Friday, May 10, 2013

Weekend Cooking: Battered Cod with Marie Rose Sauce

 I've been making more of an effort to participate in the Weekend Cooking feature, because I really do love to cook!  I just never make the time to sit down and share my favorite recipes.

This is a huge family favorite, a seriously well-loved page ripped out of the January 2007 Food and Wine magazine.  I only have a handful of recipes I repeat without fail at least once a month, and this is one of them.  I will just warn you though...it can get a little messy.  But the results are worth it.

This recipe is from Dublin-born Cathal Armstrong who is the head chef at a restaurant in Alexandria and Arlington Virginia called Eamonn's a Dublin Chipper. (On the website it says "Thanks Be to Cod".  Haha!) 

1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 TBL ketchup
1 TBL lemon juice
1 tsp Tabasco
1 3/4 cups water
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
Salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 quart vegetable oil
2 pounds skinless cod fillets, but into 4-inch pieces

1.  In a bowl, whisk the mayo with the ketchup, lemon juice and Tabasco.
2.  Pour the water into a large bowl.  Using electric mixer at low speed, beat in the 2 cups of flour, 1/2 tsp of salt and the baking soda.  Strain the batter into another bowl.
3.  In a large saucepan, heat the oil to 360 degree.  Line a rack with paper towels.  Dust 5 pieces of cod with flour, then tap off the excess.  Dip the cod in the batter, scraping the pieces lightly against the side of the bowl to remove excess batter, and add to the hot oil.  Fry over moderate heat until golden and crisp, about 7 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fish to the rack.  Repeat with the remaining fish and batter.  Sprinkle with salt and serve at once with the sauce.















The only thing I changed a little about the recipe is that I absolutely use Canola oil instead of just vegetable oil, and I don't use an entire quart.  It really doesn't take that much oil unless you are using a huge pot.  

With this recipe it is very important to make sure that oil gets to 360 degrees and stays there.  That keeps the fish from being greasy.  

As I always say with anything I make, IT IS ALL ABOUT THE SAUCE.  You must make this sauce because it makes this little twist on fish-and-chips go from good to outstanding.


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Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page. For more information, see the welcome post.




14 comments:

rhapsodyinbooks said...

I definitely think cod is all about WHATEVER is coating it, because it doesn't have much to say for itself on its own! LOL

bermudaonion said...

Carl wants to know if he can come live with you.

Beth F said...

I love cod, but I don't fry -- So I too need to move in.

Julie P. said...

I am so impressed that you make this regularly! I wouldn't want to clean up the mess (plus the condiments wouldn't work in my house!)

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

I'm so glad you shared this one. We just bought some frozen cod and I have no idea what I was going to do with it. Every time we go out to eat, if it's on the menu the Huz order fish and chips. Trying this one soon!

JoAnn said...

This looks delicious, but frying scares me. I'm moving in, too... we'll have a party!

Meg @ write meg! said...

Oh, I love cod -- and I live very close to Alexandria! King Street is the super hip part of town . . . I always feel too dorky to be wandering around over there, haha. But I will definitely have to look up Eamonn's the next time I want to feel cool!

caite said...

Where are the chips? We need chips!

I admit it, I love fried fish, all crispy, with a nice dipping sauce...yum...

jama said...

Yum, this looks delicious, but I need someone to fry it up for me. Cathal A. is such a famous chef in Virginia, but I've yet to visit one of his restaurants. Have to change that. :)

(Diane) bookchickdi said...

I just bought the TFal Actifry, I may try this recipe first.

Carole said...

So glad you reminded me about the marie rose sauce - I am going to make some today!

Unknown said...

I'll have to try this sauce the next time we get some fresh fish. It's walleye season right now and my hubby has been talking about going fishing.

Anonymous said...

I rarely fry fish and chips, but this looks like my batter. The difference here is your sauce, which looks so easy and good.

Linda said...

Yum. I love fried cod. I bet that sauce makes it amazing!