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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