If you are in need of a little escapism and a healthy dose of nostalgia, we highly recommend you whip up this classic hake and chips recipe from our cookbook, Damhuis: Recipes and Memories of a House. You’ll probably feel the sea breeze and smell the ocean air, too! Because, let’s face it: not all of us live in a coastal town, and eating out isn’t always an option.

So, if your only travel option is to your kitchen, you can still conjure a taste experience that’s comforting and, above all, delicious.

 

Classic Hake and Chips Recipe from Damhuis: Recipes and Memories of a House – Serves 6

Ingredients

  • ½ cup vodka
  • 1 cup cake flour
  • 1 can (330ml) beer
  • 6 hake fillets, deboned
  • 4-6 potatoes, with smooth skins
  • salt, to taste
  • oil, for deep-frying

Method

For the hake:

  1. Combine the vodka, flour and beer and mix well to make a batter.
  2. Pat the fish dry with paper towels and season with salt.
  3. Dip the fish into the batter and coat well.
  4. Fry immediately in hot, deep oil until golden. (Extra batter can be poured over the fish during the frying process.)

For the chips:

  1. Peel the potatoes and cut into chips of about 7,5-10cm thick.
  2. Rince the chips. Allow to drip dry and dry further with paper towels.
  3. Heat the cooking oil and fry the chips until light brown.
  4. Test by breaking a chip in half.
  5. Remove the cooked chips from the oil and drain on paper towels.

 

hake and chips recipe

 

The Damhuis cookbook, Recipes and Memories of a House, is more than just a recipe book – it’s a collector’s item that captures the rich history of the Cape and celebrates delicious South African cuisine, seasonal ingredients and memories made around the table with family and friends.

Remember, Damhuis: Recipes and Memories of a House is on sale now and can be found at leading bookstores or purchased online in English or Afrikaans.

For another sneak peek of Damhuis: Recipes and Memories of a House, read the excerpt of acclaimed author Reinet Nagtegaal about the first inhabitants of the plot of land that would later become Damhuis Restaurant.