Slow Fries

Ah, the things I do for this blog!  This week I've been making and eating French Fries. Yes, it's rough work, but somebody's got to do it.

I'm not even going to post a recipe, because what's to say? Slice up a potato and fry it. But wait - in this method you'll put the potatoes into a relatively small amount of room temperature oil, then cook them over low heat for as long as an hour. No special appliance or deep fryer required,  no spattering oil, no smoke or oily smell in the kitchen. Just crisp, luscious French Fries, hot and fresh from your own pot.

I'd love to say that I invented this method, but I can't. You can find it on the Diner's Journal blog of the New York Times, by Edward Schneider. But that article only described an easy way to fry up ordinary Potatoes. It took my twisted imagination to apply the same method to Sweet Potatoes, Plantains, Carrots and Beets.
 
So here's what you do. Peel and slice up the vegetable in question. Make those slices about a quarter inch thick, or thicker if you're a fan of Steak Fries. Rinse in cold water and drain, then dump them in a nice sturdy skillet. I find my cast iron chicken fryer is perfect - 10" by 4" deep. A single layer of slices is ideal, but a little overlapping is okay.

Pour in oil, just enough to cover the vegetables. I use a mixture of about half canola oil and half lard. You could even use pure olive oil, because with this method, high heat and smoking oil will not be an issue. Turn the heat up to about medium until the first bubbles show that things are getting hot, then turn the burner to low. Let it bubble gently until the vegetables are very tender, half an hour or longer.

Eventually your veggies will become very soft and fragile, and you'll know they are well cooked. At this point turn up the heat just a bit - to medium low or medium at the most. Soon you'll see the edges caramelize and your fries will be getting crisp. When they are perfectly browned, lift with a slotted utensil onto paper towels to drain. Sprinkle generously with salt and serve immediately.

The Sweet Potato Fries we had last night were beyond description. Crisply chewy outside with an interior like custard. The Idahos were every bit as good, turning my husband into Oliver Twist, holding out his bowl and begging, "Please, Mum, I want some more!" But there's the catch: it would take the better part of an hour to make another batch. Of course, that's a blessing as well, because no one is claiming these fries are low in fat; quite the opposite. Small batches guarantee portion control.

My further experiments in slow frying had mixed results: the plantains (big starchy cousins to the banana) were tasty but never got crisp. The Carrots were okay but not fantastic. The Beets were delicious, crispy brown and full of flavor. Still, nothing came close to the Potatoes, White or Sweet.

So when you've stuck to your salads and broiled chicken all week long, and you really deserve a treat  - within limits - try some Slow Fries. You'll be impressed.