McKerns Dubliner Fish & Chips w/ Pub Sauce

 McKern’s Dubliner Fish & Chips.

Through my culinary adventures in kitchens nationwide, one cultural & comfort food I always come back to is Guinness Fish & Chips. Having worked in a Irish Pub Kitchen I got to really dig deep into traditions and now In my own kitchen I can  add my customized flare  while keeping the original vibe front and center.  

The Irish Channel in New Orleans is both historic and a must for locals and visitors alike, and with St. Patricks parades around the corner, here is some fun ideas to feed your Krewe in between Beads and produce catching. 

Some of the spices can be left out if you do not have certain ones in shelf, The more traditional versions are more stripped down using minimal seasoning. 

 Use Deep Fryer or Deep pot for frying.

INGREDIENTS

Fish Batter

• 6 Pieces of Fish. Cod, catfish, walleye etc.
• 2 cups Flour
• 1 Tab Baking Powder
• 1 tea Salt
• 1 Tab Cajun Seasoning 
• 1.5 cups Cold Guinness Beer
• 1/2 tea paprika
• 1/2 tea hot sauce ( preferably garlic hot or Old Bay Hot Sauce)

Additional Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Cornstarch
• 2 quarts Oil for Frying
• Malt Vinegar for serving
• Lemon Wedges for serving
• McKern’s Pub Sauce for Chips

INSTRUCTIONS

 

Preparing the Batter

• Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Include seasonings.
  
• Mix in 1 1/2 cups cold Guinness beer and sir until a smooth batter is formed.
  

Preparing the Fish

• Cut the cod into equal sized portions, then pat dry with paper towels.
  
• Dust both sides of the fish pieces with cornstarch and shake off excess cornstarch.
  
• Dip the fish in the batter and fry in 375 degree oil until the fish is cooked through and the batter is golden. This typically takes 5-7 minutes.
  
• Let the fish cool for a few minutes before serving.

McKern’s Pub Sauce for fries

After late nights at First Avenue in Minneapolis I would always stumble across the street to O’Donnovans, there I would grab a pint and a order of chips as musicians played Irish folk until last call. The Mary Rose sauce at this pub was phenomenal, and I tried and tried again to create something that could be on par with this magical dipping sauce. Here is my Pub Sauce with a Nola twist.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 tablespoon mustard 
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon minced chives
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic or 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce or both to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper
• 1 tbs Indian Spice Mix
• 1/2 Teaspoon Italian Herb Mix

 

Simply whisk all ingredients together until blended. Serve with chips. 

Slainte’ 💚⚜️🍀🍷🍺