Perfect French Fries

  Posted on April 26, 2012  by Leslie Blythe  No comments

Golden on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside.

Even food snobs who shun McDonald’s have to admit that they serve the mother of all French fries. Ray Kroc, one of the chain’s founders wrote in his autobiography that the fry was “almost sacrosanct for me. Its preparation a ritual to be followed religiously.” The end result is a crispy golden-brown baton showered with just the right amount of salt. The exterior’s initial crunch yields to a tender and steaming white center.

Perfect French Fries

(adapted from David Myers’s, chef/founder of Comme Ça in Los Angeles recipe for “pommes frites”)

Serves 4 to 6

6 Idaho russet potatoes
Peanut oil
Sea salt (Myers prefers Sel Gris, a fine light grey French salt)

Peel and square off potato ends. Cut into 3/8″ batons. Soak for two hours changing water after an hour. Dry thoroughly with paper towels. Heat about an inch of oil (or enough to cover potatoes) in a large, heavy bottomed pot to 290 degrees. Blanch potatoes gently for about two minutes until cooked through but still completely pale. Place on a paper-towel lined sheet pan and cool in the refrigerator to stop cooking process.

Re-heat oil to 370 degrees. Cook fries until golden and crispy, about 3 to 4 minutes. If necessary, agitate gently with a spatula to prevent sticking. Remove from pan and toss with salt to taste (Myers doesn’t blot but you can if you want less fat). Serve immediately.