A product developer and chef says adding one simple ingredient to frozen chips after cooking makes them “taste like heaven”. The ingredient is lemon, which provides a “tasty balance to their crispy saltiness”.
Why lemon works on frozen chips
The idea of adding lemon juice to frozen fries isn't nearly as strange as it sounds. It’s a natural flavour enhancer, used on things like cabbage and avocados.
Speaking to Food Republic, Vivian Villa said: “The acid provides a nice balance, cutting through the richness of a crispy fry.
“Try mixing lemon juice and zest into fine salt or squirting fresh lemon around the inside of the bowl, allowing the fries to get kissed by the lemon juice without getting soggy — zest of lemon, salt, and pepper to finish.”
How to make frozen chips tastier
There's not a lot of technique involved with adding lemon to your frozen chips, but the point at which you do so is important for getting the best results.
The chef 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 the juice and zest (rather than the fries), then tossing to coat, will ensure your fries will be crispy with that fresh lemon tang.”
Other ways to upgrade frozen chips with lemons
To give your frozen chips a zesty lemon boost, Vivian also offered a helpful tip for squeezing the most juice out of a fresh lemon. She said: “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].
Just the lemon zest by itself, without any juice, can bring that wonderful citrussy taste to your chips. It's easy; just toss your fries together with the zest and your favourite seasonings, and you're all set.
You can also give frozen chips a citrussy kick by whipping up a quick lemon aioli by mixing mayonnaise with fresh lemon juice and garlic. If you don’t have any fresh lemons to hand, you can also sprinkle on some lemon pepper seasoning blend for that bright citrus flavour you're craving. These seasoning mixes typically feature real lemon ingredients like lemon peel and lemon oil, so you'll still get that authentic taste. While fresh lemon is always the way to go, these alternatives are perfect when you need a quick fix.
