Making Perfect Chips
The perfect English chip is crispy on the outside and soft on the
inside without being soggy. They are dry, rather than greasy. Old
potatoes are the best because they are drier. The recommended
varieties are Maris Pipers, King Edward or Majestic. Red potatoes are
also better for chips than white or yellow potatoes.
Peel the potatoes and slice them lengthwise in slices about ½ inch
thick. The cut these slices into strips about ¼ inches thick. Place
the slices in a bowl of cold water so that they are completely
covered. While they are soaking place the oil in a saucepan on the
stove to heat. The oil should not come up higher than 1/3 the height
of the pan. It also prevents the oil from bubbling over the top and
causing a fire. Heat the oil to 190º celsius. One way to know if the oil is
hot enough is to drop one slice of potato in the oil to see if it
floats. When it floats, the oil is hot enough for the rest of the
chips.
Dry the potatoes thoroughly, place them in a frying basket and then
into the hot oil. The oil will bubble when you place the chips in.
When the chips are all covered and the bubbling stops, then you can
put the cover on the pan, but only for about 6 minutes. This will cook
the potatoes. They will not be brown.
After 6 minutes take the chips out of the pan and heat the oil to
190º celsius. Place the chips in the basket back into the oil to brown them
for a few minutes. Remove them as soon as you see them turn a golden
brown color and lay them on a sheet of paper towel to drain off the
fat. Remove them from the towel before you serve them.
For authentic English chips sprinkle them with salt and malt vinegar.
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