The Perfect Chips

There's no excuse for bad chips; The old school dinner chips still made of semi-raw potato on the inside. There's a couple of tricks in these ones. The first is that they're boiled in stock, for extra flavour. Second; you have to be brave when making them, let them boil to the point where you could easily mash them, the roast the edges in hot flavoured oil.

Prep Time: 20 Mins

Cook Time: 1 Hr 40 Min

Difficulty: Easy

Serves: 3 Portions

Ingredients

  • Large Potatoes - 3
  • Olive Oil - 50ml
  • Butter - 2 tsp
  • Thyme - 8-10 stalks
  • Garlic - 1 bulb
  • Stock Cube - 1
  • Seasoning

Method

Step One - Unstarch the POtatoes

First thing is to peel the potatoes and chop them into chunky sized chips.

Next is to get the starch out of the potatoes. Starch burns in the oven and will brown the chips before the centres get chance to get really fluffy.

To remove the starch rinse them under a stream of cold water for 5 to 10 minutes. The water will do the rest.

 

Step Two - BOil in Stock

Bring a pan of stock to the boil using the stock cube and pour in the potatoes.

This is the key to the recipe, you have to fully boil the potato; to the point where you could easily mash them. You have to be brave and let them boil past the point where they're par-boiled, almost to where they start to fall apart. It's usually 15-25 mins into cooking, and the best way to check is to take a corner out and try to mash it with a fork - if it easily mashes, you're there.

Whilst you're waiting for this you can get onto the next step.

 

STEP Three - Prep the tray

pre-heat the oven to 180°c (350°f; Gas Mark 4).

Whilst the potatoes are boiling, line a tray with foil. Pour on it the oil, a few pinches of salt (you'll be surprised how much you need), pepper, and thyme.

Using the flat edge of the knife, crush the cloves of garlic and also add those. The tray's now ready.

Once the potatoes are boiled, carefully pour them into a sieve and let them evaporate for 5 minutes. Whilst they're evaporating, put the tray in the oven to heat up.

 

 

STEP Four - Oven Cook the Chips

You now have fluffy centred chips, next is to crisp them on the outside.

Once the potatoes have evaporated, take the tray with hot oil on out of the oven.

Working quickly but taking care not to brake the chips, use 2 forks to one at a time place the chips in the hot oil of the tray and turn until all sides are coated. keep doing this, lining up the chips on the tray - making sure none of them are touching. pour in in any broken sections of potato too (they'll turn into crispy scraps).

Place the tray back in the oven for 1 hour, turning the chips over only once 30 minutes into cooking.

 

STEP Five - Serve

Remove the chips from the oven when they're golden and crispy.

Taste and add any additional salt and pepper as required. 

And that's it - hope you enjoy!