Content provided by British Council
[1] Fries are a treat, whether you pick some up from a food stand or order them as a side dish at an upscale restaurant. The good news is that you can make some at home that are just as delicious. If your kitchen has a baking oven, use it to prepare fries with a small amount of oil.
[2] Jannik Degner, a food blogger and enthusiastic amateur chef in northern Germany, has a tip for oven-baked fries: place them on a grill instead of a metal tray and turn on the oven fan so the fries will be crispy on all sides. To make them extra crispy, Degner opens the oven door at times to let steam escape.
[3] The first trick to creating tasty fries is choosing the right type of potato. “The Belgians swear by floury varieties, such as Bintje, because they have a preference for fries that are fluffy on the inside,” Degner said. “If you want a more creamy, firm inside, use a predominantly waxy variety.” For oven baking, he advises using a floury variety. To start, peel and wash the potatoes. Leave the skin on and thoroughly scrub under water for more rustic fries. Then, cut the potatoes into even-sized sticks.
[4] “Once the fries are cut ... wash off the starch,” said Annegret Hager, a consumer protection advocate in Germany. “This makes the potatoes crispier later. Then, you let the fries thoroughly dry off.”
[5] Degner combines the soaking and subsequent pre-cooking in a single step. “I blanch the sticks in boiling vinegar water for four minutes. This washes off the starch and pre-cooks the fries,” he said. He recommended rapeseed or sunflower oil next. “Other vegetable oils, such as olive or coconut oil, are also suitable. Animal fats, such as duck fat, also taste wonderful,” he said.
[6] Those who have the time and who want a truly optimal result will cook the fries twice. First, heat the fries at a low temperature – 140 degrees Celsius in the deep fryer or 160 degrees Celsius in the oven – to soften them on the inside.
[7] Let the fries cool down before cooking them again at a higher temperature – 175 degrees Celsius in the deep fryer or 220 degrees Celsius in the oven – until you reach the desired browning level. Higher temperatures can make the fries extra crispy, but can also lead to the formation of acrylamide, a carcinogenic compound. Prolonged exposure to high doses of it can increase the risk of cancer. “Choose a moderate heat,” Hager said.
[8] Once your fries are done, you are ready to season them with salt or paprika powder and dip them in ketchup or mayonnaise – or both. For a bit of variety, you might try some spicy aioli or fruity chutney. With a hearty dip and some salad, you can make fries a full meal. Whether they are store-bought or home-made, one thing is certain: fries taste best hot, so serve them quickly after seasoning and enjoy.
Source: dpa, October 5
