Friday Night Fish Fry

I remember nearly every corner of every neighborhood in the Cleveland area having fish fry dinners on Friday nights, especially during Lenten season. Churches, VFW halls, fire houses, you name it. And Pierogies were usually part of the dinner offering, especially in the Slavic areas near the steel mills. The fish was always Walleye, a Lake Erie staple, not found anywhere else except for the Great Lakes and Canada regions, French fries and loads of tartar sauce.

One of our favorite places was the Larchmere Tavern in Shaker Heights. We would meet up with friends on Fridays, after a long week (we were considered DINKS, Dual Income No Kids, it was the 80s and we were yuppies.) We’d order “exotic” beers, which, at the time, were Killian’s Red, some type of stout or a Black and Tan. And of course, fish dinners. The plates arrived, laden with fryer oil, which made the fish under the crispy coating completely unctuous. It was a low-key guilty pleasure. The socialization, the grimy historic location, the slightly sour smell in the air, all of it.

Now I make this healthier tempura batter, grain free, with tapioca flour, and the fish of choice is halibut, fried in coconut oil. A healthier version to be sure, but it brings back those flavors just a little bit, and it makes me think fondly of those times, back in the 80s, when we were yuppies. (This makes excellent fish tacos, too).

Yield: 4

Living Delish & Nutrish: Tina Wells

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Friday Night Fish Fry

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 35 Min

Ingredients

• 1 large egg white
• 1/2 cup sparkling water, plus extra if needed to thin batter
• 3/4 cup tapioca starch
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• enough coconut oil for frying, about 1 1/2 cups
• 6 ounces halibut, cod or preferred meaty fish (per person)

Method

1. Whisk together tapioca starch, coconut flour, salt, and baking soda. Whisk egg white and sparkling water in a separate bowl. Add to the dry mixture until a thin batter forms. Add more sparkling water if needed. Batter will be a smooth, pancake batter-like consistency.
2. Preheat the coconut oil in a large skillet to 375ºF on a thermometer.
3. Dip the fish pieces into the batter, allow excess batter to drip off, and immediately place into oil. Don’t over-crowd the pan.
4. Once you place the fish into the oil, do not attempt to move the pieces until the crust begins to turn golden. When fish releases easily from pan, you can turn it over and cook the other side.
5. Cook until batter becomes opaque and slightly golden. Do not turn fish more than once, to prevent batter coming away from the fish. Cook fish 4-6 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Look for opaque, flaky flesh.
6. Remove to a serving plate, season with sea salt and serve immediately. Cut fish into smaller nugget-size portions for excellent fish tacos.
7. Delicious with Asian Twist Cole Slaw.

Pro Tip

(This is the same Tempura Batter used on the Nori Egg Rolls, it’s excellent all-around batter for tempura vegetables or chicken nuggets as well)

https://livingdelishandnutrish.com/recipe/friday-night-fish-frygrainfree

©Tina Wells Luxury Brands, LLC

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