Real French Bistro Fries Recipes

Steps:

• Prep: Slice 2 pounds russet potatoes into fries, transferring to a bowl of tepid water as you go. Heat 2 inches of peanut or vegetable oil, shortening, lard, or a combination of fats in a deep wide pot over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 375 degrees F. Drain the potatoes and dry well.
• Fry: Add half of the potatoes to the pot and fry, stirring gently, until they soften and blister, 3 to 4 minutes (do not let them color). Remove with a slotted spoon or skimmer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining potatoes. Transfer to the freezer until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Refry: When ready to serve, reheat the oil to 375 degrees F over medium-high heat. Working in 4 small batches so the oil stays hot, fry the potatoes until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to fresh paper towels to drain. Season with salt.
• Salt 'em:
• Herb Salt
• Strip the leaves from a few rosemary and thyme sprigs. Pulse in a food processor until fine, then toss with coarse salt.
• Bacon Salt
• Pulse 3 slices cooked bacon in a food processor until fine; toss with 3 tablespoons coarse salt.
• Parmesan Salt
• Mix equal parts paprika, grated parmesan and coarse salt.
• Dip 'em:
• Smoky Ketchup
• Stir 1/2 to 1 minced chipotle pepper in adobo sauce into 1/2 cup ketchup. Add a splash of balsamic vinegar.
• Spicy Mayo
• Add a little Sriracha sauce (or other hot sauce) to 1/2 cup mayonnaise. Mix in the zest and juice of 1 lime.
• Zesty Mustard
• Mix 1/2 cup dijon mustard, a spoonful of horseradish and some chopped parsley.

Steps:

• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 425°F. Cut potatoes lengthwise into 1/3-inch-thick slices, then cut lengthwise into 1/3-inch-wide strips. Pat potato strips dry with paper towels. Combine potatoes and oil in large bowl; toss to coat well. Divide potatoes between 2 large baking sheets; spread in single layer. Bake until potatoes are deep golden brown, turning and rearranging potatoes frequently, about 40 minutes.
• Transfer potatoes to bowl. Toss with parsley, garlic and coarse salt.

Steps:

• Peel and rinse the potatoes. Then cut them into sticks by cutting the potato in 4 or 5 vertical pieces, and then cutting each piece into sticks.
• Place them in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Allow them to soak, 2 to 3 hours. (You can also stick them in the fridge and let them soak overnight.)
• When you're ready to make the fries, drain off the water and lay the potatoes on 2 baking sheets lined with paper towels. Blot with paper towels to dry them.
• Heat a few inches of oil in a heavy pot to 300 degrees F. In 3 or 4 batches, cook the potatoes until soft, 4 to 5 minutes per batch. They should not be brown at this point! You just want to start the cooking process. Remove each batch and drain on new/dry paper towels.
• Once all the potatoes have been fried at 300 degrees F, turn up the heat until the oil reaches 400 degrees F. When the oil's hot, start frying the potatoes in batches again, cooking until the fries are golden and crisp. Remove the potatoes from the oil and drain on paper towels.
• Sprinkle with sea salt and dive in!

Steps:

• Peel the potatoes and cut into 1cm-thick batons. Put into a bowl of cold water and leave to soak for at least 2 hrs to remove the starch from the potatoes - this will help them crisp while frying.
• Drain the potatoes well and pat dry with kitchen paper. Fill a deep pan no more than a third full with oil and heat to 140C, or until a cube of bread dropped in browns in 60 seconds. Fry the French fries in batches for 6 mins per batch until golden straw-coloured, cooked through and lightly crisp. Drain well on kitchen paper.
• Turn the heat up until the oil reaches 180C, or a cube of bread browns in 30 seconds. Fry the French fries again for 2-3 mins per batch until lightly golden and really crisp. Drain on kitchen paper and immediately season with sea salt.