Speak to your fishmonger to find the right fish for you – a thicker fillet is easier to pan fry as you will have more control over the cooking process.
Like most proteins it is important to bring your fish to room temperature before cooking, this will also help the evenness of the cooking process.
INGREDIENTS
800gm Nannygai
8 large Sebago potatoes (unwashed)
Garlic clove
Sea salt
Grapeseed oil (for frying and deep frying)
Herbs (optional)
Dill, young lemon thyme
25gm unsalted butter
Lemon cheek
DIRECTIONS
To obtain crispy skin the fish needs to be air dried in the fridge.
Dry each side of your fillets with a paper towel and lay on a plate, skin side up. Leave in the fridge for two to three hours.
Wash and cut the potatoes into long batons, about 2cm thick, and place in a bowl of cold water to release the starch. Do this a couple of times until the water is clear.
In a large saucepan add the rinsed potatoes and a garlic clove – fill with cold water and add a good pinch of salt.
Cook the potatoes until tender and just falling apart and remove from water and drain.
Lay on a cake rack and place into the fridge to cool. This will take about 20 minutes. This allows the starch to crystalise around the potato and creates a crust on the chip.
Heat a large saucepan with grape seed oil to 140C and start the first fry on the chip.
Place the cooled potato batons in the oil and cook for three to four minutes. You don’t want colour on the chip you just want to start forming the crust.
Take them out of the oil and place them on the cake rack and return to the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes.
Turn the heat up for the final fry – the oil should be between 180–185C.
Meanwhile, heat a pan over low-medium heat, add oil and lay the fish in the pan skin side down.
Place a piece of baking paper over the fish and place another pan on top to act as a weight. This stops the fish from curling or buckling under the heat and will set the proteins
After about one to two minutes, when the protein is set, remove pan and paper.
Add a little more oil if needed to maintain temperature of the pan. Once the fish is cooking around the edge, flip the fish and add the butter and soft herbs. Baste the skin of the fish.
Add the juice from the lemon cheek, do the final fry on the chips and toss with sea salt flakes.
Serve on desired plate.
