Fish and Chips Recipe – Potato String Crust Halibut

Difficulty:

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Fish and Chips Recipe

This Fish and Chips Recipe is spiral-wrapped around tender halibut sticks create next-level Fish and Chips with shattering crunch and zesty brightness. From A IS FOR APPLE “Vanilla and Vinegar,” hosted by Lauren Gulyas, this innovative twist elevates British pub classic into delicate, vinegar-infused perfection using russet potato “batter.”

The Inspiration

Traditional Fish and Chips gets reinvented through potato string technique — russet strands marinated in malt vinegar form natural lattice crust around firm halibut, frying to ethereal crispness without heavy batter. Lauren Gulyas showcases this in A IS FOR APPLE, pairing lemon zest’s citrus pop against vinegar’s tang for clean, balanced flavor profile that honors British seaside heritage while introducing technical elegance.

The method transforms humble ingredients: halibut’s flaky snow-white flesh stays moist inside potato armor; malt vinegar soak tenderizes strands while infusing signature sharpness. From Yorkshire chip shops to modern gastropubs, fish and chips endures, but potato strings elevate texture drama — strands separate post-fry for maximum surface crunch. Gulyas emphasizes even wrapping spiral (thumb-anchored bunches) prevents unraveling; 375°F oil ensures potato moisture flashes off instantly, creating vacuum-sealed crispness around fish. Episode context celebrates vinegar’s versatility, here as potato marinade mirroring chips’ classic dip.

Ingredients

1 lb (454 g) white firm fleshed halibut
zest of 2 lemons
sea salt and pepper
1-2 large russet potatoes peeled
¼ cup (60 ml) malt vinegar
¼ cup (60 ml) all-purpose flour
4 cups (1 L) vegetable oil
extra malt vinegar for sprinkling
sea salt
lemon wedges for garnish
special equipment: potato stringer

Method

Pat fish dry. Using a sharp knife cut the fish into sticks 2 inches (5.08cm)in length 1 inch (2.5cm) in thickness and 1 inch (2.5cm) wide. You should have 8-10 sticks all together
Sprinkle zest all over the fish and season with salt and pepper. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Peel the russet potatoes and using a stringer make potato strings.
Place the potatoes in a bowl and cover with malt vinegar. Toss to coat.
Allow the potatoes to sit for 10 minutes to absorb all the vinegar goodness.
Preheat the oil to 375F (190C).
Remove the potatoes and squeeze out excess vinegar.
Toss the potatoes in flour and shake off excess.
Wrap each fish stick with the potato strings. Starting at one end using your thumb to hold down the potato strings, wrap in bunches in a spiral motion to cover the whole fish. Try to keep the potato strands as even thickness as possible.
Repeat using the remaining potatoes.
Place half of the fish into the preheated hot oil. Cook until golden brown and crispy about 4 minutes, turning when one side is golden brown.
Remove from oil and place on a paper towel-lined tray. Sprinkle with a little sea salt.
Sprinkle if desired with additional malt vinegar.
Garnish with lemon wedges.

Serving Suggestions

Serve these innovative Fish and Chips immediately on newspaper-lined trays or rustic wooden boards to capture authentic British pub atmosphere, stacking the golden halibut sticks pyramid-style with lemon wedges tucked artfully between for easy squeezing, and providing small bowls of extra malt vinegar for generous drizzling alongside classic accompaniments like creamy tartar sauce, vibrant mushy peas, or pickled onions to balance the shattering potato crunch with cool tangy contrast.

For casual pub nights, pair with chilled pale ale or crisp cider that cuts through the fry while amplifying lemon zest notes, encouraging guests to peel apart potato strands interactively for maximum texture fun; family dinners benefit from halving sticks lengthwise post-fry to showcase the flaky white fish interior, letting kids experiment with dips while adults appreciate the vinegar-perfumed sophistication.

Final Thoughts

This extraordinary Fish and Chips recipe from A IS FOR APPLE “Vanilla and Vinegar,” hosted by Lauren Gulyas, redefines the British pub classic by spiral-wrapping tender halibut sticks in malt vinegar-marinated russet potato strings that fry to shattering, lacy crispness—delivering triple the crunch of traditional beer batter while keeping the fish moist and flaky inside its natural lattice armor. The lemon zest seasoning provides bright citrus lift that perfectly balances the tangy vinegar infusion, creating a clean, sophisticated flavor profile ideal for home cooks seeking restaurant-worthy results without complicated batters.

Whether you’re hosting a casual Friday fish fry, planning family game nights, or elevating weeknight dinners, this technique transforms everyday ingredients into textural showstoppers that wow visually and satisfy craveably, with the potato stringer’s specialty tool (or mandoline substitute) making execution accessible yet impressive.

Find more recipes from A is for Apple here!