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Cook the Book: Very French Fries

Posted by Adam Kuban, May 14, 2007 at 4:00 PM

As promised, here's the first recipe from Michel Richard's Happy in the Kitchen. This being National Hamburger Month, I couldn't resist adapting the recipe for french fries. Find it (and a bit of french fry trivia) after the jump.

And if you haven't already, you can enter the drawing to receive a copy of Richard's cookbook from Serious Eats.

Very French Fries
This recipe will make fries for any number of people—just remember to add one large baking potato (about 12 ounces) for each fry eater. It's also best to cut the potatoes by hand using the sharpest of knives; a french fry cutter or dull knife will leave rough edges that absorb more oil while frying.

Ingredients
1 large (about 12 ounces) baking potato per person, peeled

Peanut or canola oil, for deep-frying

Fleur de sel

Procedure
1. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Trim each potato into a 3- to 4-inch-long smooth-sided block, then cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch slices. Cut each slice lengthwise into 1/2-inch-wide strips. Trim the fries 3 to 4 inches long by 1/2 inch square. As you work, drop the potatoes into the ice water. Leave the potatoes in the ice water for at least a few mintues to rinse off the starch; they can be refrigerated in the water for up to a day.

2. For the first frying, heat the oil to 325°F in a deep-fryer or in a deep, heavy pot. If using a pot, get out a fry basket. Remove the fries from the water; dry well on a kitchen towel or paper towels. (If potatoes aren't well-dried, the oil will bubble up, so be careful.)

3. Place a handful of potatoes in the fryer basket and carefully lower into the oil; do not crowd the potatoes. If the oil bubles excessively, lift up the basket for a few seconds, then return the potatoes to the oil. Repeat if necessary; the bubbles should calm down. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through but just lightly colored. Drain on paper towels; repeat with remaining potatoes. The potatoes can be fried a few hours ahead and kept at room temperature until the second frying.

4. For the second frying, reheat the oil if necessary to 325°F. Lower the fries into the oil a batch at a time as before, and fry 4 to 5 minutes or until crisp and evenly browned. Drain on paper towels, sprinkle with fleur de sel, serve hot.

According to The Food Lovers' Companion, "The name does not come from the fact that their origin is French, but because the potatoes are 'frenched'—cut into lengthwise strips." So a whole lotta restaurants wasted a whole lotta time, money, and ink printing new menus back when "freedom fries" were all the rage.

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