Triple-Cooked Chips
Here is the final side dish requested for this weekend’s steak dinner: Heston Blumenthal’s triple-cooked chips.
There are many ways to make chips, but I have yet to find a better method than this. They become crisp and golden, yet remarkably light and fluffy inside. The process takes a little work, but you can make a large batch and freeze it for later.
A deep-fat fryer is useful, though a heavy saucepan works too. A reliable thermometer is essential. You will also need a tray that fits in the freezer, kitchen paper and a slotted spoon, spider or small metal sieve for lifting the chips from the oil.
This is a three-stage method. Each stage changes the potato’s structure: first we remove moisture and create a rough surface, then we set that surface at a lower frying temperature, and finally we crisp and colour the chips at high heat.
Method
- Cut and rinse. Peel large floury potatoes; I usually use Asterix or something similar. Cut them into chips about 1.5 × 1.5 cm. Rinse under running water for two to three minutes to remove excess surface starch.
- Parboil. Bring a large pan of water to the boil and cook the chips for a few minutes. Watch them closely: they should not be cooked through, but the edges should just begin to look rough. That rough surface will become crisp and golden later.
- Dry and chill. Lift the chips out and arrange them on a rack or a tray lined with kitchen paper. Let the steam escape. Once cool, place them in the freezer for about 30 minutes to remove still more moisture.
- First fry. Heat the oil to 130 °C. Fry the chips for about 4–5 minutes, until only lightly coloured. Return them to a tray lined with fresh paper and leave to cool. This low-temperature fry sets the rough surface created during boiling.
- Freeze again. Return the chips to the freezer. At this point they keep very well, so you can prepare a large batch in advance and take out only what you need for the final frying.
- Final fry. After at least 30 minutes, heat the oil to 190 °C. Fry until crisp and deeply golden, about 8–10 minutes depending on size and quantity.
Drain on kitchen paper, season with salt and serve piping hot.
Enjoy!
Tore