Deep Fried/Chips: Req: Creative French Fry Recipes
Subject: Req: Creative French Fry Recipes
Newsgroups: alt.cooking-chat,rec.food.cooking,alt.creative-cooking,alt.creative-cook
From: Lucas (witness at pop.erols.com)
Date: 4 Jul 1996 13:07:02 GMT
--------
Does anyone have any off-the-wall way of cooking French fries? I am specifically wondering if fries can be fried in coconut oil, although I know this would expensive.
From: aer at efn.org (YAA (Yet Another Al))
Date: Mon, 08 Jul 1996 19:44:58 GMT
--------
Coconut oil is a luciously rich tasting oil and most things cooked in it taste good too.
From: hubbardm at tmn.com
Date: Sat, 20 Jul 1996 19:46:29 GMT
--------
My favorite Off-the-Wall french fry recipe is:
A recipe suitable for your declasse collection. Tasty and expeditious. I'm looking for a pretentious french or italian name for this. Pommes de terre julienne avec fromage American, or something like that. This would make a good side dish for a crown roast of frankfurters I think.
Use frozen french fries and prepare in the style of macaroni and cheese.
Place about 1 pound of frozen french fries in a 1-1/2 quart casserole. Bake at 350F for about 15 minutes while you prepare the cheese sauce (the french fries in this recipe will not be browned or crispy).
Cheese sauce:
In a saucepan prepare a roux. Melt 3 tablespoons butter. Blend in 2 tablespoons white flour and a dash of black pepper. Cook briefly over medium heat until the roux bubbles. Whisk in 2 cups of milk; cook and stir until thick and bubbly. Turn off heat and stir in 8 ounces (2 cups) of grated cheddar cheese; stir until melted.
Pour enough of the cheese sauce over the french fries to cover them. You may have some cheese sauce left over. You
can refrigerate it for a few days or freeze it.
Bake at 350F for about 35 minutes.
From: Stephanie van Dijck (dijcks at natlab.research.philips.com)
Date: Tue, 9 Jul 1996 14:33:22 GMT
--------
L. Bruce Hills wrote:
> WWW! Stay away from the coconut oil! Very high in saturated fats.
>
> But I have good luck cooking FF's in corn oil (a lot more flavor than other
> oils with less saturated fat, regretably), and use *MAINE* potatoes (most
> Maine potatoes go to the french fry and potato chip industry anyway....
> I put them into cold oil and then start the fryer.
Eew! Less saturated fats or not: this way you're sure to get enough fat intake for the rest of your life?! I wonder what your chips look like when fried? Do they get crisp? Do you fry them once or twice?
I fry my FFs twice: once at 180C (350F) until tender; after cooling down refry at 200C (400F) until golden, tossing frequently. Toss on a few layers of kitchen towels before serving to get off any excess fat. Sprinkle with fine salt. Serve with mayonnaise. Now *that* is comfort food :-)
But starting with raw potato chips in cold oil....makes my stomach turn just reading about it, so please tell us about your method!
From: L. Bruce Hills (lbruce at somtel.com)
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 1996 17:56:19 -0400
--------
Stephanie van Dijck wrote:
> Eew!
> Less saturated fats or not: this way you're sure to get enough fat
> intake for the rest of your life?!
> I wonder what your chips look like when fried? Do they get crisp?
> Do you fry them once or twice?
Oh No! Another slam from a country where the "French Fry" is King! I visited Eindhoven - isn't that where the Open Air Museum is?
Well, we Americans don't normally have the cookers that most people in Belgium and The Netherlands have, so we use an all-purpose fryer which is normally pretty small. I cook a lot of frys, and have found that I can't add a lot when the oil is hot - splatters everywhere. I usually only cook them once, although I know the preferred method is to blanch them at a lower temperature (as you say) and then finish them at a higher temperature. (Hey - I lived in Belgium for 7 years, and spent a lot of money at the Friteur/Friteuse. And yes - they do get crist - quite nice, actually.
> I fry my FFs twice: once at 180C (350F) until tender; after cooling
> down refry at 200C (400F) until golden, tossing frequently.
> Toss on a few layers of kitchen towels before serving to get off
> any excess fat. Sprinkle with fine salt.
> Serve with mayonnaise.
> Now *that* is comfort food :-)
I know - the french fry is the "starch" of choice at most of your meals. I had dinner many times at the homes of friends, and the fryer in the kitchen was a piece of standard equipment. I still use a french fry cutter that I bought in Europe...
