Intro
In a recent cooking class I taught we made homemade potato chips. We then sprinkled said chips with a spice mix composed of fennel seeds, coriander, fennel pollen and salt and pepper. Since that class I can’t stop making these chips. Please, help me stop making these chips.
They are light and airy, fried to a deep, dark golden crisp and have such an intriguing and unique flavor from the Fennel rub. I really need help.
Remember the last time I talked about Fennel Pollen? Oh come on, I know you do. Those shortbread cookies with onion jam? Seriously, everything fennel pollen touches becomes somehow magical. It is like Fennel in that it has a lovely black licorice flavor but it is also floral – less harsh and so much more complex.
Of course you don’t need the fennel pollen to make these chips irresistible. Try Chili Salt or Truffle Salt or even Vanilla Salt. But for now I’m sticking with the Fennel Spice Mix – unless someone comes over here and stops me – which you really should do except I must warn you, I’m very pregnant and hormonal and not afraid to hit if someone tries to take away my chips.
Homemade Potato Chips
Homemade Potato Chips with Fennel Spice Rub
4 russet (baking) potatoes (about 2 pounds)
about 4 cups canola oil for deep-frying
Using a mandoline, cut potato into paper-thin slices (about 1/16 inch thick) and let potato slices stand 5 minutes in a bowl of cold water to cover.
Drain potato slices and spread without overlapping on a triple layer of paper towels. Blot slices completely dry with another triple layer of paper towels.
In a 3-quart saucepan heat oil until a deep-fat thermometer registers 360-380°F. Working in batches of 8 to 10 slices, fry potatoes, moving them around with a slotted spoon or spider, until golden, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, making sure oil returns to 360-380°F before adding next batch. Transfer chips as fried with a large slotted spoon to paper towels to drain and sprinkle with Fennel Spice Rub. Continue to pat dry, cut, dry, and fry remaining potatoes in same manner. Potato chips may be made 2 days ahead and kept in an airtight container.
Fennel Spice Rub
2 tsp fennel seeds, toasted and ground
1/2 tsp fennel pollen (optional)
1/2 tsp coriander, toasted and ground
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
Toast fennel and coriander seeds in a dry, heavy bottomed pan over medium heat. Grind seeds and peppercorns in a spice grinder or mortar & pestle to a fine powder. Add salt and fennel pollen and stir to combine.
Alas, my current activity level does not permit such treats…
Great photos and lovely post
The pictures are so gorgeous… I can truly understand how hard it would be to stop making something so addictive. I think its setting off a chain reaction… I feel an overwhelming need to whip out some potatoes and make a batch of my own!
People, I have eaten these chips and they are to die for!
I am already addicted to store bought potato chips (although I don’t like them here in Berlin as much as I did in London. Sorry!) if I made my own and if they are that good, well – dangerous. Chips, crisps are a serious vice of mine. Although even as I type this I am wondering if I can get fennel pollen at Ka De We’s food hall… I have no self control it seems!
Is this from the class you taught at the Market?
Next time you teach a class on a day I’m working, I’ll pop over with delicious chocolate!
what a great idea!
Looks delicious!
This definitely inspires me to not just grab a packet from the shelf. Awesome pictures!!
Perfection. Seriously. Home made potato chips are possibly one of our most favorite things. And this fennel rub!? Holy cow. Is it bad if we make these for breakfast?
Oh wow. The last thing I need is another excuse to eat something fried or sugared right now. But I LOVE fennel. These chips sound amazing. I am breaking out my saucepan … now!
It is official: i absolutely must get a mandoline. These look incredible. And fennel pollen? Oh the culinary world is getting so very clever! Thanks!
Potato chip perfection! Love the fennel flavor.
Ohhhhh, I remember pregnant and hormonal! I wish I’d had these chips at the time 🙂
Congrats on the baby!
Your photos are beautiful. They chips look amazing.
I used to work at a pub that served their own homemade potato chips. Once I tasted those crispy dears, still warm and perfectly seasoned, nothing compared. Your photos and intriguing spice rub have rekindled the craving.
Excellent photos and very interesting Fennel Spice Rub. If you wont mind I’d love to guide Foodista readers to your post. Just add the foodista widget to the end of this post so it will appear in the Foodista pages and it’s all set, Thanks!
Yum, those look delicious! You’re lucky – my midwife banned me from chips a month or two ago – blood pressure, you know 🙁
These pictures make me think I can reach out and pick up a chip! So awesome. And of course, they really are wonderful.
They look delicious! I’ve done a similar thing with butternut and beetroot. Combine those chips with your potato chips for multi-coloured (and healthy!) snack! 🙂
Two things- for Betsy if you make them yourself, you can cut way back on the salt…
Also, Ashley- we like to bake ours in the oven. till just crisp. For sure it’s a different animal, and we spice/salt them before cooking, and the spices seem to stick/soak into the chips really well! We will have to try frying them, and no I am not trying to tell a pregnant woman what to eat or how to do something. 😉
oh, to own a mandoline! one day my friend…one day.
I don’t mind some of these!!
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so gorgeous! that spice mix puts these chips over the top!!
Wow, these look great!
I’ve always liked bistro potato chips, but never attempted my own. Yours looks so good that I’m bookmarking this and trying it out.
They look so pro!
Made these – excellent!!! One problem – ate the entire batch myself on the first day – a few here and there – then they were just gone! Maybe elves came in while I was out and ate them?? Chips are my weakness – I’ll have to be careful with this one.
Jill – I just love it when people come back after making the recipes on the site and are so happy. Thank you for sharing your experience – next time share the chips!! 🙂
yeah…..I wouldn’t stop you eating these. I’m an enabler. Then again these sound so good, that if I were in the vicinity you might have to hide them from me cause I’d eat all I could.
We use the fennel pollen here in a couple of salt mixes. In the UK, we call the fennel pollen “Spice of Angels”, which captures its delicate flavour really neatly, but it is expensive.
Wow, the first time I’ve seen fennel pollen used in a recipe in years! I got mine online at earthy.com a while ago. The chips look heavenly!
I tried making homemade potato chips but they weren’t nearly as good as the bagged chips. I haven’t given up on finding a good recipe. Thanks for sharing this. I will try to make this soon.
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can the oil that we fry the french fries in be used again, and if so, how many times.
Great question. Yes it can! I use it about three times before I throw it out.
after see this pic my mouth watering. i love potato and chips also.potato is my favorite food.
thanks for sharing Ashley Rodriguez