UK-born Below Deck Mediterranean fan-favorite. Climbed Everest, wrote "Salted," and won Chopped Grand Champion. Sliced his hand on a brand-new knife mid-cook and finished one-handed. Bobby went Indian fusion. The judges picked fish and chips.
4 black cod fillets, 6 oz each, skin off, pin-boned
2 lbs Maris Piper or Russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 0.75-inch thick chips
1.5 cups (180g) all-purpose flour, plus 0.5 cup for dusting
0.5 cup (60g) rice flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp fine sea salt
12 oz (355ml) ice-cold lager or pale ale (cheap beer works better than craft)
2 quarts neutral oil for frying (rapeseed or peanut)
1.5 cups frozen peas
2 tbsp unsalted butter
0.25 cup heavy cream
1 small bunch fresh mint, leaves only
0.5 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp cornichons, finely chopped
1 tbsp capers, drained and chopped
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 lemon (half for tartare, half cut into wedges for service)
Malt vinegar, to serve
Flaky sea salt, to finish
Instructions
Triple-cook the chips, which is the entire game: simmer raw potato chips in heavily salted water until just tender and cracking at the edges, about 12 minutes. Drain on a rack and chill in the fridge 20 minutes — this dries the surface so it crisps in the fryer.
First fry: heat 2 quarts oil to 265°F. Fry chips in two batches for 6 minutes per batch until pale and floppy. Drain on a rack and freeze 20 minutes — this fractures the starch and is what creates the glass-shard crust on the final fry.
Make the mushy peas: warm butter and 2 tbsp water in a small pot, add peas, and cook 3 minutes until just thawed and bright green. Off the heat, stir in cream and mint, then crush with a fork — leave it chunky, not pureed. Season with salt and a squeeze of lemon.
Tartare: combine mayonnaise, cornichons, capers, parsley, Dijon, and the juice of half a lemon. Season with cracked black pepper. Refrigerate.
Make the batter at the last possible moment: whisk all-purpose flour, rice flour, baking powder, and 1 tsp salt in a wide bowl. Pour in the ice-cold beer and whisk just until combined — lumps are fine. Overmixed batter = dense crust.
Bring oil to 375°F. Pat cod fillets dry, dust them in the reserved 0.5 cup flour, then dip into the batter one at a time, letting excess drip off. Slide into the oil away from you and fry 5-6 minutes, flipping once, until deeply golden and floating.
While the cod rests on a rack, ramp the oil to 400°F for the final chip fry. Fry chips 3-4 minutes until they look glass-bronzed and shatter when you tap them with tongs. Season immediately with flaky salt on a clean rack.
Plate: a swoosh of mushy peas, the cod on top, chips alongside in a tower. Tartare in a ramekin, lemon wedge, malt vinegar on the side. The whole dish has to land at the pass within 30 seconds of the final chip fry — wait any longer and the fries soften.
Inspired by Dave White’s winning fish and chips. This is a plausible recreation, not the chef’s original recipe.