Batter Up!

I often crave a good fish fry and I especially love mine done in a really good beer batter but I think I have found something that actually works better. While on one of my recipe hunts I came across a batter for fish that uses a can of 7-Up. The more I thought about it I realized this was a great idea even more so than using beer. The carbonation has always been a key component in getting that light puffiness that you look for in a good beer batter but what the beer does not give you is.....sugar and lots of it. That is where the 7-Up fits the bill brilliantly. It has enough carbonation to ensure that it puffs up but it also has a very high sugar content to create a caramelized crispiness that you don't quite achieve using the beer. Plus the lemon lime flavoring actually imparts an interesting flavor dimension to take your normal fish fry to a whole new level.

7-Up Fish Batter

1 egg
1 c. pancake mix
8 oz. 7-Up (approximately)
additional pancake mix
Fish filets of your choosing, also works well with shrimp, scallops or clams.

Mix egg, pancake mix and 7-Up together well. Dip thin fish fillets, which have been coated with pancake batter (shake both in plastic bag) and chilled about 20 minutes in mixture. Remove 1 at a time and deep fry for 4 to 6 minutes at about 400 degrees. Remove onto paper towels to drain.