ale has a fruity flavor, offsets the use of malt vinegar and salt nicely, and combines with the white wine well.  Do not flinch at the use of alcohol, as it burns off during the frying process.  The whole idea is to go for flavor, not make your fish so drunk it is singing a naughty British pub tune.  However, what you do in the privacy of your own home is no one else’s business (“Wink, wink, nudge, nudge, know what I mean, aye?” – Monty Python)

 

 

 

 

By the way, having left over batter, I cut up a couple of chicken breasts and did the same cooking process for them.  Oh my!  The most delicious fried chicken pieces we have ever had; going back to my old ways of doing it will be difficult indeed.  So, carry on, pip-pip and all that rot.

 

 

 

English Style Fish and Chips

 

Ingredients:

2 cups flour, divided in half (1 cup for batter, 1 cup for dredging)

2 eggs

¾ cup beer or ale

¾ cup milk

¾ cup white wine

½ tsp. cream of tartar

½ tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. each salt and pepper

peanut oil

6 large potatoes (red skinned or golden yellow), cut roughly into 1” pieces

2 lbs. cod, or any other white meat fish (pollock, flounder), cut into 4” pieces

Preparation:

In a large bowl, combine 1 cup of flour, eggs, beer, milk, wine, cream of tartar, baking powder, salt and pepper. Mix well, cover and chill for 1 hour.

 

 

 

 

Fill deep fryer to maximum line, or large skillet ½ way up, with canola oil; heat to 375-400F. Cook potatoes until just lightly browned; drain on paper towels; season with salt; transfer to cookie sheet. When done frying, place potatoes in oven (set at 200F) to keep warm.

 

 

 

 

Remix batter; dredge fish pieces into remaining 1 cup of flour; dip into batter and place in hot oil (3-4 pieces at a time). When batter turns golden brown and begins to puff, drain on paper towels.

Cod Portions

 

Dredge in Flour

 

Dredged in Flour, Ready for Batter

 

Coat in Batter

Cod Coated in Batter

 

Sizzling in Oil

 

Flip Portions Over to Complete Frying

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Serve fish and chips with tartar sauce, malt vinegar or any other desired condiment.

Makes 4 servings.

Mary Cokenour

 

 

Taste is a Matter of Balance.

Balance; the equalizing of two items, whether the same or different, so that they are perfectly aligned on a scale.  While that is a simple concept when it comes to a tangible item, not so easy for emotions and feelings.  That is when you have to deal with good vs. bad/evil, light vs. dark, likes vs. dislikes; issues are either black or white.  Balance is a gray area, the mixing of the black and white to form a smooth, even concept.  Some folks are afraid of the negative aspects and try to live a life of "happy, happy, joy, joy"; ignoring the negativity and hoping it will just go away.  Unfortunately, it is not that simplistic.  The holding in creates a pressure that builds up till it explodes, and that is why we need balance in our lives; to keep from exploding.

So, what has this to do with cooking?  Eating, while being a necessity, should be an enjoyment; taste and texture should be a pleasure for the mouth.  However, some folks like their food to be painful, and I often wonder if this is actually how they enjoy it, or is it more for showing off to their peers.  Take "hot wings"; the chiles that can be added to sauces to coat the wings have heat measured by mild, medium, hot, super-hot and atomic.  Personally, I enjoy mild to medium; anything hotter puts my mouth in pain, and I cannot taste the item being eaten.  To me, that is a loss, not a pleasure; the balance between the heat and taste of the sauce is important to me.  But that is me, and when it comes to "hot wings", it is whatever floats your own personal taste boat.

 

The origin of the original buffalo wing recipe began in 1964, at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York.  The bar owner, Teressa Bellissimo, created the dish due to necessity.  However, husband Frank states that this was to get rid of a chicken wing order accidentally delivered to the bar.  Son, Dominic, though claims that, being the good mother Teressa was, made a midnight snack for he and his rather drunk friends who were craving hot snack food.  She deep fried the wings as it would be quicker than roasting, and the skin would become especially crispy.  Covering them in her own special sauce, they were served with a side of blue cheese dressing and celery sticks.  Why?   That is what she had available, and it has well stood the test of time, and many a plateful eaten. Whichever story is true, the wings became a world known appetizer.

The main ingredient, the wings, should always be crispy; mushy, fatty skin just does not have a good mouth feel.  Crispy wings also hold the sauce better.  Always toss the wings in the sauce after frying as the hot oil will only leech the sauce off the wings.  If you want the skin with some type of extra seasoning, do so, but then dredge the wings in flour before dropping into the hot oil.  The skin will still come out crispy, and the seasoning will remain on it.

The traditional dressing served with wings is bleu cheese, but nowadays, ranch is a popular choice.  While the dressing is used as an enhancement by some, most use it to tone down the heat of the hot sauce (raises hand to guilty on all counts).

