Belgian Fries

Idaho or russet potatoes
Canola or peanut oil

Directions:

Peel as many Idaho or Russet potatoes as desired. Cut into strips of 1 cm. square (3/8-inch) cross section. Put them in cold water for a few minutes.* Dry them well in paper or a towel before frying.

Heat oil in a hot frying pan or deep fryer to a temperature of 160°C (320°F). Add a handfull of fries at a time - not more otherwise the oil will cool down too much. Fry for a few minutes (4-8 minutes, depending on the thickness and the kind of potatoes), stir regularly to prevent sticking. The fries should have a very light golden color. Do not let them turn brown.

Put the fries into a large bowl lined with kitchen paper (or Bounty) and let them 'sweat' for at least 1/2 hour.

Finally heat oil to 190°C (375°F) and refry potato strips one handful at a time until crispy and golden brown (about 2 minutes).

Serve alone with a little salt or mayonnaise or with other dishes.

Comments from drmarvl :

These go perfect with Carbonnade Flamande. I place them on the same plate with carbonnade flamande and allow them to soak up the gravy. Formidable!!

* This washes out much of the starch and tends to make them less sticky after the first frying and more crispy after the second.

User Reviews:

Good recipe but again, its needs tweaking: Belgian fries (pommes-frites)are in general of a smaller cross-section than indicated. Cooking times may therefore be reduced slightly. However, to let them soak up the gravy is a disaster. They should be eaten crispy and hot, add a very little salt or dip in mayonnaise (not both - very unhealthy). You should try sunflower oil for the cooking medium, although the Belgians do use solid fat of animal origin, as this is cheaper and is reusable. Bon appetit!

submitted by leprovencal on November 01, 2003

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