Let's Eat!

Sunday, January 9, 2011

The Friday Night Fish Fry

The Friday night fish fry is an institution in Buffalo and Western New York; indeed, it’s popular throughout Upstate New York, which also includes Syracuse and Rochester. During Lent, the Friday fish fry crowd, always large, balloons in size, creating extensive waiting times and the quest for coveted reservations at the most popular fish fry establishments. Nearly every self-respecting bar, tavern, and restaurant menu offers it as the Friday daily special – not just for dinner but for lunch as well.

The fish is usually haddock or perch but sometimes, it’s cod. Large fish fillets are breaded or beer-battered prior to being immersed in hot oil and quickly fried to a golden brown, creating lovely moist fish in a crispy coating. A typical fish fry is served up with French fries, cole slaw, tartar sauce, lemon wedges, and a hefty slice of bread. For those with more modest appetites, an alternative is usually offered in the form of a fish sandwich, consisting of a golden, deep-fried half filet on a soft Kaiser roll topped with tartar sauce and, optionally, a slice of melted American cheese (yes, it’s reminiscent of a McDonald’s fish sandwich but we had it first!).

Of course, fish fries are equally popular throughout the Great Lakes Region of the U.S. Wisconsinites are especially passionate about their Friday fish fries where native walleye is a standard option. In the American South, where fish fries are often a social event, diners enjoy bass, bream, catfish, and flounder in a cornmeal-based batter and served up with hushpuppies. 

In each of these regions, the fish fry has been indicative of a large Roman Catholic population where, for many years, it was common to abstain from eating meat on Fridays and even today, during Lent. In Buffalo and Western New York, especially, a large blue-collar working class along with the enormously popular local corner tavern culture and a location on Lake Erie, also contributed to the popularity of the fish fry.

The fish fry is the American version of the dish known as fish and chips in the U.K. where fried fish dates back to street and alleyway vendors who sold it in the early 1600s pursuant to the introduction of fried fish by Sephardic Jewish refugees who emigrated from Spain and Portugal at that time. Baked potatoes were originally served with the fish but were replaced by chips (thinly sliced potatoes fried in oil) by the early 1870s. Americans elected to go with french fries, which had been known and prepared in the U.S. since the 1800s and which became known by their present name in the early 1900s.

On Thursdays and Fridays, our area fish mongers and supermarkets offer an abundance of beautiful fish for those who want to prepare fish fries at home. During inclement winter weather, we often elect this option rather than head back out into the cold for the local pub. Our favorite preparation is haddock with a beer batter, which results in a tender moist fish encased in golden crispiness. Serve fish fries with French fries, homemade tartar sauce and cole slaw.

Beer Battered Fish Fry


4 large haddock fillets (about 2 ½ pounds), cut in half if desired for easier handling

Batter:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Approximately 9 ounces of beer

Salt and pepper
Additional flour (about ½ cup) for dredging
Crisco for frying

Tartar sauce for serving (see recipe below)

Rinse the fish under cold water and drain well on paper towels. Trim the filets of any thin tail ends or side flaps and cut them in half if desired. Place the filets on a platter and refrigerate until ready to use.

In a large bowl, mix the ingredients for the batter, whisking in enough beer to make a medium thick batter and eliminate any lumps. Let it rest for 30 minutes or so.

Melt enough Crisco in two large, deep frying pans to yield a depth of about 1 inch; make sure the pans are large enough to hold the fish without crowding. Heat the oil to 360 degrees.

Meanwhile, remove fish from refrigerator and salt and pepper it on both sides. Place the ½ cup of flour on a very large piece of waxed paper. Dredge each piece of fish in the flour, shaking to remove any excess; it can all be floured and set aside on waxed paper. Dip each piece of the fish in the beer batter, letting any excess run off, and add it to the hot oil. Fry until brown and crispy on both sides over medium high heat. Drain the fish on racks placed on trays lined with paper towels. If necessary, keep the fried filets warm in a 300-degree oven while preparing all fish. Serve immediately. Serves 4 – 6.


This tartar sauce recipe is typical of that served in better taverns where it’s freshly made in-house. Take the time to mix up your own – it’s easy as pie, and there’s nothing worse than the commercially prepared stuff.

Tartar Sauce

1 cup quality mayonnaise (Hellman’s is recommended)
1/3 cup sweet pickle relish
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons finely chopped onion
3 teaspoons commercially prepared horseradish

Combine all ingredients, mix well, and refrigerate, covered, for at least one hour to allow flavors to blend.


“Real” French Fries

Statistics report that Americans eat two million tons of French fries each year. And yet, too many restaurants these days have the audacity to serve frozen French fries, one of the most disgusting food products on the market. One could feel some kind of empathy for these sometimes budget-constrained restaurateurs if they had the good grace to be even slightly embarrassed but they do not. Likely, many of them don’t know the difference, having never eaten and enjoyed real fries. On the rare occasion where we actually encounter freshly made fries, most of them are badly prepared as well, appearing as a gray limp lump on the plate.

Making French fries from scratch is not rocket science. It involves fresh Russet potatoes, oil, and salt. Use a cooking thermometer – it’s worth the investment of a few bucks and it’s a kitchen tool that you will use over and over again. Taylor Precision Products produces several different thermometers at reasonable prices, many of which we’ve found to be durable and accurate. The potatoes are fried in two stages and served up with pride. Cookbooks abound with instructions, as does the Internet (where videos can be watched repeatedly in the event that the viewer just doesn’t get it the first few times), a multitude of TV cooking shows, and promotional ads and instructions provided by potato growers. 

We recommend that you give homemade fries a shot. You’ll find they are not difficult, they really don’t require that much more time, and your friends and family will thank you. Then take a bow and give yourself a big pat on the back.

Note: If you like vinegar on your fries, be sure and try them with malt vinegar. It’s the classic finishing touch to fish and chips in the U.K. for good reason. When writing her book Food Festival U.S.A., Becky had the pleasure of interviewing Lawrence Diggs a.k.a. “The Vinegar Man”, who serves as an international consultant to the vinegar industry in addition to founding Vinegar Connoisseurs International. He is also the founder and curator of the International Vinegar Museum in Roslyn, SD, sponsor of the annual International Vinegar Festival. On his web site ( HYPERLINK "http://www.vinegarman.com" http://www.vinegarman.com), Lawrence comments on malt vinegar as follows: “Malt vinegar can be made a number of ways. One way is by malting the grain, which causes the starch in the grain to turn to sugar. This sugar is then turned into a beer, or more accurately ale. This alcohol is then turned into vinegar. It is then aged.” We buy Original London Pub Olde English Malt Vinegar. The distributor, World Finer Foods, has a web site with products and a store locator ( HYPERLINK "http://www.worldfiner.com" http://www.worldfiner.com).    


French Fries from Scratch

Vegetable, peanut or canola oil
6 medium-sized unpeeled baking potatoes (Russets), scrubbed well and dried
Kosher salt

In a wide, deep heavy frying pan, add oil to a depth of one inch and heat to 325 degrees.

Slice each potato in half lengthwise and then cut each half into 4 lengthwise strips.

Add half the potatoes and cook until soft but not mushy, about 3 to 4 minutes. The fries will not be brown. Remove the fries from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining fries.

Pre-heat the oven to 300 degrees. Over high heat, bring the oil to 360 degrees. Add half the fries to the hot oil and fry until crispy and golden brown. Remove the fries from the oil with a slotted spoon, salt them immediately, and drain on paper towels. Keep the fries warm in the oven while you repeat with remaining fries. Serve immediately. Serves 4.


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