Although Russet potatoes are more dry, and suited to frying, if you only have Yukon Gold, those are good, too. Same applies for the chips–organic, quality potatoes are going to taste best. It’s important to have the best quality fish available, whether fresh or frozen, it’s going to be key for getting really good results with your fish and chips. Fish and potatoes were plentiful and cheap, so the Italians helped popularize this iconic British meal. That’s because a lot of Italians immigrated to Scotland in the late 1800s to escape poverty and famine.

If you’ve ever been to Scotland, you may have noticed that lots of the fish and chip shops have Italian names. Good Quality Fish and Potatoes are Important Remember, if any fish you eat tastes “fishy”, it’s because it’s not fresh.

Don’t get me wrong, cod is a very good fish, it’s just that haddock is even better. Haddock is related to cod, but is a much more flavorful fish, with big tender flakes. What is the Best Fish for Fish and Chips?Īccording to my great grandfather, grandfather, father, uncle and cousins, who all ran the fish and chip shop in Glasgow, the best fish for fish and chips is hands down, haddock. I miss all this chip shop food so much, which is why I try to recreate as much as I can, not just for me, but for all my other fellow ex-pats who also long for these dishes. I also loved a battered and deep fried black pudding (the one in the photo isn’t battered). While these small Mezzetta pickled onions are good, they’re nothing like the larged penny onions (they cost a penny each) that dad used to have in the fish and chip shop. I’d call him to place my order before he came home, and I’d always order a special fish supper and add, “Don’t forget the onions!” My dad did also have fish with just the batter on the menu, but our firm favorite was a special! In fact, on Friday nights, I was allowed to stay up until my dad was finished working at the fish and chip shop. If you wanted a crumb-coated crispy fish, you’d ask for a special fish, or a special fish supper (which included chips). Special Fish Excuse the poor photo quality as this was taken years ago, seconds before I devoured it. So now that I know this product is available to those of us in the US, I can finally share my dad’s recipe for fish and chips! Until I discovered a very similar product on Amazon of all places! Paxo golden breadcrumbs, and it was much more reasonable than paying the outrageous shipping of the Ruskoline from the UK. His wife, Helen, looked into the cost of shipping and it was outrageous, but I was actually thinking about having her send it anyway. We just call it fish dressing, and recently I had called my cousin Pete, who ran the fish and chip shop until just four years ago, to ask about sending over some of this dressing. I’m sure you’ve noticed the fish isn’t battered (it actually is battered), but coated in a crispy, orange-colored crumb coating which is called “Ruskoline”. He was her favorite nephew in this picture, can you tell! Sorry for this long-winded post, but I don’t just want to publish a recipe without you knowing how precious it is to me, and my family. Here’s my mother with my cousin, Pete, in the back shop. One shop was sold and my cousins ran the remaining one until 2017. This photo was the last time my dad saw him (2017). Sadly, Uncle Fred passed away last April (2020). You can see how happy it made me to have fish and chips from the shop!) Me in front of my dad’s old fish and chip shop.Įventually, there were two chip shops, and my dad and my Uncle Fred (who was also my godfather) ran both of them during the 60s, 70s and 80s, alternating between the shops each week. (This photo, which was taken about ten years ago, is in my “About” page. My Nonno Antonio (he was also born in Italy) in the chip shop, circa 1960s. It was established in 1928 by his grandfather who came from Italy, who then passed it onto his son, my grandfather. Growing up in Scotland, my dad had a fish and chip shop in Glasgow. Learn how you can make this style of fish and chips, and you’ll understand why it’s called “a special fish”.įish and chips used to be a very big part of my life.Īs an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Fish and chips made the way my dad used to make them in his chip shop in Glasgow is the tastiest way to make fish and chips.

Fish and chips near me