Chips

Chips, fries and frittes are all variations on the theme of deep fried potato from around the world.  There are two schools of thought about chips.  First there is the KISS (keep it simple stupid) approach.  This the shortest recipe on the site.  Take a couple of pounds of potatoes, cut into half inch strips and deep fry at 150 deg C for between 10 and 15 minutes.  Then there is the method below which treats chip making as one of higher arts.  My experience is that both methods work well, like most things its just a matter of how much care one takes and your state of mind at the time.

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Ingredients

Between 1 lb (0.5 kg) and 3 lb (1.5 kg) of Potatoes according appetite, number of students and the route taken home from the pub.  It would be nice to recommend a variety of potato that produces the perfect chip but after extensive research no clear favorite has emerged, however, it does seem that "older" potatoes, with less water content than "newer" ones take on a better colour.  (This may be because less heat is needed to evaporate "free" water").  Judging from the edible oil disposal point at our local tip, a wide range of types of oil are used for frying, use a good quality vegetable oil which the label suggests is suitable for deep frying, i.e. will not break down at high temperature.

Method

A generously sized chip pan with a wire basket is essential.  Chip the potatoes so that the length is two and one half inches and the cross section is between three eights and half an inch (this is important).  Soak the chips in cold water for twenty minutes to get rid of any surface starch.  Dry them on a paper towel, if you are really keen, lightly sprinkle them with salt.  Blanch in oil at 150 deg. C for ten to fifteen minutes, there will be a lot of bubbling of hot oil as the surface water boils off.  Remove the basket and let the oil heat up again for a few minutes, then return the basket for a few minutes until the chips are a lovely golden colour.

Comment

Chip pans full of boiling oil were used in medieval times as a defense against besieging armies and at least one Fire Brigade has thought it worthwhile to have beer mats printed with a warning against making chips whilst under the influence of drink.

Page Updated: 22nd December 2000