Fish & Chips with Mushy Peas

The British seaside on a plate, made at home — cod in a light, crackling cider batter, proper thick chips, and a scoop of minted mushy peas. Get the oil hot and the batter cold and sparkling, and you will fry fish as good as the chippy’s, with a lemon wedge and plenty of salt.

Why this works

• A cold, sparkling cider batter with cornflour and baking powder fries up light and shatteringly crisp — the fizz and the cold keep it from being heavy. The one rule: the liquid must be sparkling, never flat.
• Maris Piper potatoes are the chip-shop choice: fluffy inside, crisp outside.
• Marrowfat peas, minted are the authentic mushy peas — soft, savoury and a little sharp against the fried fish.

Ingredient notes and swaps

• Cod — the classic. Haddock, pollock or hake all fry beautifully; just keep the fillets a similar thickness.
• Dry cider — cold and sparkling is the point; the bubbles lighten the batter. The key is a sparkling liquid, so sparkling water makes a good alcohol-free version. Never use anything flat.
• Marrowfat peas — the dried, soaked kind make true mushy peas; in a hurry, blitz cooked peas with mint and butter.
• Maris Piper — or another floury potato (King Edward, Rooster).

Fish & Chips with Mushy Peas

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Indulge in a true British classic right from your own kitchen. This recipe delivers perfectly crisp, cider-battered cod and golden, fluffy chips, alongside the essential vibrant mushy peas. It's the ultimate comforting takeaway experience, elevated with fresh, homemade flavour, ideal for a cosy night in or a fun family meal.

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Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Servings: 2 people

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: British

Calories: 840

Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

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• 2 x 200g skinless cod fillets
• 600g Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and cut into thick chips
• 100g plain flour, plus 2 tbsp extra for dusting
• 2 tbsp cornflour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp fine salt
• cold dry cider (or sparkling water)
• Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
• 250g marrowfat peas (cook according to packet instructions)
• Lemon wedges, to serve
• Sea salt flakes, to serve
• 2 tsp mint sauce or mint jelly

Method

 

1. Place the marrowfat peas in a bowl and cover with 850ml boiling water, then add the tablets provided within the pack.
2. Leave to soak overnight.
3. Rinse the chips in cold water until it runs clear, then pat very dry.
4. Heat oil in a deep fat fryer to 140°C.
5. Fry the chips for 6–8 minutes until soft but not coloured.
6. Lift out and drain on kitchen paper.
7. Drain the marrowfat peas and rinse under running cold water.
8. Add to a pan and cover with 600ml boiling water.
9. Bring to the boil and cook for around 20–25 minutes over a gentle heat, stirring regularly to prevent the mixture catching in the pan.
10. When the peas are at the desired consistency, add the mint sauce/jelly.
11. Make the batter: whisk the 100g flour, cornflour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
12. Pour in the cold lager or cider and whisk briefly to a smooth, thickish batter.
13. Rest the batter while the oil comes up to temperature.
14. Increase the oil to 190°C.
15. Pat the cod dry, season and dust with the extra 2 tbsp flour.
16. Dip each fillet into the batter, let the excess drip off, then lower carefully into the oil.
17. Fry for 5–6 minutes until deep golden and crisp.
18. Drain on kitchen paper.
19. Return the chips to the 190°C oil and fry for a final 2–3 minutes until crisp and golden.
20. Season with sea salt flakes.
21. Serve straight away with the mushy peas and lemon wedges on the side.

Nutrition

Calories: 840kcalCarbohydrates: 118gProtein: 49gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 120mgFiber: 15gSugar: 10g

Notes

Cold batter + hot oil = the crispiest crust. Don't skip the double-fry on the chips — that's what gives you a fluffy middle and a shatter-crisp outside.

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Tips for success

• Get the oil properly hot (around 180°C) before the fish goes in, and do not crowd the pan, or the temperature drops and the batter goes greasy.
• Keep the batter ice-cold and use it straight away.
• Double-cook the chips — once gently to cook through, once hot to crisp — for proper chip-shop texture.
• For scraps: those crisp little bits of batter come off the fish as it fries — you can make more by trickling a little extra batter into the hot oil so it breaks into small golden nuggets. Scoop them out and pile them over the chips. A proper northern chippy tradition.
• Drain on paper and salt the moment everything comes out.

Make ahead, storage and reheating

• Make ahead: The peas can be made ahead and reheated; the fish and chips are best fresh from the fryer.
• Storage: Best eaten straight away; fried food does not keep well.
• Reheating: If you must, crisp leftovers in a hot oven — never the microwave.

What to serve it with

• Lemon wedges, plenty of sea salt, and your condiment of choice — tartare sauce, ketchup, or a splash of malt vinegar. Best of all, eaten out of paper with the scraps piled on top.

FAQ

Which fish is best? Cod is classic; haddock, pollock or hake are all excellent. Keep the fillets evenly thick.

Why cider in the batter? It is the sparkle and the cold that make it light and crisp — use a sparkling liquid (dry cider, or sparkling water for an alcohol-free batter). The one thing to avoid is a flat, still liquid.

What are scraps? The crunchy bits of batter that come off the fish in the fryer — a northern chippy tradition, scooped out and scattered over the chips. Make extra by trickling a little batter into the hot oil.

How do I get crisp chips? Double-cook them — gently first, then hot — and use a floury potato like Maris Piper.

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