FISH AND CHIPS, LOW FAT
(2 servings, about 30-40 minutes elapsed)
Ingredients
1 lemon (or some bottled lemon juice)
1 tsp. dill weed, 1/2 tsp. salt, a few tablespoons olive oil
Potato fries, around 10 oz., thick cut, either hand cut or
frozen packaged, seasoning for fries.
Preparation
Set aside 1/4 cup of the flour in a sifter or sieve. Put the remaining 1/4 cup flour in a mixing bowl and add the egg, 1/2 tsp. dill weed, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1 Tbsp. olive oil, and 2 or 3 oz. very cold beer. Stir until batter is mixed and not too lumpy (a few small lumps are just right). Cover and refrigerate, or even place in freezer if you plan to use it soon.
Cut the potato fries now if you’re not using the frozen variety. Prep for any vegetable dish now. Sprinkle the potato with seasoning (salt, pepper or Mrs. Dash). Put the fries in the oven, on parchment paper sheet or foil. 325-350F for around 20 minutes. Get any veggies moving. Onions, brocolli or peas could work well with the fish and potatoes.
Sprinkle 1/8 cup flour on a cutting board. Rinse the fish, pat with paper towel to dry somewhat, then sprinkle a little flour (1/8 cup or less) on the fish, then dredge fish through the cold batter mix. Place battered fish on the floured cutting board and sprinkle a little flour on top. Set fish aside a couple minutes or so and check the rest of the meal before cooking the fish.
Around 15 minutes before you’re ready to eat this, check the potato fries, turn, remove when done. If you like Dill a lot, then sprinkle a little more on the fish now. If the fries and veg. weren’t done earlier they probably should be close by now. Check that before starting the fish, which should cook in less than 10 min.
Get a frying pan large enough for the fillets, pour olive oil in the pan to a depth of around 1/8 inch and bring to a medium high heat. When the oil is very hot (but not smoking) place the fish in the pan for 2 or 3 minutes. Jiggle the pan a bit at the start to reduce sticking. Watch so you get the fish brown but not burnt on side 1 (might possibly need to turn heat down a notch), then carefully turn fish over, jiggle again, and after another couple minutes turn the heat down to medium low or low. Depending on thickness, the fish should be done in around 6 to 10 minutes total cooking time. If not sure just flake one of the fillets a little to see.
If you don't have any beer handy, or as an alternate, it's possible to use soda water or simply add a teaspoon of baking soda to the batter.