But I prefer my frites with sauce tartare.
> But starting with raw potato chips in cold oil....makes my stomach
> turn just reading about it, so please tell us about your method!
See above for method. But we Americans usually ruin a good recipe before we get done.
From: ?
The absolute best tasting french frys are cooked in rendered beef fat, but again - full of *highly* saturated fats. Remember how good McDonalds frys used to be? It was the beef fat...
From: michael (Mtang at hula.net)
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 1996 00:14:43 -1000
--------
How about first frying in hot oil and then air frying using a convection oven like the Jet Stream? It will be delicious nad lower in fat.
From: mjacobs at uh.edu (Marc Jacobs)
Date: Tue, 09 Jul 1996 21:59:22 GMT
--------
L. Bruce Hills wrote:
> I put them into cold oil and then start the fryer.
There is an article in this month's Cook's Illustrated discussing this very issue. It seemed that the author considered soaking the potatoes in ice cold water before frying made a considerable difference. Apparently, cold fries absorb less oil and make for a crunchy outside and soft inside.
From: jmclarke at ccs.carleton.ca (jmclarke)
Date: 10 Jul 1996 00:11:48 GMT
--------
There is a well-known chip and hamburger place in the Montreal area that is known for their french fries. When there, I saw that they fried the potatoes in a commercial lard, and they did not soak them in ice water. But the secret ingredient that makes their fries taste yummy is a drop of vanilla added to the oil before it is spitting hot. I tried it at home and it really does make the fries taste yummy.
Joan C.
From: jhalisky at niflheim.rutgers.edu (Jacqueline Halisky)
Date: 10 Jul 1996 08:33:57 -0400
--------
I have a good way to do French fries that I found in Prevention Magazine. First wash and cut up the potatoes (leaving the skin on). Then, soak in cold water, changing the water about 3 times in the bowl (until the water is clear when you dump it). This gets rid of excess starch I think. (you only have to soak for a couple of minutes each time)
Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray, then lay the fries on it and spray the fries as well lightly. I put mine in the broiler about 400 - 450 degrees, then just turn them when they start to brown. You can also put garlic powder, parmesan cheese, whatever. This is very low fat, and the only way I make fries now--they come out great!
Jackie
From: L. Bruce Hills (lbruce at somtel.com)
Date: Thu, 11 Jul 1996 14:38:22 -0400
--------
Jacqueline Halisky wrote:
> Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray,
I need to try that! I have 2 brands of cooking spray in the cabinet, and each contains canola oil (one of the least saturated fats) and lecithin, which is an emulsifier - also good for you.
Oh - and I also sprinkle my fries with barbecue or cajun seasoning, and leave off the salt. *THAT* is the stuff that concerns me.
From: nancy-dooley at uiowa.edu (Nancy Dooley)
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 1996 09:36:59
--------
My favorite onion rings are soaked in ice water before being breaded and fried; and it does make a huge difference in the way they "crunch."
From: Carolyn (carolyn at visualex.ftech.co.uk)
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 1996 11:55:02 -0700
--------
Marc Jacobs wrote:
> There is an article in this month's Cook's Illustrated discussing this
> very issue. It seemed that the author considered soaking the potatoes
> in ice cold water before frying made a considerable difference.
> Apparently, cold fries absorb less oil and make for a crunchy outside
> and soft inside.
A-ha! So this is why restaurants cook them from frozen!?
From: John Bradley (jbradle at .Unibase.COM)
Date: 10 Jul 1996 01:20:42 GMT
--------
Another, healthier method is to slice the potatoes , then coat with corn or canola oil, place on a cookie sheet and bake at 400F to 450F for 20min turning once.......beats cleaning up after the deep fryer!
From: mremingtn at aol.com (Marti)
Date: 10 Jul 1996 15:07:49 -0400
--------
John said,
>Another, healthier method is to slice the potatoes , then coat with corn
>or canola oil, place on a cookie sheet and bake at 400F to 450F for 20min
>turning once.......beats cleaning up after the deep fryer!
And I agree. I quit eating deep fried foods several years ago. Now regular (greasy) chips and fries taste much too heavy. Plus, you can add interesting flavor to baked "fries". I spray mine with olive oil and sprinkle them with cajun spice.
Subject: Re: Req: Creative French Fry Recipes
From: alewine at phoenix.net (Lara Alewine)
Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 23:02:59 GMT
--------
John Bradley wrote:
>Another, healthier method is to slice the potatoes , then coat with corn
>or canola oil, place on a cookie sheet and bake at 400F to 450F for 20min
>turning once.......beats cleaning up after the deep fryer!
