Duck Fat Chips

Method

Soak the potatoes in water for about 30 minutes. I find that this removes some of the starchiness and thus provides the final chip with a crispier and fluffier texture.The next part of the process is to boil the cut potatoes in the duck fat, as you would in water. Melt the duck fat in a deep pan until it reaches 100 deg C - it is important to maintain the duck fat at about this temperature, which I monitor with a digital probe thermometer. Boil the potatoes until they become soft – should take about 15 minutes. During boiling carefully and occasionally agitate the potatoes so they do not stick to the pan. Once ready very carefully life them out and lay them out, on a baking sheet for example, and let them cool.Next I add the peanut oil to a large frying pan, along with the garlic cloves and rosemary sprigs and heat it to 180 deg C. This is the optimal temperature for getting that wonderfully brown and crispy surface. Carefully add the potatoes to the hot oil – depending on the size of your frying pan you may have to do these in batches. I have a very large Scanpan and can do these in one hit. When the chips are a deep golden brown colour – you will be able to feel the resistance when tapped, indicating the that outside has crisped then remove the chips from the pan, drain on absorbent paper and then salt with the finest sea salt – I use Maldon Sea Salt (from England). Stack them in a column as per Jenga, and enjoy.