Pommes Frites Recipes

POMMES FRITES

Steps:

• Peel potatoes if desired; cut into 1/2-inch-thick matchsticks. Place in a bowl of cold water to soak for 10 minutes.
• Heat oil in a large saucepan (at least 5 quarts) to 325 degrees. Remove potatoes from water; dry very well with paper towels. Add potatoes in batches to oil; blanch for 2 minutes (potatoes will not take on any color). Drain well; transfer to pans lined with paper towels to cool completely.
• Raise heat of oil to 375 degrees. Heat oven to 250 degrees. Add potatoes to oil in batches; fry until golden, about 3 minutes. Drain well; place on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt; keep warm in oven while frying remaining potatoes. Serve immediately.

BISTRO POMMES FRITES

Steps:

• Peel potatoes and cut lengthwise into sticks, about 1/3-inch thick, transferring them to a bowl of salted cold water as you work. Drain, and rinse until water runs clear. Pat dry with paper towels.
• Heat oil in a 14-inch straight-sided skillet until oil registers 375 degrees Fahrenheit on a deep-fry thermometer. Add half of the potatoes and distribute evenly. Cook, without stirring, until barely golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain. Repeat with remaining potatoes. (Adjust heat between batches as necessary to keep oil at a steady temperature.) Potatoes may be prepared up to this point about 2 hours ahead of time.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove paper towels from baking sheets. Bake potatoes until golden and crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven. Season with salt; toss. Serve immediately.

BAKED POMMES FRITES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Peel potatoes and cut lengthwise into quarter-inch thick slices. Cut again into 1/4-inch thick fries. Place the potatoes into a bowl with cold water; this will help keep the fries crisp. Just before cooking, drain water and place on paper towel, pat dry.
• Put the potatoes in a bowl; add olive oil, 1 tablespoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Toss well and lay out in 1 layer on nonstick baking sheet. Bake until light brown. Cook for approximately 30 to 40 minutes, turning frequently until golden brown.
• Remove from oven, allow to cool for 1 or 2 minutes and serve.

POMMES FRITES (FRENCH FRIES)

Steps:

• Trim ends and sides of potatoes to form a rectangle. Cut potatoes into 1/4-inch sticks about 3 inches long. Put potatoes in bowl and cover with water. Heat about 3 inches of oil in large heavy pot to 325 degrees. Drain potatoes and dry thoroughly. Drop potatoes, about 1 cup at a time, into hot oil and fry for 5 to 6 minutes until tender and just starting to turn brown. Remove from oil with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Let cool. Heat oil to 375 degrees. Fry potatoes in batches as before for about 1 to 2 minutes until crisp and brown. Remove from oil with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt, if desired and serve immediately.

POMMES FRITES WITH PARSLEY BUTTER

Steps:

• Pour the oil into a deep fryer or heavy saucepan to reach halfway up the sides and heat to 325 degrees F, use a deep-fry thermometer to determine this. While the oil is heating, peel the skin off the potatoes and cut them into uniform 1/4-inch sticks; feel free to use a knife, mandoline, or French fry cutter. Dry the potato sticks thoroughly to keep the hot oil from splattering.
• Fry the potatoes in batches so the pot isn't crowded and the oil temperature does not plummet. Cook the French fries for 3 minutes, until soft but not browned. Remove the fries with a long-handled metal strainer and drain on brown paper bags.
• Increase the oil temperature to 375 degrees F. Return the par-fried potatoes to the oil and cook a second time for 2 minutes, or until golden and crispy. Drain on fresh brown paper bags then place in a serving bowl. Salt the fries while they're still hot and pour the parsley butter on top; toss gently to combine. Wrap the pommes frites in parchment paper cones and stick them in the bottom of mini martini shakers for serving individually.
• To make the parsley butter: combine the butter, parsley, and garlic in a saucepan over medium heat. Swirl the pan around until the butter is completely melted.

POMMES FRITES

Steps:

• Heat oil in a deep fryer to 300 degrees F. Using a mandoline cut potatoes into shoe string shapes. Add potatoes to deep fryer. Fry until just cooked through, Using a spider, remove potatoes from oil to paper towels. Increase heat in fryer to 400 degrees F. Add the potatoes back to oil and cook until golden brown. Remove and drain again. Salt to taste.
• Wine Suggestion: Rabbit Ridge. California Zinfandel, Barrel Cuvee, 1997

THE ONE AND ONLY TRULY BELGIAN FRIES

Steps:

• Pour enough oil into a deep fryer to reach at least halfway up the sides of the pan but not more than three-quarters of the way up. Heat the oil to 325°F.
• Cut the potatoes into sticks 1/2 inch wide and 2 1/2 to 3 inches long. Dry all the pieces thoroughly in a clean dish towel. This will keep th oil from splattering. Divide the potato sticks into batches of no more than 1 cup each. Do not fry more than one batch at a time.
• When the oil has reached the desired temperature, fry the potatoes for 4 to 5 minutes per batch. They should be lightly colored but not browned. If your fryer has a basket, simply lift it out the remove the fried potatoes. Otherwise, use a long-handled skimmer to lift out the potatoes. Be sure to bring the temperature of the oil back to 325°F in between batches. At this point the fries can rest for several hours at room temperature until you are almost ready to serve them.
• Heat the oil to 325°F. Fry the potatoes in 1-cup batches until they are nicely browned and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain on fresh paper towels or brown paper bags and place in a warmed serving bowl lined with more paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and serve. Never cover the potatoes to keep them hot as they will immediately turn soft and limp. If you are inclined to perfectionism, leave some potatoes to fry halfway through the meal so you can serve them crisp and piping hot.