For a native of the UK, fish and chips is the ultimate comfort food
by Aaron O’Brion | Contributing Writer
Charleston is by no means a podunk little backwater. We have an international airport, after all. But every June, Charleston is transformed into a global center for art and culture by the arrival of the Spoleto and Piccolo Spoleto Festivals. Our city is brimming with world-class dance, theater, music, and art for seventeen days, all showcased at some of our most beloved venues. It’s a wonderful opportunity to hear Vivaldi resonate from the walls of an ancient church, or to stroll aimlessly between art galleries, while the faint strain of La Boheme spills from distant windows. Cobbled streets lead you back to the parking garage where a hundred hybrid cars, all with radios tuned to NPR await their drivers, all febrile after the finale of Beethoven’s Ninth.
Sadly, the cultural events seldom spill across the river into West Ashley but in the upcoming weeks, our corner of the city will be transformed by the arrival of another cultural phenomenon — my mother visiting from England. She’s a true joy to be around and she always makes quite an impression when she visits. Friends and neighbors are already counting down the days until she arrives and I wouldn’t be surprised if she still gets Christmas cards from the CARTA bus driver who, during her last visit, would take her from West Ashley to her daily jaunts around the peninsula.
As the only son of a single mother, our lives have been quite tightly bound. It must have come as quite the sucker punch when I announced at the tender age of 19 that I was leaving on a whim to go and live 4,000 miles away in the rural Midwest. Despite all the excitement and youthful adventure, I was instantly homesick and missed my mum. Even now as a forty-something-year-old, that feeling hasn’t fully subsided and we’re always filled with giddy excitement whenever we reunite on one side of the Atlantic or the other.
If we’re visiting England, one of the first ports of call is the local fish and chip shop, or the chippy, as we call it. Our national dish, all glistening with grease and wrapped in newspaper, is a humble pairing of battered fried fish, usually cod or haddock, and thick-cut chips, liberally doused with salt and malt vinegar. Like many iconic meals, it was always the food of the working class. Fish and potatoes were plentiful and weren’t subject to rationing during the war. They’re still on every street corner around the UK and have even spread around the world. Our very own revered Codfather on Spruill Avenue has a line out the door most days (a testament to its quality) and is a little taste of England right on our doorstep.
In preparation for our visiting dignitary, I’ll be making a homemade version of fish and chips. Although most purists would stick to cod or haddock, there are several other options including flounder or tilapia. You could add a southern twist and go with catfish. In this recipe, I’m using swai from our friends at Capt. Don’s Seafood on Savannah Highway and coating it in a simple tempura-style batter. It can be deep-fried, but here we will shallow fry it in our trusty cast-iron skillet. There are a hundred variations of this simple dish and everyone has their favorite, but in its simplest form, fish and chips are street food, meant to be enjoyed on a busy sidewalk after a trip to the pub. Of course, if you’re in town for Spoleto, just finish them quickly — I doubt the Dock Street Theater will let you in with those.
Aaron O’Brien is a native of Great Britain. He and his wife Christina make up local musical duo Oh Valentino. When they’re not performing, they’re in their West Ashley kitchen trying to prepare something their kids will eat.
Fish & Chips
For the Batter
Ingredients
• 2 egg whites
• 1 cup of all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup cold water
• A sprinkling of cornstarch
Directions
- Whip those egg whites in a bowl to within an inch of their lives. The air you incorporate here will make your batter light and fluffy. Gradually add the flour and water until combined. Season with a little salt.
- Dust your fish with a thin layer of cornstarch then dip into the batter, coating thoroughly. Fry in a cast-iron skillet on medium-high heat for 5 to 6 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Work in batches, keeping those beauties warm in the oven until you’re ready to eat.
- If you’re committed and have time on your hands, you can hand-cut your chips and deep fry them the proper way. Otherwise, a bag of frozen chips baked in the oven or thrown in an air fryer will do just fine.
- Wrap it all up in your favorite page of West Of Free Press and season with salt and malt vinegar.
