I’m making a claim, and I’m completely serious: you’ve never had fries this good in your life! The recipe may look like hard work, but don’t be put off. Just as Aragorn saw clearly when Gandalf appeared at dawn on the fifth day, you’ll see the light when you taste these fries!
Recipe
The Best French Fries
- Prep4 hr
- CookBoil 20 min + fry 7 min, then 4 min
Ingredients
- Frying potatoes
- Sunflower oil
- Water
- Salt
Equipment
Pot, slotted spoon, bowl, paper towels
Method
- Cut the potatoes 1 cm thick and as long as the potato itself, and soak them in salted water; the salt helps draw out moisture.
- Change the water a few times; once it runs clear, boil the potatoes for 20 minutes, until they’re as soft as they can get without falling apart.
- Put them in the fridge for 20 minutes to cool quickly and dry out.
- Fry them straight from the fridge at 130°C for about 7 minutes, until golden, then lift them out and let them cool.
- Bring the oil to 190°C and fry them a second time for about 4 minutes, until deep golden brown.
- Rest them on paper towels for about 1 minute, toss with salt in a deep bowl and serve.
Notes
- If your greengrocer has no frying potatoes, pick ones that have lost some moisture and gone slightly soft.
- This is the method Heston Blumenthal uses too.
