CHIPS BUTTY WITH HOMEMADE CHIPS

Chips Butty with Homemade Chips image

A bit ago I published a recipe for a Bacon Butty... A heart stopper to be sure. Another very popular sandwich in the UK is called a Chips Butty. In this recipe, chips or what we call in the US, French Fries, are placed between two pieces of buttered toasted bread, with a bit of ketchup, or brown sauce. As with the Bacon Butty, it's all about the quality of the bacon; with this recipe it's all about the chips. And to make this recipe a bit more on the healthy side, we're going to make our homemade chips in the oven.

Provided by Andy Anderson ! @ThePretentiousChef

Number Of Ingredients 11

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Ingredients

HOMEMADE CHIPS
2 pound(s) desiree potatoes
2 quart(s) water
1 tablespoon(s) salt, table variety
2 tablespoon(s) paprika, if you want a bit of a kick use the hot variety
1 tablespoon(s) salt, kosher variety, or to taste
THE SANDWICH
4 slice(s) white bread, fresh and soft
- butter, salted
- ketchup or a brown sauce (like hp), to taste
- a good "proper" british vinegar (optional)

Steps:

Terminology: I did find out that The word butty is a contraction of "bread and butter" that came from the northern UK.
Peel the potatoes, and thickly slice.
Chef's Note: What's a desiree potato? It's a very waxy type of potato, more common in Europe that in the US. However, the good ole' red potato, or even a golden potato do quite fine. Just get really big ones, so you can get some hefty potato slices for the chips. It might be tempting to use the russet potato, but don't.
Bring a large pot of water up to a rolling boil, and add a tablespoon of table salt.
Drop the sliced potatoes into the water, for 3 minutes.
Immediately, drain them through a colander, and run cold water over them for 30 to 60 seconds.
Place the chips in a large bowl, season with the paprika, and kosher salt, and then toss to thoroughly combine.
Place a rack in the middle position, and preheat the oven to 450f (230c).
Place a cooling rack on a baking sheet, and put the chips on it in a single layer.
Chef's Note: If you use a cooling rack, it raises the chips off the baking sheet, and allows them to crisp on all sides without turning. If you are not using a cooling rack, you will want to turn the chips over halfway through the baking process.
Chef's Tip: Not all ovens are created equal. Keep an eye on the chips as they cook, and remove them from the oven when they are nicely browned, regardless of the time.
While the chips are baking, toast and butter the bread. It should be noted that many of the shops that serve this tasty treat do not toast the bread... I do.
Chef's Tip: Butter is used in sandwiches because of the oily layer that the butter creates that stops the bread from going soggy due to the wet, hot ingredients. In addition, it adds another layer of flavor to the otherwise dry bread.
Remove the chips from the oven, and place a double layer on two the bread slices, and then top with the other slice. Serve immediately.
Chef's Note: If you're looking for some good homemade ketchup with a bit of a kick, check out my recipe for https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/main-course/main-course-pork/the-ultimate-bacon-butty-bacon-sandwich.html
Chef's Note: An additional item; besides the ketchup and/or brown sauce, you might add a splash of a good vinegar. That's what I like.
Serving Tip: This recipe will produce more chips that you will need for the two sandwiches... or maybe you don't want them between bread. In that case these are excellent with a bit of sauce and a splash of vinegar, all by themselves... Enjoy.
Keep the faith, and keep cooking.