Bob Hart's Perfect Fries

The problem with cooking fries, or chips, are numerous: for one thing, the traditional method of deep frying twice in increasingly hot oil is downright dangerous, and has cost a few people their houses, and taught a lot more about the horrors of oil scalds. A deep fryer helps, but it is still a messy, tedious process.

New research by French chef Joel Robuchon, the man who taught us to make perfect mash, has provided an interesting alternative. He has discovered that potatoes put in cold oil and brought to a rolling boil, at a slightly lower temperature than the old chip temperature (180 C), cook perfectly, and retain less fat than the traditionally cooked chips.

Further research shows that the use of waxy, rather than the traditional floury potatoes, improves things. This is pretty amazing stuff, but try it for yourself. Try Nicola or, my favourites, Dutch Creams. All are at about $3.99 kg at the moment. And while we are on the subject, never buy those cheap, washed spuds. They are shockers. Trust me.

So, cut 1kg of waxy spuds into thin (less than 1cm square) chips and put in a wide, deep pot with about 6 cups of peanut oil. Turn on the heat and, in about 25 minutes, you will be amazed to discover you have perfect chips after you have dried them on kitchen towels and salted them. Try it�

Also, should we dip chips into tomato sauce, the Australian way, or mayo, the European way? Well, try this: make a dip with 5tbs Best Foods mayo, 3 tbs tomato sauce, 1 pressed garlic clove, good dash of Tabasco and a generous pinch of salt.

Mix, dip, say thank you.