Fried Fish New Orleans

This recipe comes from Jeff Smith's The Frugal Gourmet Cooks With Wine. It is one of those dishes that you can cheerfully chow down on when you are young. You know your digestive system is aging when, as happened with me the last time I ate this, you are up all night with a really impressive case of heartburn. Ben may already be at the borderline age for this, but he keeps remembering it fondly...

2 lb red snapper or whitefish; cut 1 1/2" square pieces 

Tabasco sauce to taste

2 eggs; beaten

3/4 c water

3/4 c flour

1/4 c cornstarch

1/4 tsp. baking powder

Salt to taste

Freshly-ground black pepper

Peanut oil for deep-frying

Place the fish and Tabasco sauce in a stainless-steel bowl. Let marinate for 20 minutes. 

Mix the batter by whipping the eggs, adding the water. Blend the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt and pepper together in a dry bowl, using a fork. Gently stir this into the egg/water mixture. Do not try to get out all the small lumps. It will not matter. Do not overmix. 

Heat 4 cups of peanut oil to 375 to 400 degrees. Dip the marinated fish squares into the batter, then deep-fry until light brown, about 4 minutes. This recipe serves 4.