Lake whitefish fillets in a featherlight beer batter, deep-fried to crisp gold, served with tartar sauce, lemon and a heap of fries. The defining Zurichsee summer plate.

Felchen are the indigenous lake whitefish (coregonus species) of the Swiss Alpine lakes including Zurichsee, Vierwaldstaettersee and Bodensee. They have been the staple lake catch for centuries; the Knusperli (literally little crispies) deep-fry treatment dates to early 20th-century Zurich lakeside terraces, which served the day's catch in a Swiss-beer batter to summer crowds. The dish became fixed in the city's grammar at lakeside restaurants by mid-century: a pile of golden goujons on a plate with fries, half a lemon, and a chilled glass of Federwiisser when the new wine appears.

Where to eat Felchen Knusperli in Zurich

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Make it at home

Serves 435 minEasy

Ingredients

  • 800g felchen fillets (lake whitefish; substitute with European perch, pollock, hake or trout fillets), skin off, pin-boned, cut into 4cm wide strips
  • Sea salt and white pepper
  • 150g plain flour for the batter, plus 50g for dusting
  • 30g cornflour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp sweet paprika
  • 1 large egg
  • 250ml very cold Swiss lager (Feldschloesschen or any crisp pale beer)
  • 1.5L sunflower oil for deep-frying
  • Maldon sea salt
  • 1 lemon cut into wedges
  • For tartar sauce: 200g mayonnaise
  • 1 hard-boiled egg (chopped)
  • 1 tbsp drained capers (chopped)
  • 2 cornichons (finely diced)
  • 1 small shallot (finely diced)
  • 1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • juice of 1/4 lemon
  • To serve: 1.2kg potatoes for chips, or oven chips

Method

  1. Pat the fish fillets very dry, season lightly with salt and white pepper, and dust on all sides with the 50g flour. Lay on a tray; this is the structural step that gives the batter something to grip.
  2. Heat the oil in a deep heavy pot to 175 degrees Celsius.
  3. Whisk the 150g flour, cornflour, baking powder and paprika in a bowl. Make a well, add the egg and cold beer; whisk to a thick pancake-batter consistency. Do not overwork; a few lumps are fine.
  4. Mix all tartar sauce ingredients in a bowl; chill until needed.
  5. Working in batches of 4 to 5 strips, dip the floured fish into the batter, lift out with a fork letting excess drip back, and lower carefully into the hot oil.
  6. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes, turning, until the batter is deep gold and the fish is opaque and just-cooked through (about 65 degrees Celsius internal).
  7. Drain briefly on paper, sprinkle with Maldon salt while hot.
  8. Serve immediately heaped on warm plates with a generous spoon of tartar sauce, a lemon wedge, and a pile of crisp hot fries. A glass of Federwiisser or chilled Swiss white in autumn; lager any time.

Editor tip. Use ice-cold beer just opened; the carbonation is what gives the batter its lightness. Keep the oil temperature steady at 175 degrees and do not crowd the pot; cold fish drops the temperature and gives soggy batter.

Common allergens: Fish, Gluten, Egg.