PERFECT RESTAURANT-STYLE FRENCH FRIES
5 large russet potatoes
2 tablespoons table salt (plus coarse salt for sprinkling)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 quarts vegetable oil
Peel potatoes and trim each one into rectangle shape. Cut potatoes lengthwise into broad slices about 3/8-inch thick. Then cut each slice into strips about 3/8-inch wide. (It is important for size of potatoes to be correct for cooking process to work perfectly. A French fry cutter that yields 3/8-inch fries is a good investment.) Hold cut potatoes in bowl of cold water until ready to use.
Place 3 quarts water, table salt and sugar in large pot. Bring to boil. Add cut potatoes to boiling water, let water return to boil, then immediately reduce heat so water comes to gentle boil. Cook potatoes 7 minutes, or until quite soft but still holding together. You don't want to make mashed potatoes, so check potatoes during last few minutes of boiling period. Remove with wide, slotted utensil (what chefs call a spider would be ideal), and place on paper towels in single layer. Bring to room temperature (about 10 minutes).
WHEN READY TO DO FIRST FRY:
Heat vegetable oil in deep, heavy, straight-sided pot to 250 degrees F. Using hands, carefully place small batch of potatoes on spider (or another wide, slotted utensil), making sure not to break. Slowly lower spider into oil, drop potatoes into oil, and cook 2 minutes. After removing fries from oil with spider, place on paper towels in single layer. (This step essentially blanches potatoes, so there should be very little color.) Repeat with rest of potatoes, in small batches.
WHEN READY TO SERVE:
Heat oil to 350 degrees F. Using hands, slowly remove small batch of fries from paper towels without breaking and place on spider. Slowly lower spider into oil, drop fries into oil, and cook, stirring occasionally to ensure even browning. You want fries to have deep, golden-brown color and for surface to be a little crinkly; this should take about 3 minutes. Remove from oil with spider and place in single layer on baking pan lined with paper towels. Sprinkle generously with coarse salt. Repeat with remaining fries.
Serve immediately for maximum crispness, but if you're holding first batch or two, hold completed fries in 300 degree F oven.
Yield: 4 servings
Source: It's All American Food by David Rosengarten
5 large russet potatoes
2 tablespoons table salt (plus coarse salt for sprinkling)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 quarts vegetable oil
Peel potatoes and trim each one into rectangle shape. Cut potatoes lengthwise into broad slices about 3/8-inch thick. Then cut each slice into strips about 3/8-inch wide. (It is important for size of potatoes to be correct for cooking process to work perfectly. A French fry cutter that yields 3/8-inch fries is a good investment.) Hold cut potatoes in bowl of cold water until ready to use.
Place 3 quarts water, table salt and sugar in large pot. Bring to boil. Add cut potatoes to boiling water, let water return to boil, then immediately reduce heat so water comes to gentle boil. Cook potatoes 7 minutes, or until quite soft but still holding together. You don't want to make mashed potatoes, so check potatoes during last few minutes of boiling period. Remove with wide, slotted utensil (what chefs call a spider would be ideal), and place on paper towels in single layer. Bring to room temperature (about 10 minutes).
WHEN READY TO DO FIRST FRY:
Heat vegetable oil in deep, heavy, straight-sided pot to 250 degrees F. Using hands, carefully place small batch of potatoes on spider (or another wide, slotted utensil), making sure not to break. Slowly lower spider into oil, drop potatoes into oil, and cook 2 minutes. After removing fries from oil with spider, place on paper towels in single layer. (This step essentially blanches potatoes, so there should be very little color.) Repeat with rest of potatoes, in small batches.
WHEN READY TO SERVE:
Heat oil to 350 degrees F. Using hands, slowly remove small batch of fries from paper towels without breaking and place on spider. Slowly lower spider into oil, drop fries into oil, and cook, stirring occasionally to ensure even browning. You want fries to have deep, golden-brown color and for surface to be a little crinkly; this should take about 3 minutes. Remove from oil with spider and place in single layer on baking pan lined with paper towels. Sprinkle generously with coarse salt. Repeat with remaining fries.
Serve immediately for maximum crispness, but if you're holding first batch or two, hold completed fries in 300 degree F oven.
Yield: 4 servings
Source: It's All American Food by David Rosengarten
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