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Garlic Fries

Source of Recipe

From "Castle Rock Kitchen" by Theresa Carle-Sanders


Recipe Introduction

"We always used Kennebec potatoes, named after Maine's great river, for our fries, but russets work just fine in a pinch. If you're in a hurry, or don't like the takeout taste that the sugar-salt brine lends the fries, you can skip the blanching step and start the raw potatoes directly in the cold oil; they'll take an extra 3 or 4 minutes to cook crisp. Serve with or without the garlic sauce."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ ¼ cup olive oil
â—¦ ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
â—¦ 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
â—¦ 2 cloves garlic, chopped
â—¦ 4 teaspoons kosher salt
â—¦ 2 pounds white potatoes (such as Kennebec or russet)
â—¦ ½ cup granulated sugar
â—¦ 1 ½ to 2 quarts vegetable oil


Recipe

In the bowl of a small food processor, combine the olive oil, parsley, Parmesan, garlic, and 1 teaspoon of the salt and process until well combined, about 30 seconds. Set this sauce aside.

In a Dutch oven or other large, heavy pot, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Peel the potatoes and cut them lengthwise into ¼- to â…œ-inch-thick slices. Stack the slices and cut them into sticks ¼ to â…œ inch thick.

Stir the sugar and remaining 3 teaspoons salt into the boiling water. Add the potatoes, cover, remove from the heat, and let blanch for 15 minutes. Drain, then spread the potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet and set aside for 5 to 10 minutes to dry out.

Line a large bowl with a double layer of paper towels. Rinse and dry the Dutch oven. Transfer the potatoes into the Dutch oven and add enough of the vegetable oil to just cover. Set over high heat and cook, stirring once at 2 minutes and again at 7 minutes. The fries become a bit fragile at this stage, so allow them to cook untouched until they begin to crisp, 12 to 15 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until they are crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, 18 to 22 minutes more, depending on the thickness of the fries.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fries to the prepared bowl to drain. Then remove the paper towels from the bowl, spoon in the garlic sauce, and toss well until all the fries are coated. Divide the garlic fries onto plates and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings