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Battered haddock

Mark Hix from Market Kitchen
Forget fish and chips: Mark Hix includes the potato in the batter in his crisp haddock parcels

Battered haddock

Method

1. For the yeast batter: in a small bowl whisk together the flour with enough beer to get a coating consistency. Season with a pinch of cayenne pepper. Cover and leave at room temperature for 1 hour 30 minutes - 2 hours, until it begins to ferment. If the batter seems too thick, add a little more beer.

2. For the haddock: boil the potatoes in their skins in salted water for 25 minutes, or until tender. Leave to cool.

3. Remove the skins from the potatoes and slice them into sixteen 1cm discs.

4. Cut the haddock into pieces big enough to fit on top of 8 of the potato slices, season and sandwich them with another slice of potato, pressing firmly.

5. Heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer or heavy-bottomed pan (half full) to 160C.

6. Season the potato sandwiches and lightly flour them. Dip in yeast batter, allowing excess to drip off. Deep-fry for about 4-5 minutes, until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.

Cook’s notes: perfect served with Mark Hix’s minted pea purée

Other white fish such as barramundi, coley, whiting, or flat fish like brill, dab, plaice or sole are also suitable for this dish.