CELEBRITY chef Nigel Smith, of the Fielden Arms, Mellor Brook, today presents the first of a regular series of recipes for Lancashire Evening Telegraph readers.

To begin the weekly series, the TV chef gives us his recipe for traditional fish and chips -- with a difference . . .

DEEP FRIED FISH IN A BEER BATTER

Ingredients:

One 7oz haddock fillet -- skin off

2oz flour

Further 2oz flour

Quarter pint lager

Salt and pepper

1tsp English mustard

2tsps white wine vinegar

Method:

TO make batter, place the vinegar and lager into a bowl with mustard and whisk together. Beat in the flour until smooth batter consistency.

This means the batter should not run off the fish. If this happens, add another tablespoon of flour.

Place the fish into seasoned flour (flour with salt and pepper), lift out of flour into batter, drain off excess batter and place into deep frier 4-5 minutes until golden and crispy.

Drain well on to plate, serve with fresh chips and mushy peas. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Deep fat frier temperature 250.

Cod can be substituted for haddock or fresh plaice can be used.

If you are on a low fat diet, instead of using a deep fat frier roll in egg wash, flour and fresh breadcrumbs and bake in hot oven, gas mark 7, 200 degrees, for eight minutes and using spray oil lightly spray the fish.

Recommended wine to serve with this would be a nice glass of chablis or chardonnay.