- 250g/9oz plain flour
- 60g/2¾oz cornflour
- 300ml/10½fl oz sparkling ale
- 300ml/10½fl oz soda water
- 100g/3½oz ready-made mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp drained capers, chopped
- 4 gherkins, drained, chopped
- 1 tbsp chopped flatleaf parsley
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- vegetable oil, for deep-fat frying
- 6 medium fillets of lemon sole, cut into strips
- plain flour, for dusting fish
- large bunch fresh watercress
- For the batter, sift the plain flour and cornflour together into a bowl.
- Whisk in the ale and the soda water until the mixture is smooth and well combined. Set aside to rest for 10 minutes, then whisk again for 30 seconds.
- Meanwhile, for the tartare sauce, mix together all of the tartare sauce ingredients until well combined. Chill in the fridge until needed.
- To cook the fish, pour enough vegetable oil into a deep-sided, heavy-based pan to fill it by about two-thirds. Heat the oil until a breadcrumb sizzles and turns golden-brown when dropped into it. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
- Sprinkle a little flour onto a plate and press both sides of each of the lemon sole strips into the flour until completely covered.
- Dip the floured lemon sole strips into the batter, then gently lower them into the hot oil and fry until crisp and golden-brown. Remove from the pan using a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on kitchen paper.
- To serve, place a few lemon sole goujons onto each of four serving plates. Spoon a dollop of tartare sauce alongside each portion. Garnish with a handful of watercress leaves.