tagged: beer batter, clams, haddock, hand-cut french fries, lobster, Shipyard Summer Ale

Island Meal #1

Posted by Erika in rad*kitchen, rad*tripping

In years past on the island, we have had what we call the “Harvest Supper”.  We fish, dig, collect and prepare everything (except the corn and coleslaw) that we put on the table and it is unforgettable.  The craziest meal we had (about 3 years ago) included lobsters (from a friend’s traps), clams we dug, mussels we harvested from ropes on the other side of the island, periwinkles (like baby escargots) from the rocks, and pollock that Grey and my Dad caught that day.  It’s an amazing meal no matter the components, and we love knowing that everything comes from around our tiny island.  After that gigantic meal a few years beck, we decided to spread it out…it’s way too much food, for any amount of people.  Now we have it over several nights, and this year, the fish fry was first up.  We buy the haddock at the fisherman’s coop and it couldn’t be fresher if I pulled it out of my own boat.  Hand-cut french fries, beer battered fish, and creamy coleslaw….throw in a Shipyard Summer Ale and it’s the perfect island meal. 

We do this outside, as the kitchen is too small, and the smell can linger a while.

Fries first…that way the oil doesn’t get all nasty from the fish:

Hand-cut fries really require an initial frying to a pale color (called blanching) and then a finishing  fry, in which they are brought to golden brown and served immediately.  This is post-blanching.

Next, the fish pieces are dredged in the batter and put directly into the hot oil. 

Time for a bath

Let them get nice and golden ( and only do a few pieces at a time, so as not to bring down the temp of the oil too significantly)

Drain on paper towels and serve.  Don’t forget the tartar sauce, malt vinegar and lemons!

#11 Beer Batter

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons corn starch

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 bottle pale or summer ale

Additional water if needed for thinning

Whisk together dry ingredients.  Add beer until consistency is thin enough to lightly coat fish.  It should resemble thin pancake batter.