Recipe Archives->Vegetables->Belgian Fries

 
Belgian Fries
 
potatoes
oil
salt
 
Start by peeling some potatoes. Cut them in slices 1 cm (3/8")
thick and finally cut them into fries of 1 cm square. Dry the fries
well in paper or a towel before putting them into the oil.

Note: some people like to put them in cold water for a few minutes:
this washes out much of the starch and tends to make them less
sticky after the first frying and more crispy after the second.

Heat the oil in a hot frying pan or deep fryer to a temperature of
160 C (320 F). Put in a handful of fries: not more at once because
the oil will cool down too much. Fry for a few minutes (4-8 depending
on the thickness and the kind of potatoes), stir regularly to
prevent sticking. Put the fries into a large bowl with kitchen
paper and let them 'sweat' for at least 1/2 hour.

Finally heat to 190 C (375 F) and fry for 2 minutes until crispy
and golden brown. This way the fries will be crispy on the outside
and soft on the inside, the way they should be!

Serve with a little salt  and some mayonnaise.


Notes:

Do not slice them too thin (see below). 1 cm square is the perfect
dimension.

Try to cut them rectangular: pointed ends tend to burn. You'll need
more potatoes of course.

Do not put in too many fries at once: the oil will cool down and
your fries will be too wacky and greasy.

Do not fry them the first time until they become brown.

Never put a lid on your frying pan: this makes your fries wacky.

Never use frozen fries!

French fries (also known as Pommes Allumettes) are thinner then
the real ones. They taste OK but are a lot more greasy! They are
fried only once at 180 C.

Other varieties include Pommes Paille (1,5 mm thick, fry once) and
Pommes Gauffre (cut with a special knife).

Printable version: belgian-fries.txt.