Beer-battered pollock bites

Beer-battered pollock bites

By Barney Desmazery
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(8 ratings)
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Prep: 15 mins Cook: 25 mins

More effort

Serves 4
What better way to prove that pollock is the new cod than by giving it the most classic British treatment? Mushy peas optional!

Nutrition and extra info

  • Easily doubled / halved

Nutrition: per serving (4 people)

  • kcal600
  • fat43g
  • saturates6g
  • carbs31g
  • sugars3g
  • fibre1g
  • protein21g
  • salt0.53g
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Ingredients

  • 400g pollock, fillets, skinned and cut into bite-size chunks
  • sunflower or vegetable oil
  • lime wedges, to serve
    Lime

    Lime

    ly-m

    The same shape, but smaller than…

For the batter

  • 200g plain flour
  • ½ tsp golden caster sugar
  • 330ml bottle full-bodied beer (any type)

For the dipping sauce

  • 6 tbsp good-quality mayonnaise
  • juice 1 lime
    Lime

    Lime

    ly-m

    The same shape, but smaller than…

  • handful coriander leaves, chopped

Method

  1. First make the sauce by mixing all the ingredients together, then set aside. In a large bowl, make the batter by tipping the flour, sugar and some salt and pepper into a bowl, then gradually whisking in the beer until smooth.

  2. Heat the oil in a deep fryer or heat about 5cm of oil in a wok until a drop of batter sizzles and crisps up quickly. Dredge a few chunks of fish in the batter, then deep-fry for 3-4 mins until golden. Remove, using a slotted spoon, then drain on kitchen paper. Repeat until all the fish is used. Serve the fish with the sauce for dipping and lime wedges for squeezing over.

  • Recipe Tip

    How to cook pollock

    You can use pollock for any recipe that calls for cod or haddock, and pan-frying, roasting and deep-frying all work well. A crust of breadcrumbs, herbs and a little olive oil will keep the fish moist, or try a beer batter. Like other white fish, it also goes well with creamy sauces. To make the most of the low-fat content of this fish you can either poach it in a little milk or cook it en papillote (in a greaseproof paper parcel) with herbs, lemongrass, sliced root ginger and garlic.

  • Recipe Tip

    What to look for

    Like any white fish fillets, look for translucent flesh, but don’t be put off by the colour, which is naturally slightly darker than cod. The fillets should also be uniform with no discoloured patches. The flakes of the raw fish should be tightly knit with no sections forming.

  • Recipe Tip

    Healthy benefits

    Pollock – a lean source of protein – supplies heart-friendly nutrients, including magnesium, potassium and B vitamins, and is also an excellent source of immune-boosting selenium.

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Comments, questions and tips

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kirren
29th Apr, 2014
5.05
Just made these from cod bites from North Shields Fish Quay. I was a bit apprehensive in case the batter was soggy. But I used a thermometer for the oil and they turned out light, crisp and delicious. Definitely make again.
kjblackfortune
21st May, 2013
5.05
I think it's funny that people are worried about the calories in a half teaspoon of sugar....THIS DISH IS FRIED! Sounds like a not-really-minding-about-calories-tonight kind of a meal to me!!! Ha!
Honeygran
26th May, 2011
5.05
It must be years since I last deep fried anything, but after doing so saw that I'd used less oil than our average stirfry! This batter was so light - found the beer had disappeared but we had some cider so used this. Also had difficulty getting pollack (been buying it for it's delicate flavour for a while) Fishmonger said that it's become too expensive now!
stelios
25th Jun, 2010
3.05
Love the fact your using a fish from responsible sources, pollack is lovely. I wouldnt add the sugar in this to be honest, I know it is there for the colour but you will get that from the beer... Stelios http://www.thebattercompany.co.uk/blog/
mariadarby1
4th Oct, 2009
well i didn't know what to do with the chicken i had for my 2 boys and saw this recipie and thought i'll try it with chicken, they loved it such a lovely light batter and crsip and still crisp when it was cold.
tillymica
1st Oct, 2009
Lynsay - Cod Cheeks? I didn't know they had any??? What are they like?
oldhal
1st Oct, 2009
I used cod cheeks for this, it was delicious and a huge hit with my 4 year old daughter who kept on asking for more...
jeman8
20th Sep, 2009
4.05
This was one of the lightest batters I've managed - it was delicious!
jaffapie
24th Nov, 2008
5.05
Had this the other night - absolutely delicious! We home some leftover batter, so we made onion rings on the side...mmm!
robertonic
27th Aug, 2008
crazyfox MUST be English. 1/2 teaspoon suger between four people = 4 calories each (if you use all the batter!). You would use more than that eating the dish ... which is very good

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