Long John Silver'S Battered Fish (Copycat) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

FISH
1 1/2 - 2 lbs boneless white fish (cod, halibut, or pollock)
DRY BATTER AND DREDGING (Use 2 cups of this mixture for batter and the remainder for dredging)
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon masa harina
1 tablespoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon Accent seasoning
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
3/8 teaspoon ground fennel
3/8 teaspoon ground tarragon
3/8 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
LIQUID BATTER (Mix with 2 cups dry batter)
1 3/4 cups cold water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon malt vinegar
DEEP FRYING OIL
canola oil

Preparation

NOTE: IF USING SELF-RISING FLOUR -- REDUCE SEA SALT TO 1 1/2 TEASPOONS THEN OMIT BAKING POWDER AND BAKING SODA -- AND USE REGULAR WATER INSTEAD OF CLUB SODA. FOR EASY GRINDING OF FENNEL SEED, PULSE A CLEAN SPICE MILL OR COFFEE GRINDER WITH THE CORNSTARCH AND SEA SALT UNTIL FINELY GROUND, THEN ADD TO DRY BATTER.
THAW fresh boneless white fish if frozen; CUT filets into 3-inch x 4 inch pieces; PREPARE a light sea salt/water bath to brine fish in for 20 minutes (brine should only be \"as salty as the ocean\").
POUR enough canola oil in deep-fryer to completely immerse fish in; INSERT the deep-fryer basket; PREHEAT oil slowly in gradual increments to 360\u00b0F.
MEASURE all DRY BATTER AND DREDGING ingredients into a large bowl; WHISK mixture well until thoroughly blended; REMOVE 2 cups of mixture and transfer to another large bowl for the BATTER.
INTO the large bowl containing the 2 cups reserved DRY BATTER, whisk in the LIQUID BATTER ingredients, without over-mixing.
REMOVE fish from sea salt bath; BLOT fish lightly; COAT the fish very lightly on all sides with the reserved dry dredging, being careful not to tear or break fish (use a flat metal spatula to turn fish if necessary).
DIP dredged fish in prepared batter to coat fish evenly, using a flat spatula to lift; ALLOW excess batter to drain; DROP battered fish slowly and carefully into the preheated fryer (MAKE SURE FISH DOESN'T SINK AND STICK TO BOTTOM OF FRYER BASKET; IF THIS HAPPENS, LIFT BASKET AND CAREFULLY LOOSEN FISH WITH A FLAT STAINLESS STEEL SPATULA).
DEEP-FRY fish in preheated 360\u00b0F canola oil without overcrowding until breading is golden, and fish is tender-flaky; PLACE cooked fish on absorbent paper to drain (keep filets warmed if necessary, in a preheated 170 F oven); REPEAT frying process with remaining fish.
ALLOW hot fried fish to cool slightly before serving; SERVE with fresh lemon slices and desired condiments -- tartar sauce, cocktail sauce, cream horseradish, hot sauce, malt vinegar.
SERVE and enjoy!