From Oprah's fav. recipes cookbook by Rosie (hmmm forgot her last name) the french fries are to die for! Simply mix a couple of egg whites with a tablespoon of your favorite seasoning (seasoned salt, plain salt, cajun seasoning, old bay seasoning, etc...) and toss with raw french fries. Spray a cookie sheet well with cooking spray. Place potatoes on sheet. Spray well with cooking spray. Bake at about 375 degrees F and turn the fries every 15 min... should take 45 min to an hour depending on how big your fries are. They're wonderful! Very crispy... just like they're fried with out all of the fat. I feel very good about pigging out on these! Hey you gotta sometime! :-)
From: gwn at jumppoint.com (Guenther Netal)
Date: 10 Jul 1996 01:35:57 GMT
--------
I use normal oil in an everyday pot to fry my french fries. If I am lazy I just cut them up leaving the skin on, if I feel like working I will peel the potatoes and then cut them up. One of the advantage of cutting them up yourself is the fact that you can make them any size you like.
To cook french fries, deep fry them in olive oil, it is tasteless, albait expensive.
From: Martin.U.Fischer at uibk.ac.at (Martin Fischer)
Date: 10 Jul 1996 11:15:05 GMT
--------
gwn at jumppoint says...
>To cook french fries, deep fry them in olive oil, it is tasteless,
>albait expensive.
Hi Guenther!
It would be interesting, which kind of Olive Oil you use: I've never seen tasteless Olive Oil. I love it because of it's special taste and smell.
From: Trish at iglou.com (Mrs. Latricia Fahringer)
Date: Thu, 11 Jul 1996 02:02:57 GMT
--------
Martin Fischer wrote:
>It would be interesting, which kind of Olive Oil you use: I've never seen
>tasteless Olive Oil. I love it because of it's special taste and smell.
Thank you, Martin... I was thinking the same thing myself. My mind skipping over the differant kinds of olive oil.. more virgin? one of the lighter ones? but they're tastes are still very, very distinctive.
From: L. Bruce Hills (lbruce at somtel.com)
Date: Thu, 11 Jul 1996 12:59:38 -0400
--------
In my experience, the "cheaper" olive oils have much less flavor. I have had french fries cooked in olive oil, and they aren't bad. But if you use a expensive, cold-pressed virgin olive oil, it will have a definite taste.
Speaking of olive oil - anyony noticed how much the price of olive oil has gone up in the last few months? This winter I could but the "cheap" stuff at $16 a gallon, an now it is up to over $25.
From: Kathryn Dudley (kdudley at bgsm.edu)
Date: Thu, 11 Jul 1996 17:02:05 -0700
--------
I don't know if this is a "recipe," but I make something quite often that
I call "French Fry Salad."
I ate at a restaurant in Morgantown, WV and had a salad with strips of beef and french fries on top of a green salad, and the whole thing was drowned in Ranch dressing. I had to order it because of the description on the menu; I couldn't believe they were going to put french fries in a salad. This, I had to see. Well, it was delicious! At home I don't add the beef, use oven-baked frozen fries and fat free Ranch dressing. It's not quite the same, but it is good.
From: aveller at vnet3.vub.ac.be (A. Veller)
Date: Fri, 12 Jul 1996 09:28:24 +0100
--------
Here in Belgium people will eat almost everything with French fries. In Brussels it is popular to eat "Mitraillettes" which are basically sandwiches made from a baguette filled up with fries. Usually they put a hamburger and some sauce in there as well. I'm not a fast food fanatic, but even my husband who is addicted to fast food will not touch a Mitraillette.
Maybe they're good, who knows.
From: Carolyn (carolyn at visualex.ftech.co.uk)
Date: Fri, 12 Jul 1996 10:38:07 -0700
--------
A. Veller wrote:
> In Brussels it is popular to eat "Mitraillettes"
In England they're called chip butties, and you have them with ketchup, and yes they are good!
From: Carolyn (carolyn at visualex.ftech.co.uk)
Date: Mon, 15 Jul 1996 14:22:28 -0700
--------
Tara Banfield wrote:
>Carolyn says...
>>A. Veller wrote:
>>>
>>>In Brussels it is popular to eat "Mitraillettes" which are basically
>>>sandwiches made from a baguette filled up with fries. Usually they put a
>>>hamburger and some sauce in there as well.
