LEMON SOLE TEMPURA WITH CUCUMBER SALAD & CHIPS

Everyone loves fish and chips and it is something that can be made at home without too much effort. This tempura batter is lovely and crispy but needs to be made and used instantly. Do not worry about lumps, as these will improve the texture of the batter.

Prep time: 25 MINS Cooking time: 20 MINS Serves 4

Sunflower oil, for deep-frying 600g lemon sole fillets, skinned and cut into strips 900g potatoes, cut into chunky chips, such as Rooster malt vinegar, for seasoning FOR THE BATTER

50g plain flour

50g cornflour

175ml iced sparkling water

FOR THE CUCUMBER SALAD

1 large cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced

2 large gherkins, thinly sliced 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill 3 tbsp white wine vinegar 3 tbsp rapeseed oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Mayonnaise spiked with lime rind and juice, to serve

Preheat the oven to 150ºC (300ºF/ gas mark 2). First make the salad to allow the flavours to develop. Place the cucumber slices in a bowl with the gherkins, dill, vinegar and oil. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside until needed.

Heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer or a deep-sided pan, making sure it is only half full, and heat to 160ºC (325ºF). Put the chips in a bowl of cold water — this helps to remove the starch.

Drain and then dry them as much as possible in a clean tea towel before placing them in a wire basket (you may need to do this in two batches depending on the size of your basket) and lowering them into the heated oil.

Cook for 4 minutes until cooked through but not coloured. Drain on kitchen paper and set aside.

Increase the temperature of the oil to 190ºC (375ºF).

To make the batter, mix the flour and cornflour in a bowl and then whisk in the iced sparkling water. Season with salt. Dip the lemon sole goujons into the batter and then quickly place in the heated oil and cook for 4-5 minutes until crisp and golden brown (again you have to do this in two batches).

Drain on kitchen paper and keep warm in the oven.

Tip the blanched chips back into the wire basket and then carefully lower into the heated oil. Cook for 12 minutes until crisp and golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper.

Arrange the cucumber salad on plates and add a pile of the lemon sole tempura to each one.

Add a dollop of the lime mayonnaise and put the chips in separate bowls to serve alongside.