Best Pommes Frites French Fries Recipes

POMMES FRITES (FRENCH FRIES)

Steps:

• Trim ends and sides of potatoes to form a rectangle. Cut potatoes into 1/4-inch sticks about 3 inches long. Put potatoes in bowl and cover with water. Heat about 3 inches of oil in large heavy pot to 325 degrees. Drain potatoes and dry thoroughly. Drop potatoes, about 1 cup at a time, into hot oil and fry for 5 to 6 minutes until tender and just starting to turn brown. Remove from oil with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Let cool. Heat oil to 375 degrees. Fry potatoes in batches as before for about 1 to 2 minutes until crisp and brown. Remove from oil with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt, if desired and serve immediately.

POMMES FRITES (BELGIAN FRENCH FRIES)

Steps:

• Pour enough oil into a deep fryer to reach at least halfway up the sides of the pan but not more than three-quarters of the way up. Heat the oil to 325 F. Cut the potatoes into sticks 1/2-inch wide and 2-1/2 to 3 inches long. Dry all the pieces thoroughly in a clean dish towel. This will keep the oil from splattering. Divide the potato sticks into batches of no more than 1 cup each. Do not fry more than one batch at a time. When the oil has reached the desired temperature, fry the potatoes for 4 to 5 minutes per batch. They should be lighly colored but not browned. If your fryer has a basket, simply lift it out to remove the fried potatoes. Otherwise, use a long-handled skimmer to lift out the potatoes. Be sure to bring the temperature of the oil back to 325 F in between batches. At this point the frietjes can rest for several hours at room temperature until you are almost ready to serve them. Heat the oil to 375 F. Fry the potatoes in 1-cup batches until they are nicely browned and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain on fresh paper towels or brown paper bags and place in a warmed serving bowl lined with more paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and serve. Never cover the potatoes to keep them hot as they will immediately turn soft and limp. If you are inclined to perfectionism, leave some potatoes to fry halfway through the meal so you can serve them crisp and piping hot.

POMMES FRITES (FRENCH FRIES) WITH FRESH MAYONNAISE

Steps:

• Potato Preparation: Fill a large heavy pot with enough oil to reach halfway up the pot being mindful not to overfill the pot. You don't want oil to overflow from the pot when you're cooking the fries. Attach the thermometer to the side of the pan. Heat oil over medium heat until it reaches 325 degrees F. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with water. Square off the potatoes and cut them into sticks about 1/4-inch thick and the length of the potato. Place sticks in the water. Drain potatoes and dry well with VIVA® towels. This will prevent splattering of hot oil. Working in batches, add a handful of potatoes to the preheated oil. Fry for 5 to 6 minutes giving the potatoes a chance to cook on the inside without developing much color on the outside. Remove to a VIVA® towel lined plate. Bring the oil back up to 325 degrees F before adding the next batch. Repeat until all batches are complete. Let fries cool completely. Meanwhile, bring oil up to 375 degrees F. Add potatoes to oil again in batches until nicely golden, about 1 minute. Remove to a VIVA® towel lined plate and salt immediately while they're piping hot. Mayonnaise Preparation: In a medium clean bowl, whisk together the egg yolk, mustard, lemon juice, vinegar and salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in the oil, a little at a time at first until the mixture begins to emulsify then whisk in the rest of the oil in a steady, but slow stream. Taste and adjust acidity with more lemon juice or vinegar, if needed and season with more salt and pepper if needed. Refrigerate for up to a day. Presentation Tip: To serve the fries Belgian-style, twist a decorative VIVA® towel inside a small vessel to form a cone shape. Crumble up a VIVA® Choose-A-Size towel and place inside the bottom of the cone to absorb any excess oil. Fill with French fries.