French fries are fantastic. I like a crispy crust and a soft center – a perfect vehicle for ketchup. I like to add some sriracha to a bit of ketchup for a spicy option, and I’m not afraid to admit that I enjoy BBQ sauce, even as a dipping condiment.
The secret to this at home preparation, or at least the secret to making it simple is to use a french-fry slicer, soak the potatoes and start the oil cold.
The slicer is important because it will provide you with even-sized thicknesses on each fry – even the skinny ones will have a certain uniformity. I find it best to cut the potatoes in half and then slice them, both because the ends of potatoes are unruly and lend themselves to wavy-cuts, but also because the half-sized fries are more likely to be subject to the bruising of the ends that soak up the oil and provide a satisfying crunch.
Clean the potatoes and cut them in half. Run each half through the slicer, pulling them through if you need to. Let them soak in cold, clean water in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.
Drain the fries and pat dry. Place them in a wok and cover with any high-temp cooking oil, turn on burner low. Keep the oil above boiling for 35 minutes, then blast the fries with pretty high heat for another five to seven minutes, remove fries with strainer and let cool for a minute on paper towel.
Toss with salt, any finishing salt will do and serve piping hot with plenty of dipping sauce.