Monkfish in Beer Batter (Irish)

This is an old Irish (and British) standby fish and chip meal, made with small, sweet monkfish landed at nearby Dunmore East. Larger monkfish or any other firm-fleshed fish will work almost as well. The secret of this dish, is fresh monkfish in freshly made batter, cooked and served immediately - that means now.

1 cup all-purpose flour, unbleached (100 g)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup lager beer (240 mL)
sea salt
1½ lb monkfish or another ocean fish with firm white flesh, boneless, cut into bite-size pieces (750 g)
oil, for frying

To Serve:
lemon wedges
tartar sauce
chips
mushy peas (optional)

Put the flour into a medium bowl, stir in the egg, then stir in the beer to make a light batter that will coat the fish almost translucently. Season the batter lightly with salt. (Add a bit more beer to thin the batter if necessary.)

Heat at least 6" (15 cm) of oil in a deep pot or deep fryer to 350°F (175°C) on a candy/deep-fat thermometer, then fry the fish pieces in batches for about 3 minutes per batch, draining on paper towels as they're done.

Garnish with lemon wedges and serve with homemade tartar sauce, chips, and, if you like, mushy peas.

Makes 4 servings.