Potato Chips With Fleur De Sel De Guérande Recipes

FLEUR DE SEL CARAMELS

Steps:

• Prep the pan.
• Line an 8-inch-square baking pan with parchment paper, allowing it to drape over 2 sides, then brush the paper lightly with oil.
• Boil the sugar.
• In a deep saucepan (6 inches wide and 4 1/2 inches deep), combine 1/4 cup water, the sugar and corn syrup and bring them to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until the mixture is a warm golden brown. Don't stir -- just swirl the pan.
• Heat the cream.
• In the meantime, in a small pot, bring the cream, butter and 1 teaspoon of fleur de sel to a simmer over medium heat. Turn off the heat and set aside.
• Finish the caramel.
• When the sugar mixture is done, turn off the heat and slowly add the cream mixture to the sugar mixture. Be careful -- it will bubble up violently. Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon and cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, until the mixture reaches 248 degrees F (firm ball) on a candy thermometer.
• Fill the pan.
• Very carefully (it's hot!) pour the caramel into the prepared pan and refrigerate for a few hours, until firm.
• Cut the caramel.
• When the caramel is cold, pry the sheet from the pan onto a cutting board. Cut the square in half.
• Roll it up.
• Starting with a long side, roll the caramel up tightly into an 8-inch-long log.
• Cut into pieces.
• Sprinkle the log with fleur de sel, trim the ends and cut into 8 pieces. (Start by cutting the log in half, then continue cutting each piece in half until you have 8 equal pieces.) It's easier to cut the caramels if you brush the knife with flavorless oil like corn oil.
• Wrap the candies.
• Cut glassine or parchment paper into 4-by-5-inch pieces and wrap each caramel individually, twisting the ends. Store in the refrigerator and serve the caramels chilled.

SMALL POTATOES WITH FLEUR DE SEL

Steps:

• Place the potatoes in a large pot. Cover with 2 inches of water, and season with about 1 1/2 tablespoons sea salt. Bring to a boil, and cook until the potatoes are just tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain.
• In a large saute pan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes, and saute, shaking the pan from time to time, until the potatoes are browned in patches, 10 to 12 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with parsley, and serve, passing a small dish of fleur de sel at the table.

POTATO CHIPS WITH FLEUR DE SEL DE GUéRANDE

Steps:

• Slice the potatoes into paper-thin slices using a mandoline or a very sharp knife. As soon as the potatoes are sliced, put them in a bowl of ice water.
• Heat the oil to 325°F in an electric deep-fryer or a heavy deep saucepan. If using a saucepan, you will need a deep-fat fry thermometer to make sure that the oil stays at a constant temperature.
• Lift the potatoes from the water and arrange them in a single layer on a clean dish towel. Wrap the towel around the potatoes and wring out as much water from the potatoes as you can without crushing the slices. If the potatoes are still damp after the towel will absorb no more, transfer to another towel and wring again.
• Fry the potatoes in two batches; your goal is to make sure all the potato surfaces are in contact with the hot oil, so crowding is a no-no. Stir the slices as needed to keep them separate and fry until tender enough to become floppy, but not brown, about 4 minutes. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and put on a wire rack set on a sheet pan to catch the drips. Let cool.
• Once all the potatoes are fried and cooled, heat the oil to 375°F. Fry the once-fried potatoes in three batches until browned and crisp, 30 to 45 seconds per batch. Transfer onto a double layer of paper towels to drain. Immediately sprinkle the chips with the salt and serve warm. I like shaking the chips with salt in a paper bag to coat them better and to remove additional oil.
• Universal as the love of chips may be, not everyone agrees on what makes the perfect cut for a chip. Different chips can be turned to different purposes. Crinkle-cut chips prove best (or at least less frustrating) for dipping in clam dip. Thicker chips might do the job with steak tartare or Niçoise salad. Thinner chips may be best for light snacking with a sip of Highland single-malt whisky before or after dinner.