Fried Beer-Battered Fish and Chips with Dilled Tartar Sauce

Ingredients:
• 1 1/4 pound(s) baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 1/2- by 1/3-inch sticks
• Vegetable oil, for frying 
• 1 1/2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
• All-purpose flour, for dredging
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 1 3/4 cup(s) cold lager or pilsner
• 1 3/4 pound(s) center-cut skinless cod or haddock fillet, cut into four 6- by 2-inch pieces
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• Malt vinegar, for serving
• Dilled Tartar Sauce, for serving

Directions:
• In a large bowl, cover the potatoes with water; let soak for 1 hour. Drain the potatoes and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels.
• Set a rack over a rimmed baking sheet. In a large, wide pot, heat 2 inches of oil to 330 degrees F. Add the potatoes and fry until tender, about 12 minutes. Using a long-handled wire scoop, transfer the potatoes to the rack to drain. Let cool for at least 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the 1 1/2 cups of flour with 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt. Whisk in 1 1/2 cups of the cold beer until the batter is almost smooth; it should be a little lumpy. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup of beer.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and heat the oil to 375 degrees F. Add half of the potatoes and fry until crisp, 2 minutes; transfer to the rack to drain while you fry the remaining potatoes. Spread the fries on a large-rimmed baking sheet.
• Reduce the oil temperature to 325 degrees F. Season the fish with salt and pepper. Mound flour in a wide, shallow bowl. Working with 2 pieces at a time, dredge the fish in the flour, shaking off the excess. Dip the floured fish in the beer batter; allow any excess batter to drip off. Add the battered fish to the hot oil and fry, turning a few times, until richly browned and crunchy and the fish is cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the fish on the rack, lightly blot dry with paper towels and keep warm.
• Reheat the fries in the oven. Batter and fry the remaining fish. Serve the fish and chips hot with malt vinegar and Dilled Tartar Sauce.

Dilled Tartar Sauce: In a bowl, blend 3/4 cup mayonnaise with 3 tablespoons sweet pickle relish, 1 diced sour pickle, and 1 tablespoon chopped dill. Season the tartar sauce with salt and pepper and serve cold. Makes about 1 cup.

Enjoy!