Saratoga Potatoes Recipes

SARATOGA POTATOES

Steps:

• Slice the potatoes 1/8-inch thick (or thinner); use a mandoline if you have one. Soak the potato slices in cold water until ready to fry, then drain and dry them thoroughly on a towel.
• Fill a large sauté pan with ½ inch olive oil. Place over medium-high heat; the oil is ready when it browns a breadcrumb in 30 seconds (or try this this cold oil method). Drop a few potato slices at a time into the oil and fry until the edges begin to brown, 3 to 4 minutes, then turn the slices and brown the other side, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Keep warm in a 175-degree oven while you fry the rest of the potatoes.
• Just before serving, pile the potatoes into a bowl and season with salt, tossing to disperse the seasoning.

SKILLET-FRIED POTATOES

Steps:

• Cut potatoes, peeled or not, into large chunks no more than two inches across. Salt a pot of boiling water and cook potatoes until just done. (A sharp knife should easily glide in, but potato should not slide off knife immediately.) Drain. This step can be completed in the cool of the morning; cover potatoes and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Heat half an inch of olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet. When hot, add potatoes and garlic cloves and fry, nudging now and again, until crisp and golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Shower with salt and, if desired, chopped herbs and black pepper. Serve immediately.

SARATOGA CHIPS

Steps:

• Pare potatoes and slice thinly and evenly (a mandolin works well for this).
• Submerge potatoes in ice water and allow to sit for about 30 minutes, separating slices so the starch on each is rinsed.
• Heat oil in a large kettle or fryer to 375°F.
• Drain potatoes from the water and pat dry using paper toweling, making sure they are completely dry.
• Fry potatoes in small batches, until golden.
• Drain potatoes and place on clean brown paper, and season to your liking.
• Keep potatoes in oven on low temperature to keep warm while finishing other potatoes, if necessary.
• Serve chips with smoky barbecue sauce.

SARATOGA POTATO CHIPS

Steps:

• 1. TO MAKE THE DIP: Line a jelly roll pan with crumpled paper towels. In a deep Dutch oven, melt vegetable shortening over high heat to a depth of 2 to 3 inches and heat it to 350°F. If you have a frying basket to fit the Dutch oven, place the shallots in the basket. Deep-fry the shallots until golden brown, about 1 minute. Remove from the shortening (if you aren't using a basket, use a wire-mesh skimmer) and transfer to paper towels to drain until cool. (You may use the same shortening to fry the potato chips, but if there are small pieces of shallots floating in it, remove them. If necessary, carefully strain the shortening through a wire strainer into another pan, then return it to the Dutch oven.) 2. In a small bowl, combine the shallots, sour cream, chives, salt, and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to blend the flavors. 3. TO MAKE THE CHIPS: Using a mandoline, cut the potatoes into paper-thin rounds. As they are cut, place them in a bowl of cold water and let stand while heating the shortening. 4. Place a large wire cake rack over a jelly roll pan. Fill a roasting pan with crumpled paper towels for draining the fried chips. In a deep Dutch oven, melt vegetable shortening over high heat to a depth of 2 to 3 inches and heat it to 350°F. 5. Drain the potatoes well. Line a work surface with paper towels and spread with 1 layer of potatoes. Separate each new layer of potatoes with more paper towels and pat the potatoes completely dry. 6. In separate batches, without crowding, deep-fry the potatoes, stirring often with a wire-mesh strainer to separate the chips, until the chips are golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Using the skimmer, transfer the chips to the wire rack to drain briefly, then move them to the paper towels to remove excess oil. Separate each new layer of chips with more paper towels. The potato chips will crisp as they cool, and are best served at room temperature within 6 hours of frying. Just before serving, sprinkle with salt. Serve with the shallot dip. NOTE: Don't salt deep-fried foods until just before serving, or the salt will make the food soggy.