• Potatoes
• Carrots
• Parsnips
• Swede
• Beetroot
• Onions
• Leeks
• Cauliflower

Nothing beats a piece of cod cooked to a crisp with freshly made chips on the side.The batter should be light and crisp, but not too greasy and the fish should melt in the mouth. Serve with lime wedges if you really want to tart it up.

Serves four
INGREDIENTS
450g/1lb potatoes
groundnut oil for deep fat frying
4 x large cod fillets, skinned and any tiny bones removed
For the batter
75g/3oz/2/3 cup plain flour
1 egg yolk
10ml/2 tsp oil
salt
lemon wedges, to garnish

1. Cut the potatoes into thick slices. Cut each slice again to make chips.
2. Heat the oil in a deep fat fryer to 180°C/350°F. Add the chips to the fryer and cook for 3 minutes, then remove from the pan and shake off all the fat. Set to one side.
3. To make the batter, sift the flour into a bowl and add the remaining ingredients with a pinch of salt. Beat well until smooth. Set aside until ready to use.
4. Cook the chips again in the fat for a further 5 minutes or so until they are really nice and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper and season with salt. Keep hot in a low oven while you cook the pieces of fish.
5. Dip the fish into the batter, making sure they are evenly coated and shake off any excess.
6. Carefully lower the fish into the fat and cook for 5 minutes. Drain on kitchen paper. Serve with lemon wedges and the chips.

Variations
• Although cod is the traditional choice for fish and chips, you can also use haddock. Rock salmon, sometimes sold as huss or dogfish, also has a good flavour. It has a central bone which cannot be removed before cooking otherwise the pieces of fish will fall apart, but can be easily prized out once the fish is served.

Tips
• Use fresh rather than frozen fish for the very best texture and flavour. If you have to use frozen fish, defrost it thoroughly and make sure it is dry before coating it with batter.