'Proper' chips with Cornish cheddar and black truffle
Paul Ainsworth's proper chips are triple cooked for crispy outsides and fluffy insides, then covered in melted cheese and a beefy Madeira mayonnaise.
Ingredients
For the truffle Madeira mayonnaise
- 500ml/18fl oz beef stock
- 200ml/7fl oz Madeira
- 100ml/3½fl oz port
- 2 large free-range egg yolks
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
- 400ml/14fl oz rapeseed oil
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú truffle paste
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the 'proper' chips
- 10 large chipping potatoes, washed, peeled and cut into 5cm/2in chips
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 bay leaf
- rapeseed oil, for frying
- Cornish sea salt
To finish
Method
To make the mayonnaise, start by making a beef Madeira reduction. Combine the beef stock, 150ml/5fl oz Madeira and the port in a pan and reduce to a glaze, then finish with the remaining 50ml/2fl oz of Madeira. Set aside.
Whisk the egg yolks, mustard and vinegar with a good pinch of salt until well combined, then slowly add the oil in a steady stream, whisking constantly until emulsified and thick. Finish with the truffle paste, Madeira reduction and any additional seasoning it needs. Pour into a piping bag or plastic bottle to make it easier to finish the dish.
To make the chips, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and add the potatoes. Simmer until just cooked through but still holding together, about 3–4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain, then allow to cool to room temperature before refrigerating until completely chilled.
Heat the oil to 150C. CAUTION: Hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended. Deep fry the chips for 6–7 minutes, then remove from the hot oil and allow to cool.
Increase the oil temperature to 180C. Preheat the grill at the same time. Fry the chips until golden and crispy, about 4 minutes, then drain on kitchen paper and season with sea salt.
Toss the chips with half the cheddar, then put them into a couple of large, ovenproof dishes. Sprinkle the rest of the cheddar on top and grill until melted and bubbling. You may have to do this in batches depending on the size of your dishes and grill.
Finish with the Parmesan, truffle mayonnaise, chopped chives and fresh black truffle.
Recipe Tips
A few rough edges on your chips will give you extra crunchy chips!