Serves 4
225g plain flour
Freshly ground salt and pepper
300ml lager or brown ale
1 egg, separated
4 pieces fresh haddock, 175g each
Oil to deep-fry
1 Place the flour in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Make a well in the centre and add the beer and egg yolk. Gradually whisk together until you have a smooth batter. Leave to rest for 30 minutes.
2 Whisk the egg white until it forms stiff peaks. Stir 100ml of very cold water into the batter and fold in the egg whites.
3 Ensure the haddock has all the bones removed and is dry. Dust with a little flour.
4 Heat the oil until it reaches 180C. Hold the fish by the tail and dip into the batter. Drop into the hot oil and cook for 4-8 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish (you’ll need to cook them one at a time if using a small fryer). Remove and drain on kitchen paper. Keep warm in a low oven while you fry the other fish. Serve with pease pudding and lemon wedges.