Halibut Delight

This halibut gets a double-crunch treatment: a curry-spiced beer batter followed by a coating of instant potato flakes. The potato flakes fry up into a shatteringly crisp shell that stays crunchy longer than regular breadcrumbs. The beer in the batter adds lightness. As it fries, the carbonation creates tiny air pockets that puff the coating.

Use flat beer, not fresh from the can. You want the flavor without aggressive bubbles that make the batter too thin and runny. Just open a beer and let it sit out for an hour.

The curry powder and marjoram are the surprise here. They give the batter a warm, aromatic backbone that lifts this above a basic fish fry without overpowering the mild halibut.

Pro Tips

• Keep the batter thick. It should coat the back of a spoon. If it drips off immediately, you’ve added too much beer.
• Let the battered, potato-flake-coated pieces rest for two minutes before frying. This helps the coating adhere so it doesn’t slide off in the oil.
• Fry at 375°F (190°C) and don’t crowd the pot. Too many pieces drop the oil temperature and give you greasy, soggy fish.
• Serve with tartar sauce or a horseradish-tomato dipping sauce for a spicy kick.

Variations

• Use cod or haddock in place of halibut for a more traditional fish and chips style.
• Add a pinch of cayenne to the batter for extra heat.
• Swap potato flakes for panko breadcrumbs if you prefer a lighter, flakier crust.