Product developer and chef Vivian Villa says adding lemon to frozen chips after cooking makes them "taste like heaven", delivering a "tasty balance to their crispy saltiness".
Frozen chips are a convenient but often bland side dish. While they can be seasoned with salt, truffle oil or parmesan, lemon is an ingredient many home cooks overlook. The acid acts as a natural flavour enhancer, commonly used on foods such as cabbage and avocados.
How to add lemon to frozen chips
Speaking to Food Republic, Vivian explained: "The acid provides a nice balance, cutting through the richness of a crispy fry." She suggested mixing lemon juice and zest into fine salt, or squirting fresh lemon around the inside of the bowl so the fries get "kissed by the lemon juice without getting soggy". Finishing with lemon zest, salt and pepper completes the dish.
Timing is crucial. Vivian instructed: "For maximum lemon [flavour] on your fries, it's always best to add after the cooking process, as the high heat will destroy any [flavours] added beforehand." Adding lemon juice to other seasonings or lightly dressing the bowl with juice and zest, then tossing to coat, keeps fries crispy with a fresh lemon tang.
Other ways to add citrus flavour
To get the most juice from a fresh lemon, Vivian recommended: "Twisting a fork into the lemon is the best way to release every last drop of juice." She added that you shouldn't "forget to zest the lemon [before] you [juice it]". Even zest alone, without juice, can deliver that citrus note when combined with preferred seasonings.
For a quicker option, a lemon aioli made by combining mayonnaise with fresh lemon juice and garlic adds a citrus twist. If fresh lemons are unavailable, a lemon pepper seasoning blend, which usually contains genuine lemon components such as lemon peel and lemon oil, can provide a similar vibrant taste. While fresh lemon remains the ideal choice, these alternatives work well when a speedy solution is needed.
