Your Fish And Chips Deserve A Better Dip With This Sauce And Seasoning Combo

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There's a whole list of common mistakes people make cooking fish, but we'd argue that the biggest blunder with regard to fish and chips is not paying enough attention to your sauce. Sure, tartar sauce is a classic accompaniment for the dish, and it definitely tastes good, but if you had the chance to upgrade your eating experience, why would you not take it? The answer lies in a mayonnaise (which has a slight difference from aioli) and Old Bay seasoning combo with a short list of ingredients and a big punch of flavor.

Old Bay seasoning is a quintessential sprinkle over seafood, a proprietary blend of several herbs and spices that includes paprika, celery salt, coriander, nutmeg, and sugar. It couldn't be simpler to make a delicious dip, simply by incorporating Old Bay and mayo, along with a few other add-ins to really kick up the mixture, like lemon juice and some fresh herbs. Simply mix and taste until you've perfected your sauce. Fried fish is delicious, but, like many fried foods, it really benefits from a zingy, creamy sauce. It's just as yummy to dip your fries in, too, which is a tremendous bonus when it comes to fish and chips.

While a jar of Hellmann's – which was Julia Child's favorite brand of mayo – will certainly get the job done when making your fish and chips sauce, may we suggest a few simple ways to really amp the end product? For example, making your own mayo or aioli (which incorporates garlic) in a blender is super simple. If you're sticking with store-bought, Japanese kewpie mayo is prized by foodies for its more intense flavor and major creaminess. Craving some tanginess? Perhaps you'd want to try cutting the mayo half-and-half with some Greek yogurt.

Don't hesitate to mix up the herbs that you incorporate into your Old Bay mayo, either. Dill is a classic when it comes to fish, but we also love chives, tarragon, and/or parsley. If you are looking for more of a spin on a standard tartar sauce, capers, lemon zest, chopped shallots, pickles, or even a little bit of grated white onion might all be welcome additions. Like a bit of heat in your meal? Dash on some Tabasco, or another favorite hot sauce! You'll find this to be a forgiving formulation that allows you to create your new favorite sauce for fish and chips.