Easy Pale Ale (+ Jalapeño and Lime) Battered Fish
This summer, after a 4 year hiatus, thanks to my toddler coming into an age where doing it alongside him creates only a moderate amount of chaos — I have gotten back into one of my life’s greatest loves: FISHIN.
There is something about fishing that ticks so many boxes, and fills the cups upeth for me. I think it fulfils that hunter gatherer urge in the same way harvesting veggies from the garden does. Then there’s the dopamine hit because it does strike similarities to gambling. The mindfulness aspect because you are focused on nothing else but a the fishing line on your fingertip and the water in front of you. The being at one with the raw elements aspect, and of course the potential win at the end: a well earned sustainably sourced seafood dinner! And I know it is totally rank but I do love my hands smelling all baity. It’s very nostalgic for me.
“Fishing fulfils that hunter gatherer urge in the same way harvesting veggies from the garden does.”
I grew up with fishing as a multigenerational past time. Dad’s dad taught him, fishing was a really special father-son thing for them. Dad had all girls — 3 of them. Though his dreams of bloke-ing down with a son/ sons were not squished with the back to back genders of all his offspring, rather he just made do with what he got. And so we were raised like real men. We watched footy, fished, played in the dirt, ate boiled peanuts and drank the froth dad’s beer, and spent almost every school holidays wash-in-a-bucket camping. Dad was a shift worker — a fireman— and so we were incredibly lucky to spend so much of one-on-one with him throughout my childhood.
It’s been a special summer cos I feel like I’ve really passed down the baton my grandad gave my dad and my dad gave me to my sons: the fourth generation of fishing froth. I’ve taught my step son how to rig up a line this year and how to fillet and clean a fish (the latter got him close to spewing.) And bought my 3 year old his own little rod, a 3ft Ugly Stick which he’s managed to catch us dinner on more times than the whole family line put together .
This is a really simple and easy beer batter, my go to recipe but I’ve spiked it with Peño Poptart Chilli Shaker. The lime and the hint of jalapeño really compliment the hoppiness of a pale ale. Just gives a stock standard beer battered fish a whole new level of joy.
“The lime and the hint of jalapeño gives a stock standard beer battered fish a whole new level of joy.”
(I had hardly any plain flour in these pics, and substituted for more rice flour. Wheat flour is what gives it a lovely golden colour hence why these are more blonde.)
Pale Ale (+ jalapeño and lime) Battered Fish
Recipe uses Peño Poptart Chilli Shaker
(Can be) family friendly.
I’ve used flathead here but any white flakey fish like cod or hoki are fab.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup of very cold pale ale of choice
700g of fish
3/4 plain flour
1/4 rice flour (more for dusting)
1.5 tsp baking flour
2 tsp Peño Poptart Chilli Shaker (or to taste)
Salt
Rice bran oil
Fresh lime and if you have it - finger lime
METHOD
Cut your fish about 5cm long and no longer than 2cm thick, then pat dry with kitchen towel.
Heat your oil in a heavy-based saucepan over med heat to 190c. Fill it to about 3cm high so fish can be submerged.
Sprinkle a pinch of salt and a little of the Chilli Shaker over each fillet of fish, then roll in a little rice flour. Shake off excess.
Make your dredge. Do this just before cooking no earlier! Whisk together flours, baking powder, Chilli Shaker, a pinch of salt, beer just until incorporated and no more.
With tongs dunk your fish one fillet at a time into batter and then gentle pop straight into hot oil. (Drop away from you).
Fry for about 2 minutes each side in batches. Don’t overcrowd the pan. They should be lovely and golden when done.
Pop into kitchen towel or onto a rack to drain away excess oil. Serve hot with a squeeze of fresh lime/ and finger lime pearls, and good dusting of Chilli Shaker over the top. Great with homemade chippies and a salad.
