Long John Silver's Battered Fish (copycat)

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 1/2-2 lbs boneless fish (cod, halibut, or pollock)
• 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 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
• 1 3/4 cups cold water
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3/4 teaspoon malt vinegar
• canola oil

Recipe

• 1 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.
• 2 thaw fresh boneless 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").
• 3 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°f.
• 4 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.
• 5 into the large bowl containing the 2 cups reserved dry batter, whisk in the liquid batter ingredients, without over-mixing.
• 6 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).
• 7 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).
• 8 deep-fry fish in preheated 360°f 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.
• 9 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.
• 10 serve and enjoy!