POTATO CHIPS WITH MAYTAG BLUE CHEESE

“If you looked across the restaurant, it was the appetizer on every table,” recalled former Star 94 morning cohost Vikki Locke.“i would always say I was only going to have two. I’m not sure it was humanly possible to only eat two of those things. They were instantly addictive.”

6 to 8 large potatoes oil for frying kosher salt BECHAMEL SAUCE:

2 cups milk

1 cup heavy cream 4 tablespoons butter

6 ounces cream cheese 5 ounces grated Parmesan 5 ounces crumbled Maytag blue

cheese (about 1 cup) 4 cups crumbled Maytag blue

cheese for sprinkling

Peel the potatoes and slice thinly with a mandoline. Wash the potato slices to extract starch. Drain the slices and deep-fry in oil in small batches, until crisp, at 350 degrees. (Do not fry too dark, as the chips will be baked in the oven later.) After frying, drain the chips and salt them immediately with kosher salt; set aside.

To make the sauce: In a large saucepan, bring the milk and cream to a boil. Remove from the heat; add butter and cream cheese, Parmesan and 5 ounces of blue cheese, whisking constantly, until melted. If lumpy, mix in the blender until smooth.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Pour 2 to 4 tablespoons sauce on an 8-inch ovenproof plate. Mound chips high on the plate and cover with about ½ cup sauce, or to taste. Generously sprinkle with Maytag blue cheese and bake for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Any leftover sauce or cheese can be used on baked potatoes or pasta.

Note: Maytag blue cheese is available at some specialty markets and supermarkets with well-stocked cheese shops. It also can be ordered online at maytagdairyfarms.com. Makes 12 servings (1 quart of sauce).

Per serving: 555 calories, 42 grams fat, 106 milligrams cholesterol, 1,024 milligrams sodium.