>>
>>In England they're called chip butties, and you have them with ketchup,
>>and yes they are good!
>
>Oh WOW! That's too intense to believe! Is that all there is to them or are
>there other components?
Nope! Bread, fries (chips, but fat ones, not like skinny french fries), ketchup, bread. Out of this world.
From: smf at nyc.pipeline.com(Sue M. Ford)
Date: 15 Jul 1996 14:57:16 GMT
--------
Carolyn wrote:
>Nope! Bread, fries (chips, but fat ones, not like skinny french fries),
>ketchup, bread. Out of this world.
Why not? Another variation, eaten in the US, is a potato chip sandwich-bread, butter (or margarine), and potato chips. Nice and crunchy too!
From: rosenbau at chass.utoronto.ca (Sam Rosenbaum)
Date: 16 Jul 1996 18:12:05 -0400
--------
<snip re: mitraillettes and chip butties>
A friend eats fries inserted in her grilled cheese sandwiches - never tried it but I once had a falafel in Israel that had cold fries in it as well as more usual garnish - I recall being somewhat unimpressed. A british friend of mine speaks fondly of chip butties though.
Sam, from Canada, where someone somewhere is probably making poutine sandwiches
From: robnhol at ridgecrest.ca.us (Noman)
Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 20:54:54 GMT
--------
What is REALLY yummy is potato chips (plain, preferably really salty ones like those you get in the little bags for Hallowe'en) with M&Ms on 'em. This is great. The chocolate and salt compliament each other so well.
Why aren't there any ketchup chips in the states??? I'm going crazy!! Hostess (the chip company, not the Twinky company <blech>) should vend their wares down here! And so should Vachon! And Tim Horton's! AAARRRGGGHHH! I miss the homeland!!!!!!
From: Maxine (jenngarn at bway.net)
Date: Sat, 20 Jul 1996 15:40:21 -0400
--------
Okay, I can empathize with you on the ketchup chips. They were one of the few Canadian foods I actually enjoyed (along with poutine and Canadian beer, actually I'm not so sure these qualify as food...) during my residence there. However the other chip varieties that pass for flavors, are just plain gross. Dill pickle, everything, sweet-and-sour *pork* ?
I don't think these would ever catch on in the States.
From: aer at efn.org (YAA (Yet Another Al))
Date: Sun, 21 Jul 1996 18:46:06 GMT
--------
Maxine wrote:
>However the
>other chip varieties that pass for flavors, are just plain gross.
>Dill pickle, everything, sweet-and-sour *pork* ?
>I don't think these would ever catch on in the States.
Oh, I don't know! I think that sweet and sour pork flavored potato chips sounds interesting! :-)
From: jse2y at faraday.clas.Virginia.EDU (Jeffrey S. Ertel)
Date: Mon, 22 Jul 1996 16:36:39 GMT
--------
Come to my house. I have six bags of hostess ketchup chips sitting on my piano. We have a house on Cape Breton in Nova Scotia and the last thing I do before I leave Canada is to stop at a grocery store and buy a case of ketchup chips. Hostess also makes a mean dill pickle chip. My wife has given half of them away. AAACCCKKKK. She says I need to cut back. No sense of appreciation for what's good.
(The next to last thing I do is stop at this little diner and
order a large order of poutine. It's gotta last me a year.)
From: stella at apple.com (Stella Hackell)
Date: 17 Jul 1996 19:21:14 GMT
--------
In Venice, I ate at a restaurant that served a "McDonald's" pizza: crust, tomato sauce, mozzarella, and French Fries, with ketchup on the side. The only person I saw eating one was a German.
From: robnhol at ridgecrest.ca.us (Noman)
Date: Sat, 20 Jul 1996 21:16:51 GMT
--------
Someone mentioned poutine...In Atlantic Canada, poutine is fries, cheese (curds, mozza, or cheddar/mozza) and gravy. No BBQ sauce. It's great!
From: L. Bruce Hills (lbruce at somtel.com)
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 1996 06:01:57 -0400
--------
I got an EMail reply from a person in Belgium, where the French Fry is KING! He also said that starting your frys in cold oil increses hte amount of oil in the frys - and I have to agre with him.
But he did bring back memories of the years I spent in Belgium, and some of the various "toppings" you can put on them. In Belgium, you'll find a "Frites" stand on almost every corner. Their favorite topping is usallly mayonaise, but they also have (my favorite) tartar sauce, and ketchup.
In the Maritime provinces of Canada, salt and white vinegar (usually malt vinegar) is popular.