Remember PJ’s on Center Street, in Monticello?  Now they did buffalo wings the Anchor Bar way, and were the best around. It even had a sweet and spicy version that was out of this world too; oh, and the fries, so good.  Sure do miss that place, and, sometimes, change is not for the best.  Thatzza Pizza, on Main Street, does wings, but baked in the oven, so if you want really crispy, ask them to bake them longer.  However, if you do not mind the drive to Dove Creek, Banger’s Bar and Pizza has one mean selection of wings, with or without bones. The House Bourbon sauce is our personal favorite; they need to jar and sell it; along with their housemade potato chips!

 

Thatzza Pizza Mild BBQ Wings

Banger's Boneless Wings in House Bourbon Sauce.

 

 Traditional Buffalo Wings

 (Original recipe from the Anchor Bar, Buffalo, New York)

Ingredients:

2 and ½ lbs. wings (12-16 whole wings)

½ cup Louisiana hot sauce (Frank's is the brand when sticking to tradition)

½ cup unsalted butter or margarine

1 1/2 Tbsp. white vinegar

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/8 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Dash of salt

Preparation:

Split wing at joint, clip tip off if not done already, pat dry.  Deep fry at 350F for 10-12 minutes, drain on paper towels.  To make sauce, mix together hot sauce, butter, vinegar, cayenne, garlic powder, Worcestershire and salt.  Put wings in bowl, add sauce and toss till wings are completely coated.  Serve with bleu cheese dressing and celery sticks.

For those of you that have to have the wings baked in the oven, 425F for 45-60 minutes; until thoroughly cooked and crispy. Turn at least once during baking.

Want a different taste to your wings, try these popular alternative sauces:

Barbecue

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 Tbsp. catsup

1 Tbsp. oil

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/2 tsp. ginger

Put all ingredients into small saucepan; bring to boil on high heat.  Lower heat to low and let sauce thicken; about 15 minutes.

Teriyaki

1 tsp. minced garlic

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

1 (12 oz.) bottle Teriyaki sauce

Put all ingredients into small saucepan; bring to boil on high heat.  Lower heat to low and let sauce thicken; about 15 minutes.

Chipotle

1/2 cup chipotle sauce

1/2 cup butter

2 Tbsp. honey

Put all ingredients into small saucepan; bring to boil on high heat.  Lower heat to low and let sauce thicken; about 15 minutes.

Honey Mustard

1/2 cup honey

1/3 cup Dijon mustard

Mix two ingredients together.

Honey Bourbon BBQ

2 Tbsp. brown sugar, packed

2 Tbsp.  apple cider vinegar

½ cup ketchup

¼ cup honey

½ cup bourbon

1 tsp. corn starch

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

Mix brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, ketchup, honey, bourbon, cornstarch, garlic, and Dijon mustard to a medium sized saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat. Turn the heat down and simmer for 15-20 minutes; stir occasionally to keep from burning.

Apologies to all the Super Bowl fans reading this article, I fumbled on getting this out before the game, not after.

Mary Cokenour

 

Deep Fried Japanese – Part Two - Katsu

Laying the deep-fried meat onto a cutting board, the knife is positioned to cut one-inch pieces.  With a deft hand, the blade is pushed downward and a soft “thwack” sound upon the board.  A rocking motion, once forward, once backward, and the one-inch sections comes off cleanly.  The exterior of the batter, at eye inspection, looks rough, heavy and uneven.  Lifting it up, it stays upon the meat which is perfectly cooked throughout.

Dipping one edge into the deep brown, almost black, sauce, bringing it upward towards the mouth; the aroma is savory and enticing.  The first bite, the texture of the coating is actually, light and crispy. As one chews, it begins to melt; the sauce coats the tongue with a sweet, salty, tanginess that makes the eyes roll back into the head.  Such flavor, such richness, how could something so simple, be so sinfully…

…we interrupt our show with a word from our sponsor, Panko.  Panko is Japanese style breadcrumbs which are large, flaky and do not pack together too tightly, so food stays crispier for longer periods of time.  The bread used is crustless white bread that is steamed, then dried before being processed into large flakes.  The flakes do not absorb as much oil as regular ground bread crumbs, enabling a lighter and crispier texture after frying.  Even after being stored, in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days, the texture of the coating still had a less oily, yet crispier texture.  Panko is lower in calories, sodium, and fat, and higher in fiber than regular breadcrumbs, but is not gluten free.  While it is healthier than ground breadcrumbs, moderation is still a key factor when indulging in deep fried foods.

