Warning! These are the most addicting french fries I’ve had. I could not stop eating them and I did this to myself. Double fried in oil, then sprinkled with salt, parmesan and a bit of parsley. Dipped in a garlic aioli, I truly could trick someone into thinking these were from a restaurant. Not to mention, they only have a few simple ingredients and fry up in under 20 minutes.
I have been doing some research on french fries because I wanted to know how to make them at home but came across a few different recipes, until I started to notice a trend throughout a couple of them. Which is to double fry them. Then, when I saw that Ina Garten herself does not double fry, I was really confused. This seems to be the magic trick but if my guru isn’t telling me to do it, then who do I believe.
So, I obviously needed to do some research. I got a 5 lb bag of Idaho Russet Potatoes and got to work. I knew it would be easy to test out since I could easily just try one batch double fried and the second batch fried only once. All you need for this recipe, is potatoes, enough oil to get about 1-2 inches high in a pot and sea salt for sprinkling after. I also add parmesan and parsley but we will get to that.
One thing that I read is that when making french fries, it helps to peel and slice them ahead of time. Then soak them in a bowl of cold water in the fridge for about 2 hours before frying. This will help them get nice and crispy later without losing the soft fluffy inside that we love so much.
Then when ready to fry, you only need to gently toss them in the oil at 300 degrees for 4-5 minutes until you notice that they are starting to cook. This is when I took the first batch out. Next I tried out the double fried batch and within seconds of dropping them into the oil a second time, I noticed they were perfectly golden brown and crisp.
When I taste tested the difference between the two, there was absolutely no competition. The double fried batch were perfect and the way to go when making french fries at home. Paired with a garlic aioli, and tossed with parmesan and parsley, they are absolutely addicting!
For the mayo, I wanted to make this step a bit simpler since the fries were already enough of an effort so I cheated and used store bought mayo. Then added a bit of garlic, lemon juice and olive oil and blended in a food processor to get a thick aioli and it was perfect. I may have to whip this easy aioli more often to serve with other recipes or potato variations. Like potato wedges, sweet potato disks or spread on top of a burger. YUM!
When the fries are still warm and fresh out of the oil, I like to drain them of any access oil on a paper towel lined baking sheet, then quickly transfer them to a bowl where I sprinkle them with salt. This allows the salt to melt a bit and stick to the individual fries and give you the best fry to salt ratio. Just like how all the fast food restaurants do it.
Crispy Parmesan French Fries with Easy Garlic Aoili
Ingredients
Easy Garlic Aioli
- 5 cloves garlic (chopped)
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup good olive oil
- 1/4 tsp dijon mustard
Crispy Parmesan French Fries
- 5 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and sliced into matchsticks (optional: soak in cold water for 2 hours)
- vegetable oil for frying
- 1 tbsp sea salt for sprinkling
- 1/4 cup parmesan
- 2 tbsp parsley
Instructions
- Start by soaking the matchsticks In order to get uniform matchsticks, I like to cut my potatoes into an even rectangle before slicing into matchsticks. Then place the sliced potatoes in a bowl of cold water and place in your refrigerator for at least an hour, up to two for best results.
- Make the aioli. Place all ingredients except olive oil in a food processor or blender. Blend until easy aioli forms. If the consistency is too watery, keeping the food processor on, slowly drizzle in a little bit more olive oil until you get the consistency you want. Pouring in a tablespoon at a time. Store in the fridge until ready to eat.
- Next, drain the matchsticks and pat dry on a paper towel lined baking sheet so that they don’t have a ton of moisture to them this will not be good when frying. Place the oil in a deep pot over medium heat, saving enough space so the liquid doesn’t bubble over when dropping the potatoes in.
- When the oil reaches 300 degrees F, drop the potatoes in a handful at a time, trying not to over crowd the pot. This will need to be done in batches. Cook for 4-5 minutes.
- Remove the fried potatoes from the oil and let them drain on a paper towel lined baking sheet. Then finish the rest of the fries, waiting in between each batch for the temperature to reach back up to 300 degrees.
- Next fry them a second time for crispiness. Turn your heat up so that the oil reaches 400 degrees. Starting in batches again, carefully place the fries in the oil and fry until golden brown. This should only take 30-60 seconds this time around. Drain for the last time. Then place the fries in a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt, parmesan and parsley, then serve with the aioli.
