The Proper Chip

Growing up in France in the public school system, meant that we had Wednesdays off but then had class on Saturday morning. And just writing that sentence made my brain convulse. Waking up for school on a SATURDAY?! You've GOT to be kidding. But it really wasn't that bad as those half days were always devoted to something less academic. In CP, CE1 or CE2 we might have an Art lesson, designated reading time or sometimes English- and let me tell you just HOW MUCH FUN learning English as a second language can be when you already speak English.... OK I think I'm already digressing here because I could go on and on about what it's like being the "American" growing up in France when at the time I couldn't even remember living in the States. The point is that on Saturdays, right at noon, my father would pick me and brother up from school (a treat in itself) and we would all go home where my mother would be cooking up a feast, which usually involved home made French Fries. And we're talking properly fried French Fries- in this kind of contraption. And because my mother no longer has the fritteuse and I truly missed those deliciously soggy fries, it was time to find a good substitute and I think Gordon Ramsay had it right with this recipe.

The Proper Chip

from Gordon Ramsay's live Cookalong

• 4 large Desiree potatoes
• 2 tbls groundnut oil
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• generous pinch chili pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 220 C

Boil up a large pot of water.

Meanwhile, cut your potatoes in half lengthwise then put the cut part on the cutting board and cut them again lengthwise into chips. Boil the potato chips for about 10 minutes (this is just to speed up the process).
Drain your potatoes. If they still seem wet, place your colander (if you're using a metal one) back over the empty pot to dry them out a bit.

Place your chips onto a baking pan and drizzle on the oil, salt, pepper and chili flakes. Mix well.


Spread the chips out evenly in the pan and bake for about 30 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. You may want to shake the pan a couple times while they're cooking to ensure even baking.

Drool. Eat. Repeat.