Author Notes
I can’t imagine a more desired food than a potato chip. As the saying goes, “you can’t have just one.” I like to serve potato chips in silver bowls or even on silver pedestals, noting the extraordinary potential of one of the most ordinary of foods. Keep in mind that the potatoes must soak for at least 20 minutes before frying, but they can sit that way for up to a day, so do slice them ahead of time and plan ahead.
Excerpted from the book BUVETTE by Jody Williams. © 2014 by Jody Williams. Reprinted by permission of Grand Central Publishing. All rights reserved. —Jody Williams
Ingredients
-
1 teaspoon
very finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves 1 teaspoon coarse salt
-
2
russet potatoes, peeled
-
Oil, for frying (corn, peanut, vegetable, canola, or grapeseed oil all work well)
Directions
-
In a small bowl, stir together the rosemary and the salt and set aside.
-
Using a mandoline or a very sharp knife, carefully slice the potatoes into thin rounds no more than 1/8 inch thick. Place the sliced potatoes into a bowl of cold
water and let them sit for at least 20 minutes so that they release some of their starch. You can let them sit in the water in the refrigerator up to a few hours, even overnight, if you’d like to plan ahead.
-
Drain the potatoes and dry them thoroughly on paper towels.
-
Pour enough oil into a large, heavy pot so that you have at least 2 to 3 inches of oil, but make sure the oil does not fill the pot more than halfway. Set the pot over high heat and let it heat until the oil reaches 350°F on a candy thermometer. If you don’t have a thermometer, place 1 slice of potato into the oil and when bubbles form around it and it is really sizzling, you will know that your oil is hot enough for frying.
-
Carefully add a few handfuls of your dry potatoes to the oil, being careful not to crowd the pot. Fry the chips, stirring occasionally with a wooden or slotted spoon, until the potatoes are browned and crisp, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer the potatoes to a paper towel–lined plate to drain while you continue frying the potato slices in batches.
-
Once all of the chips are fried, sprinkle them with the reserved rosemary salt and serve immediately, ideally with a strong cocktail.
See what other Food52ers are saying.