Allow Me to Suggest Inverted Chips and Dip

Photo: Olga Dubravina (Shutterstock)

Last weekend was a very social one. I met my gym friends for lunch, then walked to one of Portland’s bougiest grocers (Providore) to pick up snacks for my next engagement. My original plan was to make Russian nachos with plain potato chips, caviar, and crème fraîche, but there was no caviar to be found. I had to adapt, so I reached for some flavorful chips, but kept the crème fraîche, to make inverted chips & dip.

Photo: Claire Lower

Usually, when one is pairing chips with dip, the configuration is a plain chip—such as salted potato or tortilla—served with a flavor-packed dip, like queso, caramelized onion, or even something a little more out there like caramelized pickle. This is done to avoid flavor clashing, so the dip and chip are not in competition. The chip provides the texture and structure, while the dip provides creamy flavor. It’s a beautiful relationship.

But I did not want my Iberian ham chips to compete with caramelized onions. The flavor was just too perfect. I don’t know how the flavor scientists at Torres managed to nail the flavor of “aged fat,” but they did, and it’s incredible to behold. The fried egg chips are similarly uncanny. Instead of hiding their respective lights under a bushel of salty dip, I decided to invert the classic chip & dip formula, and dip them in delicate crème fraîche, which added luxurious creaminess without competing with the chip.

But you don’t have to buy fancy, obscurely flavored chips to enjoy inverted chips and dip. Try a Dorito in plain sour cream, or a za’atar flavored pita chip in unflavored labneh. Sour cream is particularly welcome on hot chip(s), as it tempers the heat and lets you eat more hot chip(s). When in doubt, crème fraîche always work; it’s just so elegantly unassuming. (Did I also dip both chips into some pimento cheese at the same time? Yes, but that’s only because I wanted a ham, egg, and cheese. There is always a method to my madness.)