Culinary Tips From Chef Raven

French Fries

Most people adore a perfect batch of french fries but very few ever attempt to make them at home. They are actually fairly easy to make but there are certain steps to follow to insure success. Most importantly, the potatoes need to be fried twice - once to cook and once to crisp.

First of all, you need to use a starchy potato such as a Russet (also known as Idaho) or a Yukon Gold. They should be peeled and then cut into even "french fry" shaped pieces.

For crispier fries, soak the cut potatoes in ice water for about an hour. They MUST be thoroughly dried after this step and before frying otherwise the moisture could cause the hot grease to splatter.

There is no need for a special deep fryer, all you need is a deep sided frying pan or a heavy bottomed pot. Pour in 3 to 4" of peanut, vegetable or corn oil and heat to 325°, checking with a thermometer for proper temperature. Cook the potatoes in small batches until just tender and slightly crispy on the edges without browning. You will want to turn them occasionally.

Lay out two or three paper towels on a paper grocery bag. Using a large slotted spoon, drain the potatoes and allow them to cool on the paper towels for a minimum of 20 minutes.

After potatoes are cool, reheat oil to 375° and again fry the potatoes in small batches just until crisp and golden. This will happen very quickly - 1 to 2 minutes. Drain potatoes onto fresh paper towels, sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.

It is important that the oil temperatures be correct. If the oil is too hot, they will burn on the outside before they are cooked through inside. If the oil is too cool then the potatoes will absorb too much oil and will be soggy and greasy. Contrary to popular belief, properly fried foods do not contain that much oil. The sugars and starch in the potatoes will react with the hot oil to form a seal which will prevent much oil from being absorbed.

French Fry Trivia - by Connie McCabe from Saveur Magazine

7 percent of all US grown potatoes plus an unspecified portion of crops from Argentina, Canada and China end up as McDonald's French Fries. The potatoes are blanched, peeled, cut into 1/4" by 2 1/2" long sticks, fried, flash frozen, shipped and then fried again at the restaurant.

--- © Chef Raven

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