Fish and Chips with Tartare Sauce
Serves 4
   4 large pontiac or other all-purpose potatoes
   1 ½ cups plain flour
   330 ml beer
   Pinch of cayenne pepper
   ¼ teaspoon sweet paprika
   2 teaspoons sea salt flakes
   Olive oil, for deep-frying
   800g flathead fillets, cut in half lengthways
   Lemon wedges, to serve
Tartare sauce:
   2/3 cup good-quality whole-egg mayonnaise
   1 ½  tablespoons finely chopped white onion
   2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and finely chopped
   3 small, sweet, spiced gherkins (pickles), finely chopped
   1 garlic clove, crushed
   One and a half teaspoons finely chopped tarragon
   1 small handful of flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, finely chopped
   3 teaspoons chardonnay vinegar or white wine vinegar
   2 teaspoons dijon mustard

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil.
   Peel the potatoes, cut them into thick chips, then add to the saucepan.
   Bring to the boil and allow to cook for 5 minutes.
   Drain well, then spread the chips out on a clean tea towel (dish towel) to dry completely.
   Put all the tartare sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Mix together thoroughly and refrigerate until ready to serve.
   Combine the flour and beer with 2 teaspoons salt in a wide, shallow bowl and set aside.
   Put the cayenne pepper, paprika and sea salt flakes in a small bowl and crush together using the back of a spoon. Set aside.
   Fill a deep-fryer or large heavy-based saucepan one-third full of olive oil and heat to 180 deg C, or until a cube of bread dropped into the oil browns in 15 seconds.
   Cook the potato chips in two batches for 10 to 12 minutes per batch, or until lightly golden, then drain well on paper towels and set aside.
   Dip the fish in the beer batter and deep-fry in several batches for 5 minutes at a time, or until the batter is golden and the fish is just cooked through.
   Drain on paper towels and keep warm in a low oven.
   Meanwhile, deep-fry the chips for a second time for 2 minutes, or until lovely and crisp.
   Drain on paper towels, then toss with the salt and spice mixture.
   Serve the fish and chips with the tartare sauce and lemon wedges on the side.
   The perfect accompaniment is a crisp, cool wedge of iceberg lettuce.

* Recipe from “Grub: Favourite Food Memories” by Jane Lawson (Murdoch Books)
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