Les Halles Fries
- 4 Idaho potatoes, big, long ones
- 2 quarts/2.25 liters or more peanut oil to fill fryer (or pot)
- Table salt
- STEP ONE: PREP
- Fill a large bowl with ice water.
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1/2-inch- (1-cm-) thick sticks.
- Put them immediately into the bowl of ice water to keep them from oxidizing.
- Leave them in the water anywhere from 30 minutes to overnight, then rinse well in cold water to take out much of the starch.
- STEP TWO: BLANCH
- In a deep fryer or heavy-bottomed pot, heat the oil to 280F (140C).
- Cook the potatoes in batches, about 6 to 8 minutes for each batch, until they are soft and their color has paled from opaque white to a semitranslucent white.
- Do not get impatient and yank them out early.
- Remove them from the oil with the skimmer or wire basket and spread evenly on the baking sheet.
- Let them rest at least 15 minutes.
- STEP THREE: FRY
- Bring the oil up to 375F (190C).
- No hotter, no cooler.
- Fry the blanched potatoes in batches for 2 to 3 minutes each, or until they are crispy and golden brown.
- Remove from the oil with the skimmer or wire basket, shake off the excess oil, and...
- STEP FOUR: SERVE
- ...immediately drop the fries into the other large bowl, which has been lined with a clean, dry towel.
- Add salt to taste and whip out the towel.
- Toss the fries around in the bowl and serve while still hot.
potatoes, liters, salt
Taken from www.cookstr.com/recipes/les-halles-fries (may not work)