Things You'll Need:
- Fillets of flaky, white fish (Cod, Red Snapper, Perch or Sole)
- Milk or buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- Butter
- Vegetable oil
- Breadcrumbs
- Condiments (malt vinegar, tartar sauce, ketchup)
- Dinner rolls
- Coleslaw
- German or Irish ale or lager
- Metal pails/buckets
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Step 1
Stock up on groceries. If you don’t want to fuss with making your own coleslaw, buy it from your local gourmet store. Purchase fresh fish fillets from the fish store or fish counter of your grocery store. Ask for fresh flaky white fish. Red Snapper, Perch or Sole are delicious alternatives to the more common Cod which has less flavor than the more expensive fish.
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Step 2
An hour before your friends arrive set out small bowls of the coleslaw bought at the homemade section of your grocery store, deli or gourmet shop. Squeeze condiments into bowls and set out on the table.
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Step 3
Begin preparing the fish 30 to 40 minutes before the guests arrive. Wash the fillets and pat them dry with paper towels. Pour breadcrumbs onto a shallow plate or pan. Add sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Add a dash of paprika or other favorite seasonings that won’t overpower the fish. Mix the dry mixture with your hands.
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Step 4
Crack two or three eggs (depending on the amount of fish) and add the contents to a shallow bowl or pan. Wisk in heavy milk. If you use buttermilk rather than plain milk, you can reduce the number of eggs used (or skip eggs altogether).
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Step 5
Cover the bottom of a skillet with a thick layer of vegetable oil (enough to nearly cover the think fillets when added). Put the skillet over medium to high heat. Wait for the oil to begin producing bubbles.
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Step 6
One at a time, dip the fillets first into the milk/egg mixture. Squeeze off excess. Second, dip the fillets into the dry mixture, covering each surface. Carefully place the breaded fillets into the heated vegetable oil. Keep your face away from the skillet as the oil will commonly squirt up.
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Step 7
Turn the fillets over after a couple minutes of frying. Vary the cooking time depending on the thickness. Cook until the bread crumbs are browned slightly. Remove the fillets from the skillet and place them on paper towels to drain.
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Step 8
While the fish is cooling, prepare the buckets of beer by pouring ice into pails of five or six beers. Scatter the buckets around the table. Heat the dinner rolls in the oven and then place them in baskets with cloths over them to keep warm.
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Step 9
Place the fish fillets on platters around the table and watch your guests dive into this casual, yet scrumptious fish fry.
