Yikes! Two days to fry a French fry? Yes, but the small extra step is worth the results, a crispy fry with a tender middle. Vegetable oil, with its high smoking point and flavor neutral profile, is the only choice for turning out the ideal fry. (By the way—yes! You do rinse the fries after the first frying to get rid of excess oil. Don’t skip this step!)
Ingredients
- 2 pounds russet potatoes peeled and cut into long, 1/4-inch wide fries
- vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon finely minced rosemary
- 1 teaspoon good quality sea salt
Directions
Place the cut potatoes into a large bowl and add chilled water to cover. Pour the oil into a heavy duty, medium sized pot so that it comes 3-inches up the sides. Heat the oil to 275 degrees. Drain the potatoes and rinse under cold water to remove excess starch. Blot dry with a paper towel. Working in batches, cook the fries in the oil for 5 minutes until soft and a pale golden color. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon. Rinse the fries under cold water to remove excess oil. Arrange the fries on a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Chill in the refrigerator overnight. Reserve the pot of oil.
Reheat the oil to 360 degrees. Working in batches, add the fries to the oil and cook stirring occasionally until the fries are golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oil and transfer to a large baking bowl lined with paper towels. Season with the rosemary and sea salt, shaking the bowl to distribute evenly.
Makes 6 servings.
Recipe adapted from Michael Symon’s “Symon’s Suppers” on the Cooking Channel, 2012
Photo by Jodi Miller