Collaborative Post
Winner winner, chip-butty dinner
“Daaad! What’s for dinner?”, the kids yell from the other room. It’s been a long, busy day and you’re just not up to cooking a full-on meal. You’ve no energy left. You’re up for something with minimal effort; a good measure of comfort food. Pizza? Nah. Stir fry? Nah. Chip butty? Now who could resist? Surely a winner for the whole family, right? And quite frankly, what tantalises the tastebuds more than a satisfying chip butty in crusty soft bread, coated with lashings of your favourite sauce? Your mouth is watering at the thought. And the best part is that it takes no more than 10 minutes to prepare and around half-an-hour to cook (depending on how well done you like your chips). Yes, winner winner, chip butty dinner it is.
Getting started
Okay, it’s time to get to work and dig out the spuds, get the oven on, track down those herbs and spices and that loaf of bread. Let’s make this a chip butty to remember.
Starting with the potatoes. Give them a good rinse and peel them. If the kids have a particularly sweet tooth (and which kids don’t?), throw a few sweet potatoes into the mix. As well as bringing some brightness to their butty, they’re brimming full of key vitamins, including A, C, E and K. They also cook faster than white potatoes too, which means you’ll be tucking in in no time.
Now, how do you like your chips – a little chunky? Chop them about a finger-width wide. Want a bit of fun? Chop them into shapes – the kids will love them. Or carve them into letters to spell out your kids’ names; they’ll love the personal touch. If the kids love veggies and you have some spare, carrot and parsnip chips taste great and will add an earthy, flavour-packed sweetness to the butty.
If French fries are more your style and you are short of time but are still craving a great butty, get yourself a pack of McCain’s French Fries and the kids will never know the difference. You can still add the herbs, garlic and spices to make the butty one to remember.
It’s now time to get the oven on and up to temperature. Gas Mark 6 or 200°C should do the trick.
Before they’re oven ready, you’ll need to par-boil the potatoes for around 5 minutes (slightly longer if chunky) in boiling water. Once the potatoes are par-boiled, strain and dab slightly with kitchen roll, then place on the tray and drizzle a little cooking oil over them. They’re now oven ready.
If chips are too bland for the kids, why not spice things up a little before popping in the oven? Those herbs in the cupboard? Give them a whirl. Sprinkle on mixed herbs – oregano, rosemary or garlic granules. Even a subtle shake of chilli powder will add extra heat and spice to give your butty an extra kick. Yummy.
Cooking the chips
Don’t forget to set the timer for 35 minutes because those beauties will cook quickly. Once in the oven, don’t forget to check your chips every 10 minutes or so. Give them a gentle shake a few times to ensure they cook well on all sides.
They’re almost done. The house is filled with the aroma of chips!
The butty
Now to the bread: some like it firm; some like it soft. Choose the kids’ favourite bread and mix things up a little. Try a half wholemeal and half white, or if adventurous try a baguette and see who has the longest bite. Tiger bread is great and chopping it into inch-thick slices makes the butty a monster meal wait until you sink your teeth into that beauty!
Don’t forget the condiments; will it be ketchup, brown sauce, mayonnaise, or malt vinegar? Or a bit of everything? Have them close to hand and apply liberally.
It’s now time to butter the bread choosing your favourite spread; be generous and make sure it covers the bread. Or if you’re feeling creative, drizzle over a little olive oil instead, adding a delicious fresh, zingy flavour.
Scatter the chips on your bread, leaving the butty open to spell out the kids’ names in chips, this way you’ll be the best dad!
Winner winner, time for dinner!
Now time to tuck into your delicious feast. Enjoy the greatest chip butty ever made!
If your chips weren’t a winner, why not nip out and try McCain’s French Fries, cooked from frozen and oven ready in 14-16 minutes your kids will never know the difference!
