Cuban-style fish and chips: crispy fish with green plantain fritters

Preparation

1. Check the fillets and remove all bones. Dry them thoroughly with paper towels and season with salt, pepper, crushed garlic, and a little lemon or lime zest. Let them rest for 10 minutes, without soaking them in citrus juice. The fish must be completely thawed. Before battering, dry the surface again and remove large pieces of garlic so they do not burn while frying.
2. Peel the green plantains and cut them into very thin slices, like bagged potato chips, using a mandoline or a very sharp knife. They can be rounds or long strips. Do not use ripe plantains nor smash the pieces (they are not tostones). Keep the slices dry.

   

Garlic mojo

3. Prepare the mojo before frying so the fish arrives crispy at the table. Gently heat the olive oil with the garlic until it releases its aroma, without letting it burn. Remove from heat, let cool slightly, and add the lime or lemon juice (or sour orange), oregano, and salt. Mix carefully: the liquid may splatter if the oil is still very hot.

Mariquitas

4. Heat the oil to 165-170 °C and fry the plantain slices in small batches, without crowding, for 2-4 minutes, moving them carefully until they are dry, golden, and crispy. Drain on a rack or paper and salt just before serving. Watch out for splatters.

   

Battered fish

5. In a bowl, mix 100 g of flour with the cornstarch and baking powder. Incorporate the very cold beer or carbonated water gradually and mix just enough to have a fluid batter capable of adhering to the fillet. Do not overbeat and keep it cold. If you prefer not to use beer, carbonated water also works.

   

6. Raise the oil temperature to 175-180 °C. Pass the fish, already dry, through the remaining 50 g of flour, shaking off excess, then through the cold batter. Fry in batches, without crowding, for 4-7 minutes depending on thickness, until the batter is golden and the fish is cooked, opaque, and flakes easily, with 63 °C in the center. Drain preferably on a rack to maintain crispiness.

   

Plating

7. Serve immediately: one battered fish fillet, a generous portion of green plantain chips, a lemon wedge, and the mojo in a small bowl on the side. The mojo is for dipping or adding to taste; do not pour it over everything, as it softens the batter and the chips.