Oh Heavens: Lard-fried Potato Chips with Smoked Paprika & Scallions

Ingredients

• 2 tsp paprika smoked spanish
• 2 lbs russet potatoes 
• 1 bunch scallions sliced ( as thinly as possible)
• 5 servings unrefined sea salt as needed
• 1 packet starter culture fresh dissolved in 1/2 cup water, or 1/2 cup whey)
• 5 servings water filtered as needed
• 2 cups pastured lard for frying
• 2 cups pastured lard for frying

Equipment

• frying pan
• knife
• mixing bowl
• mandoline
• kitchen towels
• slotted spoon

Directions

1. Slice the potatoes as thinly as possible (no thicker than 1/32-inch) using a mandolin. If you don’t have a mandoline, get one; they’ll cut smoothly, thinly and more uniformly than the best knife and are essential in preparing many dishes, not just homemade potato chips.Toss the potatoes into a large mixing bowl with starter culture and water, to cover. Allow the potatoes to culture in the water for one to two days at room temperature.After one to three days of fermentation, drain the potatoes and rinse them well. Pat them as dry as possible with a kitchen towel.Melt lard in a frying pan over a moderately high flame.Fry potato chips, in small batches so that the chips float freely in the lard and turning as necessary, until crispy and cooked through – about two minutes.
2. Drain the homemade potato chips on a kitchen towel, wait a minute or two and then return them to the frying pan for another thirty to forty-five seconds per batch.
3. Remove them with a slotted spoon and drain them again.Season with sliced scallions, Spanish paprika and unrefined sea salt.
4. Serve these homemade potato chips immediately or store in an airtight container at room temperature for one to two weeks (if they last that long!)