Ultimate British Fish and Chips with Chunky Tartare Sauce & Mushy Peas

Sprinkle 1 tsp of sea salt evenly over 600g of cod fillet and set aside for 1 hour to draw out excess moisture and firm up the flesh.

Peel 1000g of Maris Piper potatoes, leaving a few rustic specks of peel if desired. Cut the potatoes into chunky, even-sized batons and trim off awkward edges.

Place the cut chips into a large bowl under cold running water for 3 to 4 minutes until all excess starch is washed away and the water runs completely clear.

Transfer the washed chips into a pot of boiling water seasoned with 1 tbsp of salt. Adjust the heat to a gentle simmer (a 'gentle tickle') and cook until the chips are thoroughly soft, fluffy on the surface, and almost falling apart at the edges.

Carefully lift the fragile parboiled chips out using a spider strainer and arrange them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking tray. Let them steam dry and cool to room temperature, then place the tray in the fridge for at least 2 hours (or overnight) until cold, dry, and firm to the touch.

Melt 1500g of beef dripping in a deep fat fryer and heat to 150°C. Lower the chilled chips into the hot fat and fry for 6 minutes until lightly pale golden and cooked through with a firm exterior crust. Lift the basket and let them rest and drain.

Sift 70g of rice flour and 140g of self-raising flour through a fine sieve into a bowl to aerate. Gradually pour in 250ml of cold IPA beer while whisking gently, then whisk in 25ml of vodka until a smooth batter forms that coats the whisk with a double-cream ribbon consistency.

Take the cured cod fillet out of the fridge. Use a sharp filleting knife to remove the skin, trim the edges, run your fingers down the center line to locate any pin bones and pluck them out completely. Cut the fillet in half on a slant into two generous portions.

In a shallow dish, season 50g of plain flour with 1/2 tsp of salt. Dredge each cod piece evenly in the seasoned flour and shake off any excess. Dip the floured cod completely into the cold beer batter, lifting it up and letting excess batter drip back into the bowl for 3 seconds.

Hold the battered fish by the tail end and submerge the bottom two-thirds into the 160°C-170°C beef dripping for 3 to 4 seconds to seal the crust, then gently release it into the fat. Deep-fry for 6 to 8 minutes, turning occasionally, until the batter is deeply puffed, crisp, and rich golden brown.

In a bowl, combine 3 finely diced anchovy fillets, 4 diced gherkins, 2 tbsp of capers, 1 finely diced banana shallot, and 1 bunch of finely chopped flat-leaf parsley. Add 2 coarsely diced soft-boiled eggs, 4 tbsp of mayonnaise, the finely grated zest and juice of 1/2 lemon, 1/2 tsp of salt, and 1/2 tsp of black pepper. Fold together gently until thick, chunky, and evenly mixed.

In a skillet, melt 1 tbsp of butter over medium heat and sauté 1 diced banana shallot for 2 to 3 minutes until translucent. In a small pot, boil 300g of frozen peas with 1 bunch of fresh mint for 2 minutes, then drain thoroughly. Add the drained minty peas to the shallots, season with 1/2 tsp of salt, 1/2 tsp of black pepper, and pour in 2 tbsp of double cream. Mash coarsely using a spatula until creamy and rustic, then fold in chopped fresh mint.

Increase the deep fryer temperature to 180°C. Drop the rested par-fried chips back into the hot beef dripping and fry for 2 to 3 minutes until deep golden brown, rigid, and super crunchy on the exterior with a steaming fluffy interior. Lift and tip immediately onto clean newsprint paper.

Drain the fried fish briefly on kitchen towel to blot away surface fat, then rest it directly on top of the pile of hot crunchy chips. Sprinkle generously with sea salt, serve with jars of chunky tartare sauce, warm mushy peas, 2 lemon wedges, and 2 tbsp of malt vinegar.