Heston Blumenthal's potatoes cooked in hay, with an injection of ketchup

Serves 4  
Preparation time: overnight
Cooking time: 30 mins to 1 hour

Ingredients
600g/1lb 5oz Golden Wonder potatoes
320g/11oz hay, soaked in water overnight
groundnut oil, for frying
tomato ketchup

You will also need:
a syringe
a blowtorch

Method
1. Drain the soaked hay and gently pat dry. Put the dry hay in a heat-resistant metal bowl. Using a blow torch, carefully singe the hay to bring out the flavour (have some water nearby in case it catches fire). Put the singed hay in a large casserole dish and add water to cover by 4cm/1.5in. Bring to the boil and leave to simmer on a low heat for 15 minutes then remove the casserole dish from the heat and leave to infuse for 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, cut the potatoes into chips 1.5cm/0.5in thick and rinse under cold running water for five minutes. Add the potato chips to the hay and cook on a low heat until very soft (close to the point of disintegrating).

3. Remove the potatoes very carefully and cool to room temperature on a cake rack. When cool transfer the chips to the fridge for 1-2 hours (this removes the excess water).

4. Heat the groundnut oil in a deep fat fryer to 140C/284F/Gas 1. Add the potato chips and fry until a crust forms (don't let them colour). Drain the chips and place them on absorbent kitchen paper for a few seconds before cooling, then increase the temperature of the oil in the fryer to 190C/374F/Gas 5 and cook the chips again until golden and crisp.

5. Drain again on kitchen paper, salt and use the syringe to inject ketchup inside the chips. Serve.