Tempura Halibut With Garlic Aioli

Instructions

1. Step 1

   Make the aioli. Chop the garlic roughly and put into a mortar and pestle. Add the salt and the mustard and pound it into a paste. This will take a few minutes.

2. Step 2

   Slowly add the olive oil a little at a time, stirring and pounding constantly. You are making an emulsion , so take your time and add oil slowly or it will break.

3. Step 3

   Heat enough oil to cover the fish pieces in either a Dutch oven or a deep fryer . You will need about a half gallon. Don't worry, after you are finished, let the oil cool, strain it to get the bits out, then reuse it. You can reuse oil several times. Heat this oil until it is very hot —about 370 F.

4. Step 4

   Salt the pieces of fish well on both sides.

5. Step 5

   Make the batter. While the oil is heating, make the batter. Tempura batter needs to be made and used quickly. This is very important.

6. Step 6

   Mix together the flour, cornstarch, salt and baking soda in 1 bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the ice cold water—it must be ice cold or this will not work—and the egg yolk.

7. Step 7

   When the oil is hot, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk them together until just combined. Do not over mix .

8. Step 8

   Dip the fish pieces in the batter and into the oil. Shake off a little before you put them into the oil, but remember this batter is thin and runny. Do not overcrowd the pot.

9. Step 9

   Fry in batches, at about 2 to 3 minutes per batch. Drain on a rack set over a paper towel to catch the oil that drips off.

10. Step 10

    Serve at once with a dollop of the aioli alongside the fish.