Hand Cut Geechie Seasoned Chips Food

THE BEST CHIPS YOU HAVE EVER TASTED

Steps:

• Peel the potatoes and cut lengthways into roughly 1cm/½in slices. Cut each slice into fairly thick chips and rinse in a colander under plenty of cold water to remove excess starch. (If you have time, it's worth letting the chips soak in a bowl of cold water for several hours, or overnight.) Pat dry with kitchen paper.
• Heat a deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan half-full of the sunflower oil to 130C. It's important to use a cooking thermometer and check the temperature regularly. Alternatively, use an electric deep-fat fryer heated to 130C. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
• Using a large, metal, slotted spoon, gently lower half the chips into the hot oil and stir carefully. Fry for ten minutes, or until cooked through but not browned.
• Remove the chips from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on plenty of kitchen paper. Repeat the process with the remaining chips. (The chips can be left for several hours at this stage.)
• When ready to serve, reheat the oil to 190C. With a slotted spoon, lower all the par-cooked chips gently into the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until crisp and golden-brown. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
• Tip into a serving dish and sprinkle with salt and vinegar to serve.

CHUNKY OVEN CHIPS

Steps:

• Heat oven to its highest setting, ideally 250C/fan 230C/gas 9. Cut each potato into 1cm-wide slices, then into 1cm-thick sticks. Blanch in a large pan of boiling water for 3 mins, then drain well.
• Shake the potatoes out onto a roasting pan, drizzle with oil, ensuring each chip is evenly coated, then season well. Bake for about 15-20 mins, turning the potatoes at least twice, until golden brown and crisp.

HAND-CUT GEECHIE-SEASONED CHIPS

Steps:

• For the Geechie seasoning: In a small bowl, combine the garlic powder, ground mustard, onion powder, paprika, sugar, salt and pepper.
• For the chips: Fill a large bowl with water and stir in the salt until dissolved. Thinly slice the potatoes on a mandoline to about 1/8 inch thickness and add to the salted water (see Cook's Note).
• Drain the potato slices on a baking sheet lined with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel to absorb as much water as possible.
• In a large Dutch oven, add enough oil to come halfway up the sides (or fill a deep fryer) and heat the oil until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reaches 365 degrees F. Fry the potato slices in small batches, turning occasionally, until they are golden brown, about 3 minutes. Drain on a baking sheet with a wire rack and sprinkle with the Geechie seasoning while the chips are hot.

OVEN-ROASTED CHIPS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Peel the potatoes and cut them into long chip shapes - the thickness is entirely up to you, though the width of a finger is ideal. Rinse under the cold tap and pat dry with a tea towel.
• Spread the chips on a large non-stick baking tray and toss with the olive oil and celery salt. Lie them flat in a single layer - use two trays rather than overcrowd one.
• Roast for 45-50 mins, turning now and then. When cooked they should be golden brown and crisp with a light fluffy centre. Scatter on sea salt to serve.

STEAK & CHIPS

Steps:

• First make the butter: mash all the ingredients together with lots of cracked black pepper. Pat the butter flat between cling film (it'll chill quicker when thinner) and put in the fridge or freezer to harden.
• Cut the potatoes into neat chips, rinse under hot water, then dry on a tea towel. Place the chips in a deep saucepan (they should only come up a third of the way) and just cover with cold oil. Place the pan on a medium heat, bring the oil to a simmer and give the chips a stir with a wooden spoon. Increase the heat so the oil bubbles really quickly and fry the chips, stirring occasionally so they don't stick, until crisp and golden - the whole process will take 15-20 mins. When they are done, scoop out with a slotted spoon onto a plate lined with kitchen paper and set aside.
• Meanwhile, heat the griddle pan until smoking hot. Season the steaks with salt and pepper and rub with a little oil - how you cook your steak will depend on the cut you have chosen and its thickness. For a steak that's 2cm thick, cook it for 2 mins on each side for rare, adding 1 min more for every increasing degree of doneness. Just before lifting the steaks off the griddle, place half the butter on top of each. Serve the steaks with the chips, some mixed leaves and a tangy dressing.