 

 

 

 

Now to introduce you all to another adventure in consuming deep fried Japanese food, Katsu.  It is 1899, and while chefs in Osaka were developing new ways of using tempura batter; a Tokyo chef, in a restaurant called Rengatei, was creating katsu.  Once again, European influence was the background for the creation.  Instead of simply coating meats with a light flour-based batter, panko was used as the texture would hold up better when paired with a Japanese favorite, curry.  Japanese curry is unlike Indian curry, as it is made using curry powder, oil, and flour.  A roux forms, pureed steamed meat and vegetables are added, and the entire concoction is simmered until a thick sauce forms.  The curry is then served with rice or udon noodles, or made into a bread or bun (encased in dough, covered in panko, and deep fried until golden brown).  Which brings us back to panko, and how to make the most delicious fried cutlets, katsu!

The basic definition of katsu is cutlet, and often applied when using chicken as the main ingredient.  For pork, the word “ton” is added, so tonkatsu; for beef, add “gyu”, so gyukatsu.

The cutlets should be between ½-inch to ¾-inch thickness to ensure the meats are thoroughly cooked, but the panko coating does not over-brown, or burn. 

The best instructions, and recipe, I have come from “Drive Me Hungry” food blog, written by a woman of South Korean ancestry.  While you can go to her site(https://drivemehungry.com/tonkatsu-pork-katsu/) for the full information, directions, hints and notes, I have simplified them for this article.

  

Tonkatsu (Pork Cutlets), Katsu (Chicken Cutlets) or Gyukatsu (Beef Cutlets)

Ingredients:

2 slices boneless pork chops pounded to ¾ inch thick; 5oz each (or chicken or beef)

1 cup Japanese panko bread crumbs 

½ cup all-purpose flour

1 egg beaten

salt & pepper

vegetable oil for frying

 

Tonkatsu/Katsu/Gyukatsu Sauce

4 Tbsp. ketchup

2 ½ Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbsp. soy sauce

1/8 tsp. each garlic and onion powder

1 and ½ tsp. sugar (optional)

 

Preparation:

Make the Tonkatsu/Katsu/Gyukatsu Sauce

Combine the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and garlic & onion powder in a small bowl. Taste and add sugar if desired. Set it aside.

Bread the Meat

Prep the cutlets: Cut slits into the white connective tissue on the outer edge of each cutlet. This prevents it from curling up as it cooks. 

Add the egg, flour, and panko bread crumbs to separate bowls. For a crispier crust, mix a tablespoon of flour with the egg to create a thicker egg wash for more bread crumbs to adhere to.

Salt and pepper each cutlet, then coat it in flour and shake off the excess. Next, dip it into the beaten egg and then firmly press it into the panko bread crumbs for a thick, generous layer of breading.  Just before placing in oil, press each cutlet into panko again, as some of the coating may have become soggy while waiting for oil to heat up.

 

Deep-fry the Cutlets:

Heat oil: In a large heavy-duty pot or fryer, add enough oil to deep fry the cutlets. Heat the oil to 340F over medium heat to ensure the pork fully cooks without burning the bread crumbs. If you don't have a thermometer, drop some bread crumbs into the oil. It's ready when it begins to sizzle.

Fry the cutlets: Gently place a cutlet into the oil and deep-fry for 5 to 6 minutes per side or until meat is fully cooked and the panko coating is golden brown and crispy.

Use a skimmer to clean up loose breadcrumbs and try to keep the oil temperature at 340F. Repeat with the remaining cutlets and work in batches to avoid lowering the oil temperature. 

 

Serve: Slice the cutlets into 1-inch strips, and serve with sauce, shredded cabbage, and steamed rice.

Gyukatsu

Katsu

Makes 2 servings.

Leftovers: Store in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.

Reheat: Reheat in an oven or air fryer at 350F until warm and crispy, about 4 - 7 minutes.

 Yes, the same technique can be used on firm fish such as salmon, cod, or haddock; and on vegetables too.

Salmon, Zucchini Chunks, Fried Rice

My personal experience was that this recipe was spot on for making the most epic katsu.  I used all three meats: chicken, pork, beef; all came out perfectly cooked, and the panko exterior was addicting!  When making the sauce though, I added two teaspoons of sugar, as the soy and Worcestershire sauces made it too salty; the sugar cut this down.

However, I found another sauce recipe which includes hoisin sauce, instead of Worcestershire.  When using the first sauce, I likened it to hoisin due to its dark coloring, and rich, deep flavor.  Hoisin is an entirely different creation, with the only same ingredient used being soy sauce.  Here is the alternative katsu sauce recipe:

Ingredients:

1/4 cup ketchup

2 Tbsp. hoisin sauce  

1 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce

1 and ½ tsp.  lemon juice

½ tsp. minced garlic

Preparation:

In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients together, set aside until ready to be used.

I hope you have enjoyed this two-part journey in deep fried Japanese cuisine, and in the famous words of Soma Yukihira, “Order up, and you’re welcome!”.

From: https://animemotivation.com/food-wars-life-lessons/

 Mary Cokenour