Leapsticks on the Timeline
Based on:
TypeSide dish
Serves4 people
DateSeptember 10, 2026
Crispy potato sticks as a clock hand, with a sharp dip: a wink to the vanishing leap second.
Crispy, elongated potato sticks with a sharp lime-pepper dip, stacked diagonally like a clock hand just about to jump. The plate shows a clock with a single slanted 'second hand', referencing the end of the leap second.
Ingredients
- 600 g large waxy potatoes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp coarse sea salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 lime
- 100 ml crème fraîche
- 1 small red chili pepper
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 spring onion
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar
Method
- Preheat the oven to 220°C.
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into long, thin sticks of equal thickness.
- Toss the potato sticks with olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper.
- Spread the sticks on a baking tray lined with parchment paper in a single layer. Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden and crispy, turning halfway.
- Meanwhile, make the dip: zest the lime and squeeze the juice.
- Finely chop the chili (remove seeds for less heat), garlic, and spring onion.
- Mix crème fraîche with lime zest, juice, chili, garlic, spring onion, and white wine vinegar. Season with salt.
- On each plate, swirl the dip in a circle (like a clock), stack the potato sticks diagonally in the center as a clock hand.
- Serve immediately so the sticks stay crispy.
Serving notes
- Make the dip extra spicy with more chili for extra tension.
- Sprinkle extra lime zest over the clock hand for a fresh kick.
- Align the potato sticks neatly in one direction for the hand effect.