Name: Beer-battered fish burgers
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 500ml sunflower oil for deep-frying; 2 thick skinless fillets of cod pollock or haddock (100g-120g each); 2 soft rolls or burger buns; a few lettuce leaves (round lettuce works well); 1 small red onion sliced into rings (not too thin); 1 tsp malt vinegar; 1 small gherkin chopped, plus 1 sliced gherkin to serve (optional), and a splash of the brine; small handful of dill sprigs chopped; 5 tbsp mayonnaise; 50g self-raising flour plus extra for dusting; 20g cornflour; small pinch each of ground turmeric and cayenne pepper; 100ml cold lager or fizzy water

500ml sunflower oil
for deep-frying
2 thick skinless fillets of cod
pollock or haddock (100g-120g each)
2 soft rolls or burger buns
a few lettuce leaves
(round lettuce works well)

For the pickled onions

1 small red onion
sliced into rings (not too thin)
1 tsp malt vinegar

For the dill tartar sauce

1 small gherkin
chopped, plus 1 sliced gherkin to serve (optional), and a splash of the brine
small handful of dill sprigs
chopped
5 tbsp mayonnaise

For the batter

50g self-raising flour
plus extra for dusting
20g cornflour
small pinch each of ground turmeric
and cayenne pepper
100ml cold lager
or fizzy water

Method

step 1
To quick-pickle the onions, mix them with a pinch of salt and the vinegar, then set aside. Mix all the ingredients for the tartar sauce, and set aside. Both can be made up to a day ahead and kept chilled.
step 2
To make the batter, tip the flours and spices into a small bowl with a pinch of salt, then pour over the beer or fizzy water. Mix quickly until it just comes together with the consistency of double cream – don’t over-beat (a few lumps are fine). Keep chilled until needed.
step 3
Carefully heat the oil in a large wide pan like a wok, ensuring the pan is no more than two-thirds full, or heat a deep-fat fryer to 185C if you have a thermometer. The oil is hot enough when a drizzle of batter crisps in less than a minute.
step 4
Working quickly, season the fish with salt, then dust in flour before dredging through the batter. Hold the fillet above the bowl of batter to let the excess drip back into it, then carefully lower into the oil. Repeat with the second fillet. Fry the two fillets for about 4 mins, turning once, until deep golden and crisp. Carefully lift onto a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain for a minute.
step 5
To assemble, split each roll and spread both the top and bottom generously with the tartar sauce. Place lettuce on the bottom half, then add some pickled onions and a fish fillet. Top with gherkin slices, if you like, then serve straightaway.