Jim Fain’s Fish Fry was my friend Lisa’s nod to a meal that her father used to prepare – fried fish with hush puppies and coleslaw. It was amazing! We visited Lisa and John on a sunny Sunday in early October. It was an easy, relaxing day. We sat outside on the patio sipping wine, and after a while Lisa got up and headed inside, so of course, I followed. I knew what was coming next! A much anticipated event – Jim Fain’s Fish Fry!
I love being in the kitchen with Lisa. She never seems frazzled – always composed and methodical. She used to teach math. She’s a knitter. She’s just like that, and I love being around her. Frying food has always been intimidating for me, probably because I try to wing it. Not Lisa! She did have the benefit of having been served fried fish by her father throughout her growing-up years, but still, it was kind of Zen. She had everything laid out in advance, and of course she used a thermometer to ensure that the oil was just the right temperature. She was mindful of the fact that Ron can’t eat gluten, so she used crumbled Utz potato chips for the crust instead of her father’s favorite, saltine cracker crumbs. I don’t think Jim Fain would have minded.
Lisa fried four large flounder filets. I have since tried this fish fry at home, to document all of the details for future reference, and to ensure that the recipe, as I’ve written it, is reliable. I have an electric stove, so oil temperature isn’t as easy for me to modulate as it is on Lisa’s gas stove, so I opted to fry frozen Captain’s Cod from BJ’s, in case the fish fry didn’t work out so well in my kitchen. I was also worried because my stove hood doesn’t expel oil and smoke as efficiently as Lisa’s super-duper range hood, but it all worked out. I used Cape Code Waves potato chips for the crust. I poured them into a Ziplock bag and crushed them with my hands, which was weirdly fun. And the results were fantastic – crunchy, flaky white fish filets that were so light and NOT oily, that I didn’t even feel guilty about the tartar sauce. So, I now have the confidence to put on my own fish fry, and I can assure you that this recipe will work for you in your kitchen – it’s not too late in the year for you to have your own fish fry, too!
Jim Fain’s Fish Fry
Equipment
- Large cast iron or enameled Dutch oven
- Thermometer
- 1 gallon Ziploc bag (optional)
Ingredients
- 1½ quarts canola oil
- ½ cup King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure flour
- 2 eggs
- 1 t water
- 6 ounces wavy or ruffled potato chips (about 2 cups once crushed)
- 2 pounds firm white fish (like flounder or Captain's Cod)
Instructions
- Heat the oil and prep – Begin heating the oil. Keep an eye on it – you're looking for a temperature of 360°. Add the flour to a bowl or shallow plate. Crack the eggs into a second bowl or shallow plate, and whisk with 1 tablespoon of water to loosen. Add the potato chips to the Ziploc bag and crush with your hands until they're a uniform texture, suitable for coating the fish. Pour in the 3rd bowl or shallow plate.
- Bread the fish – Working with one filet at a time, dredge each filet in the flour, dip it in the egg, then press into the crushed potato chips. You want an even coating. Set the filets aside in a single layer on a plate as you finish them.
- Fry the fish – When is the oil reaches 360°, carefully lower the filets into the oil one at a time, so that you don't crowd the pan. Keep the stove on high so that the temperature of the oil doesn't drop too much. Fry 2 minutes on the first side, carefully flip and fry 2 more minutes on the second side. The potato chip crust will be golden and crunchy. Lift each filet out of the oil and place on paper towels.
- Serve – Serve right away. Enjoy!
Isn’t this a beautiful plate? Lisa asked me to bring the salad to Jim Fain’s Fish Fry so I showed up with a salad of leafy greens. What was I thinking? MacDonald Coleslaw would have been much more appropriate for a fish fry. No matter. It was a wonderful meal, and the lovely fried flounder with Lisa’s Hush Puppies were the main event!
Later that afternoon, we took a stroll on the beach. Lisa was barefoot in October! Jim Fain’s Fish Fry was everything that it had promised to be. Such a wonderful day. I think Jim Fain was smiling down on us.
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I love this !
The potato chip crust was amazing – still crispy the next day!