Eat the Match: England vs Croatia

Fish and chips and Peka.

Group L · Dallas · June 17, 2026 · Iris

England: Fish and chips

British fish and chips is the national dish that requires no introduction and considerable technique — the batter, the fry temperature, and the potato preparation all have specific requirements that distinguish a good fish and chip shop from a mediocre one.

Ingredients

• For the chips:
• 1kg Maris Piper or Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into thick chips
• 2 litres neutral oil
• For the fish batter:
• 150g plain flour + extra for dusting
• 50g cornflour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 200ml cold sparkling water or lager
• 1 tsp salt
• Fish:
• 4 fillets cod or haddock, about 180g each, skin removed
• To serve:
• malt vinegar
• tartar sauce
• mushy peas (400g canned marrowfat peas, drained, roughly mashed with butter, salt, and a splash of malt vinegar)

Method

1. Double-fry the chips: first at 140°C for 7 minutes until cooked through but pale, drain and cool. Second at 190°C for 3 to 4 minutes until golden and crisp. Salt immediately.
2. For the batter: whisk flour, cornflour, baking powder, and salt. Add sparkling water or cold lager gradually, whisking until the batter coats the back of a spoon. Do not overwhisk. Use cold — the temperature difference between cold batter and hot oil is part of what creates the steam that makes the batter light.
3. Heat oil to 185°C. Dust the fish fillets in flour, shake off excess. Dip in batter and lower carefully into the oil. Fry 4 to 5 minutes until deeply golden and the fish is cooked through. Serve immediately with chips, malt vinegar, tartar sauce, and mushy peas.

Croatia: Peka

Peka is Croatia's most traditional preparation — meat (lamb, veal, or chicken) and vegetables cooked slowly under a bell-shaped iron or clay lid (the peka) covered with embers, which creates a sealed, steam-and-heat environment that produces extraordinarily tender, juicy meat with deeply caramelized vegetables. The home version uses a covered Dutch oven in a very hot oven.

Ingredients

• 1kg bone-in lamb shoulder pieces
• 4 medium potatoes, halved
• 2 medium carrots, halved
• 2 medium zucchini, halved
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
• 6 cloves garlic, whole
• 3 sprigs rosemary
• 100ml olive oil
• 100ml white wine
• salt and pepper

Method

1. Preheat oven to 220°C. Season lamb with salt, pepper, and rosemary. In a heavy Dutch oven or deep roasting pan, arrange the lamb and all vegetables. Pour over olive oil and wine. Toss to coat. Cover tightly with a lid or seal tightly with foil. Cook for 1 hour 45 minutes without opening. Then remove the lid, increase heat to 240°C, and cook uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes until the top is deeply browned and caramelized. Do not open the pot during the covered cooking — the sealed steam environment is the technique.