THE HOTTEST CHIP RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. Cut the potatoes into medium-large chips and place them into a large bowl of water. When you're ready to start cooking, drain and dry the chips with a clean tea towel or paper towel.

  2. Put the chips in a large cast iron or other heavy-bottomed pot. They should only half-fill the pot. If they go any higher you must find a larger pot for safety reasons.

  3. Pour in enough cold fry oil over the chips to cover them by 5cm to 6cm. Place the pot on the stovetop and turn the heat to the higher end of medium-high. For about the first 20 minutes stir the every few minutes. But once the potatoes start to soften you'll need to mix them more gently to avoid breaking them. Allow the oil to bubble more rapidly and once the chips have softened considerably, turn the heat to high. This will crisp up the chips and turn them golden.

  4. When their exterior has hardened and they begin to float, you can mix them more frequently. If any have stuck to the bottom, carefully scrape the bottom of the pot with a metal spoon to release them. When the chips are deeply golden (total cook time is about an hour) lift them from the oil using a spider (a long-handled wire-mesh skimmer) and toss them in a bowl with lots of fine salt.

  5. Serve with my Cuban fish sandwiches, steamed mussels or alongside a delicious steak or hamburger.

Steps:

• Trim all the rounded edges off the potatoes to make a rectangular block, then cut this into thick batons (save any offcuts to make mash). Drop into a pan of cold salted water with the vinegar and bring to the boil. Simmer for 6-8 mins until the potatoes are just cooked and tender – test with the tip of a knife. Drain carefully, trying not to break any of the chips, and leave to cool completely. Can be prepared up to two days ahead and chilled until needed.
• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 9. Pour the oil into a sturdy, rimmed baking tray or shallow roasting tin and heat in the oven. Mix the flours with the baking powder, cayenne and some salt in a shallow dish and gently toss the chips in the floury mixture to coat, then leave in the mixture until needed.
• Carefully remove the pan from the oven – the oil should be shimmering – and lay the chips in a single layer in the pan. Use a thin, flexible spatula to gently turn the chips so they are all coated, then roast for 20 mins. Turn the chips again, then roast for another 10 minutes. Turn one final time, then cook for a futher 10 minutes until crisp and deep golden all over. Drain the chips onto kitchen paper and serve straight away.