A steak restaurant without chips is a strange thing indeed.
It was not always this way. Potatoes arrived in Europe in the 16th century, and early British recipes even suggested frying them with sugar. Thankfully, better ideas prevailed. By the time American soldiers discovered fries in Europe during the First World War, a lifelong love affair had begun.
These days, chips are the default partner for steak. And like all simple things, they are deceptively difficult to get right.
We try to be seasonal wherever we can, but potatoes are the exception. They stay on the menu all year. Which is when the trouble starts.
Making great chips is not simple.
We use a triple-cooked method. Boiled, then fried, then fried again. Straightforward in theory, but full of opportunities to get it wrong. Too much water, too little salt, too long, not long enough. A careful “chuff” after boiling to create the rough edges that turn crisp in the fryer. Proper cooling. Then two precise fries.
And then there is what we cook them in.
Our fries are cooked in beef fat. It gives them a crisp shell and a fluffy center without the greasiness. There is science behind it, something about how solid fats handle heat, but the important bit is this. They taste better.
We finish them with salt and a light mist of malt vinegar. That is all they need.
There are easier ways to make chips. Some involve long lists of ingredients that sound more at home in a lab than a kitchen.
We stick to potatoes. And beef fat.
And every time something is not quite right, we try to make the next batch better.
