Chef Mik's Pommes Frites (Julienne Style)

“Pommes Frites” deep fried and finished with salt, what could be better? I love a good fried potato whether it be simply pan fried or deep fried there is just something about them that tickles the taste buds and excites the palate! At any rate what we refer to here in the States as French fried potatoes most likely got there start in Belgian in the 1600’s and have been enjoyed throughout Europe for centuries. However the potato first made its début when Columbus brought them back from the new world. Unlike its cousin the tomato the potato quickly gained broad appeal. Considering there are several types of potatoes with differing starch contents, not to mention the types of fats used back then most of which included rendered animal fat besides tasting great were also one of the most common means of preservation. One can only surmise it didn’t take to long before potatoes found their way into the frying pan and a new day was born. There are of course numerous cuts of potatoes fried nowadays such as pommes allumettes among the most common. The type I am preparing today is a thin version of the heavenly fried potatoes known as pommes julienne sometimes referred to shoe string fries State side. Curiously enough for whatever reason it is not the only size referred to by that name. I will be serving it pub style with a great steak known as entrecôte which is from the loin area of the beast the cut known as a ribeye

Shopping List

Idaho russet potatoes

Frying oil

Salt

My Mad Method

Choose evenly sized uniform potatoes

Peal them and slice very thing (match stick) julienne style strips

I am using a mandolin

Soak the potatoes in a salad spiner if you have one, for a half an hour to 45 minutes in 2 or 3 changes of cold water to eliminate as much starch as possible

Drain well, and then spin dry using a salad spinner

Transfer the potatoes to paper towels and pay dry, NOTE: if to much water it will react with the hot oil and can spray risking burns and other injuries

Fill a deep wide pot about 10cm full with frying oil and heat to 190c, add the potatoes in batches and fry for about 5 to 7 minutes or until golden brown and crispy

Using a slotted spoon remove the potatoes from the fryer and drain on paper towels

Toss with salt and serve!

I am using my own seasoning salt consisting of sea salt, granulated garlic, smoked pepper, and cracked black pepper