Beer battered fish

One of the wonderful delights of living in Cabo San Lucas is the abundance of fresh fish and seafood.

Almost every restaurant offers some selection of fish caught that day (catch-of-the-day), and other locally caught delights like shrimp, calamari, lobster, octopus, scallops…the list goes on.

We have enjoyed dining out and sampling these different delicacies, but also want to cook at home.

And so, we have made dishes such as coconut shrimp and ceviche. Most recently, we wanted to try a beer battered fish made with fish caught that day. I figure if I get it perfected, I can use the recipe at home too, with some Saskatchewan-caught fresh fish.

First off, the fish. We were so lucky to get some fish caught that morning by a local fisherman. We sliced ours into smaller pieces so that the batter could fully coat each piece.

I used a relatively small pot to heat the oil; this way I didn’t need to use too much oil, and the sides of the pot prevented splattering of hot oil.

I then prepared the batter, using flour, salt, baking powder, beer, an egg and vegetable oil. It should be thick and smooth. Bonus: I got to drink the rest of the beer!

I tested the oil using a small piece of bread. Once the oil has heated, drop a small piece of bread into the pot. If it browns quickly, the oil is hot enough.

I dipped a piece of fish in the batter to coat completely, then gently dropped into the oil.

I could do two pieces at a time in the pot I chose. Watch the fish and check regularly – when the bottom side is golden, turn the fish. Once the entire piece is golden, remove from oil and place it on a plate covered by paper towel, to soak up any excess oil.

I covered the cooked fish while I finished all the pieces, then we ate immediately – it has to be eaten hot and freshly cooked.

On the side, I served a homemade tartar sauce, made with mayonnaise, green relish, a dab of hot sauce and a dab of mustard.

The fish was so flaky and tasty. Don’t be fooled by the batter, you can still taste the amazing freshness of the fish. This batter would also be good for shrimp, onion rings, vegetables or even chicken pieces.

Enjoy homemade fish that rivals any fish and chips restaurant!