Perfect English Chips

That’s a French fry to my American readers. Or “freedom fry,” if you’re feeling all political. Unlike most American fries, there is only ONE ingredient in an English chip – Potato. That’s right, they are not covered in corn starch or whatever it is that fast food chains in the US cover their fries with to keep them crispy. This is important, because there is nothing added, they will go soggy very quickly and need to be cooked just before serving.

Chips are actually different to French fries – they are fatter. A good chip has the following qualities:

• Crisp on the outside
• Soft on the inside
• They are dry, i.e. not soggy

If you follow these simple instructions, you will be able to create chips worthy of the name. Chips are actually better for you than ready made French fries. Because they are fatter, they have a smaller surface area to volume ratio, therefore they contain less fat.

It is important to select the right sort of potato for making chips. New potatoes are no good, they must be old potatoes and I prefer Maris Pipers, King Edwards or Majectic.

Equipment:

• A wide, thick based, tall saucepan
• A frying basket
• A serving dish
• A sharp knife
• A butcher block cutting board
• Paper towels

Ingredients:

• Potatoes
• Oil – Peanut oil is best.
• Salt

That’s it, no other flavorings. If you really want to make them English, a bottle of malt vinegar is needed. Absolutely no other vinegar will do! It has to be malt vinegar. In fact, it has to be Sarson’s Malt Vinegar as far as I am concerned.

First, peel the potatoes and slice them into chips. Cut them lengthwise, about ½ inch thick, and then cut them into slices about ¼ inch wide. Fatter is healthier. Put the sliced potatoes in a bowl of cold water to cover them We will wash the excess starch off in the water. Leave them to soak while the oil is heating.

Now, pour the oil into the pan, making sure that it doesn’t come more than a third of the way up the pan. This is also important – If there is too much oil in the pan, there is a risk of the oil bubbling over the top. This we do not want.

Next, heat the oil on a high heat to around 375F. If you do not have a thermometer, just drop a small piece of potato in the oil – when it floats, the oil is hot enough.

When the oil is hot, dry the potatoes thoroughly, place in a frying basket and lower them into the oil slowly. When the chips are covered, and the bubbling has stopped, cover the pan and cook the chips for about 6 minutes. This is to blanch the potatoes and do the actual cooking. They should not be brown when you stop this, just cooked. Now take the chips out of the pan and allow the oil to heat back up to around 390F. When the oil has reheated, put the chips back in the pan to brown. This should only take a couple of minutes. A soon as they turn golden brown, remove them and place on paper towels in the serving dish. After a few seconds, the excess fat will drain of into the towels. Remove the towels, sprinkle the chips with a little salt and serve hot. They must be served immediately, or they will go soggy. Serve with battered fish, and salt and vinegar for authentic English Fish ‘N” Chips.

Bon Apetit!