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Today's Case:

Fish and Chips

"Fish and Chips", as such, has not been a common dish in the South. Of course, if you were in a family restaurant and your ordered fried fish, the most popular choices of sides would be French fries and coleslaw - pretty much the same as you'd get in a fish & chips shop. The biggest difference would be the kind of fish, which would probably be cod or haddock or occasionally hake in the Northeastern US. In most of the South it would probably be catfish. On the Gulf Coast it might vary from restaurant to restaurant, maybe being red snapper, redfish, or pompano in the places where I lived.

Later, in the seventies and after, fast food fish chains appeared. There were a couple of British style fish and chips places such as "Arthur Treacher's Fish & Chips" and "H Salt Fish & Chips" in the larger cities. American style competitors included "Captain D's" and "Long John Silver's." "Arthur Treacher's Fish & Chips" and "H Salt Fish & Chips" were imitators of the British fish and chips shops, so they used cod in the beginning. Long John Silver's and Captain D's used cheaper Alaskan Pollack from the start. Arthur Treacher's switched from cod to pollack in the seventies when the price of cod doubled. There are none of these chains in Maine, just as there is no "Red Lobster." The competition is just too good, I guess. I'm crazy for good fish and chips. Haddock rules around here. Don't forget the tartar sauce!

This history tracks battered fried fish to the European Jews: Dockside

Recipes:

Arthur Treacher's-style Fish & Chips

Beer Batter for Fish

Guinness-Battered Fish And Chips	
 
8 (3 oz. ea.) cutlets of Pollack, Cod or Haddock, boneless, sliced on bias

Beer Batter:
2 cups Guinness beer
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 egg
all-purpose flour
In large mixing bowl, add beer, baking soda, salt & pepper, and egg. 
With a whisk, slowly add enough flour until the batter is thick, not 
runny and adheres to a wooden spoon.
Heat oil in a deep fryer or in a deep sided sauté pan to 350°F.

Dredge fish in flour, shaking off excess and dip in batter, covering all sides of fish.

Holding battered fish, gently dip into hot oil, holding halfway in, wait 15 seconds 
and drop into oil. This will prevent the fish from sticking to the bottom.

Flip fish over when brown on one side and cook altogether about 6-8 minutes, 
depending on the thickness of fillets. The fish should be all one color all the 
way thru or 140°F internal temperature.

Serve with tarter sauce and French fries.

Submitted by: John Cirillo for Grand Central Oyster Bar, NYC

Phaed