Going Dutch in the chippy

Ever wondered what the French eat on their fries or the Canadians chow with their chips? Hannah Williams went on a hunt to discover the dirty and divine chip accompaniments served around the world.

I really love chips shops. Not just because of the crispy batter dripping in fat or the scrumptious squidgy chips, though those are mighty fine. But for me it’s all about the curious array of chip shop extras you find languishing in jars or vats behind the counter.

I once dated a man from Wigan who actually asked for ‘pea wet’ – the watery juice that’s left behind when you dish out mushy peas – with his chips. (He also called a steak and kidney pudding a ‘babby’s head’ but we won’t go there.) Whatever your taste persuasion; pickled eggs, gravy, curry sauce, there’s a host of opportunities behind that counter, all for under a £1.

Chippies are one of the things that make me most proud to be British. They’re an institution other nationalities can only look upon with envy. What’s the Swedish equivalent of a battered sausage? Do the Dutch feel bereft without mushy peas? Eager to understand the woes felt by our foreign cousins I went on a hunt to discover the dirty and divine chip accompaniments served around the world.

Turning fries French
Now the French obviously know a thing or two about fries so I was expecting their offering to be impressive – and I wasn’t disappointed. Remoulade is a bit like a mixture between tartare sauce and mayonnaise and is commonly served avec frites across the Channel. Fresh, light and luscious, it tasted delicious with chips and would make a winning partner to any battered fish.

The Dutch go nuts
When I think satay I think chicken, but not so in the Netherlands. It’s common practice in Holland to purchase a portion of chips with a side order of peanut sauce. Sweet and savoury, on soggy chips? I wasn’t convinced. The texture of semi-soft sauce and squidgy chip set my teeth on edge but my opinion was by no means the mainstream. Lots of my tasting panel loved it. Maybe one for the walk back from the pub?

Now to get really filthy
A popular chip accompaniment in Quebec is poutine; a rich sauce made from gravy and curd cheese. Now, I love gravy and I love cheese, but together, on chips? According to the Canadians on the panel you’d only eat it if you were very cold or very drunk. I was neither but astonishingly it didn’t taste too bad. It didn’t look great but it had a creamy, spicy quality that was not altogether unpleasant. In fact the Scottish members of the panel loved it. But then we all know what happens in their chip shops…

So the verdict: mayo and pickle, good; peanuts and chips, less so; and gravy with cheese, curiously, maybe. Hats off to the brave contenders; they gave it their best effort. But rest easy curry sauce, your job is safe.

Try them for yourself…

Remoulade recipe
Ingredients
2 tbsp chopped cornichon
1 tbsp chopped capers
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tbsp chopped tarragon
1 tbsp chopped chives
1 tbsp chopped Dijon mustard
Approx 4 tbsp mayonnaise or to taste

Method: How to make remoulade
Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl and serve.

Click here for our satay sauce recipe

Poutine recipe
Ingredients
A handful of cheese curd diced
A cupful of gravy
Portion of chips

Method: How to make poutine
Scatter the cheese over your chips and pour on the gravy. It really is that simple and, erm, delicious.

Permalink||(0) Comments