Chef’s Notes

The secret to making sure you don’t end up with soggy batter or overcooked fish? Oil temperature! 

For frying fish, you want to maintain an oil temperature of 180-190 °C. When you add cold fish to the oil, it can make the temperature drop quite quickly, so regular temperature checking is essential. 

If you’re cooking a larger piece of cod, probe it with your Thermapen in a couple of different spots to make sure it reaches 60 °C.  

By using your Thermapen to monitor the oil and fish temperature, you’ll end up with a crunchy, golden brown batter. 

Serves 3

Ingredients:

• For the fish
• 400g cod loin, cut into 4cm squares
• 330ml bottle of crisp cold lager (Mike used Corona)
• 120g plain flour 
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 egg
• Salt and pepper

For the tacos

• 1/2 red onion, sliced very finely 
• Coriander for garnish 
• Mayonnaise
• Sriracha 
• 2 limes  
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 red pepper, finely diced 
• 6 soft corn tacos 
• 1 tbsp sumac 
• 1 litre of vegetable or sunflower oil

Method

1. Start by lightly salting your cod and then set to one side whilst you prep the rest of your elements.

2. Finely slice the onion. Add to a saucepan with the sumac, lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Top with boiling water and place a lid on top. Shake well and set to one side. 

3. Combine your flour, egg, 3/4 of your beer, paprika and good pinch of salt and pepper before whisking together. You should be left with a consistency similar to double cream with no lumps. If it's a little thick, add some more beer to the mixture, then set to one side. 

4. Heat your oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over a high heat. We're aiming for a temp of 180-190 °C, and this can take around 10 minutes to reach temperature. 

5. Whilst the oil is heating, finely dice the red pepper and combine sriracha with some mayonnaise to create a spicy mayo. If you like it hotter, add more siracha, but I like a ration of 2:1 mayo to siracha. 

6. Remove the red onions from the pickling liquid and place on a kitchen towel to allow them to dry a little before using them.  

7. Pat your cod dry to remove any excess moisture; this will help the batter to stick and really crisp up in the oil. Dip the cod into the batter and make sure it's well covered before carefully adding it to the hot oil. Always remember to drop it away from you to avoid any splashes of hot oil. Cook in batches of 3/4 cod chunks at a time to avoid changes in the oil temperature and to control the cook better. 

8. Once the internal temperature on the cod hits 60 °C, remove from the oil and place on a rack to rest. 

9. Whilst the cod is resting, gently warm your tacos and then assemble. Add the cod, red peppers, and coriander. Drizzle with spicy mayo before finishing with your quick pickled onions. 

Mike Tomkins

Masterchef 2021 Runner Up

@thenotecook

"Thermapen is one of those kitchen tools I can't live without - it's something I use every single day from making sauces, to bbq cooking, to private dining and events, it comes with me everywhere! A Thermapen will improve you as a chef and a cook by taking the guess work out of complex cooking."