It’s National Chip Week .. hurrah!.

"While many might think it’s a bit silly to dedicate an entire week of festivity to a bit of fried potato, I firmly believe that the humble chip is well worth celebrating, in all its many forms" said top Huddersfield chef Stephen Jackson.

"Let’s not be snobby; chips are a great British dish (even if the French invented them…shhh!)

"Many people ask me “What IS the perfect chip?”, to which I have to reply that there is no such thing. It all depends on context. The many shapes and sizes that all come under the general heading of ‘chips’ are all equally important, but must be kept to their historically specific uses. The fish and chips ‘chip’ should, of course, be fat and slightly soggy, to provide a textural counterpoint to the crispy batter. Plus, there’s more surface area to soak up all that lovely malt vinegar or lemon juice. But a plate of classic French bistro-style ‘steak frites’ must come with a pile of thinly cut, rustling ‘allumette’ potatoes, similar to the ones served in fast food joints. Roast game birds should traditionally be served with waffle-cut potatoes, and my Mum will agree with me that nothing accompanies a fish finger and packet parsley sauce like the crinkle-cut chip – perfect for sauce-shovelling!

"So, how to make the perfect chip at home, and where do people go wrong?"

Where we go wrong with chips:

The wrong type of potato

Many people are happy to pick up any old spud, hack the skin off, chop into shapes and fling it into a pan of hot fat. Oh dear. If there’s a crucial detail to chip-making, it’s the choice of potato. Often, the potatoes can be too old, and therefore have way too much starch, which results in over-browned chips which always have a strange sweet flavour to them. You must find a good, fresh, dense and floury baking-type potato like Estima or Maris Piper, which will crisp readily on the outside, whilst staying fluffy within, and stay that way for a decent length of time.

The wrong shape

Your chips must be cut uniformly, even if it means a little waste, as they will cook for the same length of time and you don’t want a pan full of half-ready, half-not chips.

The wrong temperature

A crucial detail here – for the perfect home-cooked chip you MUST cook the chips at least twice. Simply dropping potatoes into boiling fat will merely give you a plate of unappealing fried potatoes.

Keeping the chips waiting

Never a problem in my house, I can assure you, but believe it or not, some people leave the chips to ‘rest’ whilst attending to other things. The chips must be eaten the minute they leave the pan, in order to enjoy maximum freshness and crispiness.

My Perfect Chips (serves 6-8)

2½ kg Maris Piper, Romano or Estima potatoes

2 litres Vegetable or Groundnut oil

A sensibly-sized pan (with plenty of room!) plus basket

A cooking thermometer (ideally)

Maldon salt

Malt Vinegar (White Wine or Sherry Vinegar, if you’re feeling posh)

Firstly, peel your potatoes and cut into even chips. For home chips, I prefer to cut them to about 1½ to 2cm. thickness, neatly, and squared off at the ends (to avoid the thinner bits ‘catching’ too soon). Drop the finished potatoes into a bowl of cold water for 30 minutes to allow the starch to leach out. This is vital for a crispier-finished chip. Drain the chips, and pat dry with a kitchen towel.

Heat the pan of oil to 130C, and gently ‘poach’ the chips for about 10 minutes. They shouldn’t colour much. Remove from the oil, and place them in a single layer on a tray, then refrigerate them, uncovered, until needed (you can even do this the day before). The refrigeration allows the potatoes to desiccate slightly, which helps the crispness.

When you’re ready to go, heat the oil to 180C, and fry the chips until a lovely pale gold colour, about 10 minutes. Drain immediately on kitchen paper, and season well with salt. Sprinkle with vinegar if required and enjoy National Chip Week in style. Happy frying!