Vegan Recipe: Oven chips. So simple and inexpensive to make.
Homemade French Fries.
Today, I would like to share my recipe for oven chips. There is no need to continue the everlasting debate that the French and Belgian have over who invented the French Fries first? What's important is that they are so good to eat, and that's it! In Ireland, we eat a lot of potatoes, cooked in every possible and imaginable manner. I am no exception to that tradition.
I stopped using a deep fat fryer a long time ago, maybe it's because of a previous work experience when I used to work in Mc Donalds in the French Alpes. I worked there for nearly a year. It was 23 years ago already! Wow! Time flies. Great memories though, I was passing my drivers test at the time. The team were really great. At the time I would be quite often at the "Chip Station", especially at rush hour. Depending on the person that I would be with my arms used to be in such a state, I would have burns on my forearms with the mark of the chip pan!
Anyway, since then I really don't like greasy cooking. I still love my chips though, I'm not complicated, I promise! LOL! I've been making oven chips for a long time, firstly because, I have to be honest, always had a fear of that bubbling hot oil in the pan. Secondly, generally, deep fat fried chips are twice as greasy as oven cooked chips.
In 2015, when I started checking the ingredients on the packets of everything that I would buy in the store, my oven chips were also on the list. I was so surprised at the ingredients that are added to the potatoes, regardless of the brand. So I stopped buying oven chips and went looking for different recipes. With the price of potatoes being between 1 & 2€ / kg here in France, it's still an inexpensive ingredient to add to your weekly menus. The best potatoes for making chips are the Binjte variety. They are also the easiest to grow yourself. Did you know that you can even grow potatoes in large flower pots? Yep! No need for a large garden.
This is the recipe that I use the most.
Ingredients:
2/3 potatoes per person.
Olive oil.
Parsley.
Garlic.
Salt & Pepper.
Method:
Peel 2 to 3 potatoes per person. The longer the potatoes are the longer the chips will be. Once you have peeled them, cut them into slices then into sticks. The size of the chips is really up to you. Some people like skinny chips, others will prefer thicker ones. Just bear in mind that the thicker they are, the longer they are to cook.
Place the freshly cut chips into a large bowl. Rinse them until the water is clear. Pour out the water, then place the chips on a clean tea-towel and dry them. It is important that the chips be dry otherwise the oil will not stick to the chips. This is actually one of the reasons why a lot of brands add flour to their potato chips and therefore the reason why frozen chips are not suitable for people who are gluten intolerant.
Rince and try the bowl, put the chips back in. For your own ease, choose a bowl that is bigger than the number of chips.
Add two to three spoons of Olive Oil, depending on the number of chips that you are making, personally, I prefer Olive oil. Stir the chips to ensure that all of the chips are coated in oil.
You can season the chips as you wish. Today, I used fresh parsley from the garden and garlic. Finely chop both, then add them to the chips and stir again. You can also add salt & pepper, I avoid using salt for the children.
Next, spread the chips out on an oven tray that you have already covered with greaseproof paper. Try to avoid having too many on top of each other so that they can all cook evenly.
There you have it! Place them in a preheated oven at 220°C. Cook them for 10min, then stir them on the try to help them cook evenly and quickly. Place them back in the oven for another 10min. The cooking time depends on the thickness of your chips so keep an eye on them coming up to the end of the cooking time.
Take them out of the oven when they are nice and golden. Don't be surprised if your children come into the kitchen to find out what's cooking, they smell as good as they taste.
Serve them with a side dish of your choice. I will add more photos as I test different spices and oils. As unusal as it may seem, chips / french fries are not to be banished from your diet even if you are on a diet. You guys know I'm anti-diet and a firm believer that a balanced diet is more important and more effective. Potatoes / starchy foods are very important, the trick is in what you eat them with. Preferably green veggies that are rich in fibers. Try to make your own sauces to avoid exces sugar and salt.
Today I served mine with grated zucchini, bell peppers cut in small bits, and some cherry tomatoes from the garden. I hope you enjoy the recipe, if you are like me, Chips are one of my favorite comfort foods, which means it releases endorphin, the happy molecule to your brain. So enjoy your food, just be reasonable.
Bon appétit my friends !
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