Hot Potato Chips with Blue Cheese Sauce

Let's face it, hot fresh potato chips are addictive.  Hot potato chips seasoned with salt, served with a warm blue cheese dipping sauce, and made with a quality blue cheese like Maytag (Yes, these are the folks that make your home appliances, too.)  Lord help me, because I can't stop myself.

If you are really in a pinch you can take a really good quality potato chip and heat them in your oven at 350 degrees F for 5 minutes...It's the sauce that steals the show, but I am partial to a fresh made potato chips.

Hot Potato Chips with Blue Cheese Sauce

Serves 8

Recipe from Bobby Flay's Bar Americain

Blue Cheese Sauce

Ingredients:

2 cups whole milk

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 small Spanish onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

Pinch of Cayenne

1/2 pound blue cheese, crumbled, plus 1/4 cup for garnish

Potato Chips

Ingredients:

4 large Idaho potatoes, peeled and sliced lengthwise 1/8-inch thick on a mandoline

2 quarts peanut or canola oil

Kosher Salt

Directions:

1.  Pour the milk into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat.

2.  melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook until soft.  Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.  Slowly whisk in the warm milk and continue whisking until thickened, about 2 minutes.  Season with the salt and cayenne.  Remove from the heat and stir in the blue cheese.  If the sauce is to thick, thin with a little extra milk.

3.  Place the potato slices on a baking sheet between layers of paper towels to make sure they are very dry before frying.

4.  Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until it reaches 375 degrees F. on a deep-fat thermometer.  Fry the potatoes in small batches until golden brown on both sides, turning once, about 2 minutes.  remove with a slotted spoon and place on a brown paper bag or another baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain.  Immediately season with salt.

5.  Pour the sauce into a bowl and top with the remaining 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese and the chopped chives.  Place the bowl in the center of large platter and arrange the potato chips around the bowl.

Enjoy!