Definition: chips

This cooking method is particularly fatty, especially if it is not carried out rigorously. The food must be sealed in a kind of shell that prevents the fats from entering. While a potato contains only 0.5% fat, a chip contains approximately 25%. The fat content depends on the ratio of volume to surface area of the chip: the thinner the chip is cut, the greater the surface area in contact with the oil. Chips are therefore even higher in fat.

Mussels and chips for Belgians and fish and chips for the British are staples of popular cuisine, or at least of its folklore. But now, the largest quantity is sold as a standard accompaniment to fast food, which receives them frozen and pre-cooked. Research is underway to try to develop a starch coating that would reduce the dietary shortcomings while maintaining ease of use for chains.

The origin of the chip is unclear. Some say it comes from Belgium, others from Paris. A few centuries ago, the Meuse River was much more fish-rich than it is today. The inhabitants of the Namur region used to dip their lines in it and bring back small fish that they fried. But in winter, the fish remained well hidden at the bottom of the river and catches were rarer. To please his family, who were craving fish, a Namur resident had the idea of cutting potatoes, which his barn was full of, into the shape of small fish, which he fried in the same way.According to other sources, French fries originated in Paris, where bistros have always served steak and chips. As for the unique flavour of traditional Belgian French fries, compared to all their namesakes, it comes down to three details: double cooking, beef tallow and lard (pork fat).

The first frying in fat that is not too hot (170°C) cooks the potato flesh. A second, quicker frying at a higher temperature (190°C) hardens the outer layer of the flesh and gives Belgian chips their crispiness. Traditional chips are cooked in animal fat, known as beef tallow, which makes them fattier but much tastier. Finally, the semantic origin of American "French fries" is debated. Some believe that this expression comes from Ireland (a major consumer of potatoes) and was imported to the United States by immigrants fleeing famine in their country. Indeed, the verb "to French" means "to cut" in Irish. It therefore refers to "cut potatoes".

It is essential to dry the chips immediately after frying by placing them on a double layer of absorbent kitchen paper as soon as they come out of the fryer and wiping them to absorb all the oil on the surface while the steam is still escaping. This is because when they are fried and taken out of the oil, the chips are not greasy at all: the oil cannot penetrate them because it is driven out by the water in the potatoes evaporating during cooking (it is this steam that causes the bubbling). As soon as the chips begin to cool, the steam still present in the chip condenses into water, and more than 90% of the oil absorbed by the chip comes solely from its cooling, when the internal vacuum caused by condensation pumps the oil deposited on its surface.

When cooking, it is essential not to immerse the chips in the oil until it has reached the correct temperature (otherwise the surface of the chips will cook and dry too quickly, and will absorb oil before the centre of the chips is hot enough to produce steam). The chips should not be removed from the oil either.To test whether they are cooked, use a fork without removing all the chips from the oil. For those who prefer crispier chips, or if you have to wait halfway through cooking, pat them dry as soon as they come out of the oil halfway through cooking. The cooking time depends on the thickness of the chips.

Similarly, salting or adding herbs or spices should be done immediately after drying and not on the plate, while there is still steam. In this case, the salt dissolves better and, as it cools, impregnates the potato better, the flavour of the spices will be absorbed, and you can reduce the seasoning. Everything must be ready for these operations before the potatoes are taken out of the oven.

For the best taste in chips, for the vast majority of potato varieties, choose those with the highest dry matter content. The higher the dry matter content, the less oil the chips will absorb as they cool, and the chips will retain their texture without forming air pockets. The final weight of the chips, which is significantly lower than the weight of the raw potatoes, reflects the evaporation of their water content. Finally, all these precautions will be useless if you eat them with mayonnaise, which is more than 90% oil emulsion. Opt for herbs (coarsely chopped fresh parsley is perfect), spices (pepper, paprika, etc.), tomato purée (avoid ketchup, which is too sweet and too fatty). With the above precautions, you can prepare delicious chips even with new potatoes, which are richer in water and yet much more flavourful (do not cut them too thin), and therefore with less salt and without adding sauce.

These precautions also apply to any other fried food (fish, doughnuts, pommes dauphines). Deep-frying is actually a healthier cooking method and produces less fatty potatoes than pan-frying or baking pre-cooked frozen chips (which are already covered in fat).