Cheats ‘Frites’

One of my Irish friends gives every meal he ever eats a score out of 10. One of the interesting things is that in order for a meal to score a perfect 10 it must include chips or frites. So there’s no doubting that chips are a crowd pleaser.

When I’m entertaining the last thing I was is to be frying large pots of oil on the stove while I try and get my steak timed perfectly. So I came up with method for cooking chips. It does take longer but is much more low maintenance and low stress. It’s also great because you can speed up or slow down the cooking depending on how your timing is going for the rest of the evening.

per person as a side
1 large floury potato
olive or other oil

1. Scrub spuds and chop into chips, leaving the skins on for extra potato flavour.

2. Drizzle the base of a baking tray to cover with oil. Add the potatoes and sprinkle with more oil.

3. Place in a cold oven on the middle shelf and turn on the oven to 200C (400F).

4. Cook the chips for at least an hour then check on them every 15 minutes. They will take about 1.5 hours or a little longer.

5. Drain off any excess oil or pat with paper towel to remove. Season generously with sea salt flakes.

6. If you’re not ready to serve, reduce the oven temp to 100C (200F) to keep warm.

Leftover Potential?

Best when fresh but I know people who love eating cold leftover chips. And yes these people are Irish.

Variations for serving sizes

If you need to serve more than 6 divide the spuds between 2 baking trays and swap the top and bottom shelf over about half way through cooking. Otherwise you risk a crowded pan and no crisping!

Variations

different potato varieties – I love sebago, king edwards or yukon gold for chips and have also had success with ottoway reds. Floury potatoes (as opposed to waxy) are best. If you’re not sure which spuds are which, look for ones that are good for chips or baking.

short on time? – if you’re happy to deep fry in oil, my cold oil potato chips are much quicker but more stressful!

different veg – most root vegetables can be used here but to be honest I think potatoes give the best texture. But feel free to experiment with sweet potatoes, parsnips, carrots, swedes, rutabagas or even beets.

Problem Solving Guide

spuds sticking to the bottom of the pan – they will stick initially but it’s important to resist the temptation to stir because as they cook and form a crust, they will release from the pan. So let them be and don’t stress about it. Next time think about using more oil.

soggy chips – either your roasting pan was over filled or you haven’t cooked them for long enough. Try cranking up the temperature to full bore and keep cooking until you’re happy.

burnt chips – it’s important to check every 15 minutes towards the end to avoid burning. Once it happens not much you can do apart from tell everyone that they’re super crunchy and warn against tooth breakage.

oily chips – make sure you drain or remove the excess oil with paper towel before serving – no-one likes oily chips. Don’t be tempted to cut back on the amount of oil because you won’t get that lovely crisp on the outside texture.

bland – spuds need salt. The other problem could be the type of potatoes you’re using. Next time try a different variety or buy them from a different shop.

Serving Suggestions

Lovely as a side to pretty much anything – just ask my Irish friend 🙂 Also really great with bernaise sauce or mayo.
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