Directions

1. 1

   Prepare the blue cheese tartar sauce: Whisk together the mayonnaise, buttermilk, and lemon juice in a medium bowl until smooth and well combined. Gently fold in the crumbled blue cheese, chopped chives, Italian parsley, dill pickles, and capers. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and a dash or two of hot sauce. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

2. 2

   Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the frozen steak fries in a large bowl and toss with the olive oil until evenly coated. Sprinkle the sweet paprika and 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper over the fries, then toss thoroughly to coat. Spread the seasoned fries in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and place in the oven.

3. 3

   Bake the fries, stirring them halfway through, until they are crispy and golden brown, approximately 22 to 28 minutes. Once cooked, season lightly with additional salt if desired and set aside.

4. 4

   While the fries are baking, prepare the fish. Cut the cod, haddock, or hake fillets into strips measuring approximately 1 inch by 3 inches. Bring the fish to room temperature, about 20 minutes.

5. 5

   Pour vegetable oil into a Dutch oven to a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350°F.

6. 6

   While the oil heats, prepare the buffalo-butter sauce. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and stir in the hot sauce until well combined. Pour half of this buffalo-butter mixture into a shallow dish large enough to accommodate the fish strips. Allow the mixture to cool to just warm, about 10 minutes. Reserve the remaining buffalo-butter mixture for serving.

7. 7

   In a large bowl, whisk together the rice flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Pour in the chilled seltzer and whisk just until the batter is smooth—do not overmix. Allow the batter to rest for 10 minutes.

8. 8

   Set a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet and position it near your frying station. Add the fish strips to the shallow dish containing the warm buffalo-butter mixture and turn them to coat thoroughly on all sides. If the butter begins to solidify, use a brush or your fingers to spread the coating evenly over the fish.

9. 9

   Spread some all-purpose flour in a shallow bowl. Working with one piece of fish at a time, lightly coat it in the flour, then immediately dip it into the batter, letting any excess drip back into the bowl. Carefully place the battered fish into the preheated 350°F oil, frying only as many pieces as will fit without touching.

10. 10

    Fry the fish pieces, turning occasionally, until they are very crisp and golden brown on all sides, approximately 5 minutes. The internal temperature should reach 145°F. Transfer the cooked fish to the prepared wire rack and season immediately with kosher salt.

11. 11

    Allow the oil to return to 350°F before frying the next batch. Repeat the flouring, battering, and frying process with the remaining fish strips, frying until each batch is crispy and golden.

12. 12

    Serve the fried fish and baked fries together on a platter. Offer the blue cheese tartar sauce and the reserved buffalo-butter sauce (reheated if necessary) alongside the fish. Garnish with fresh carrot and celery sticks for serving.