The potato. Not noble looking. Not terribly interesting at first glance. But, oh, how versatile and vital to so many cuisines.
There are simple ways to use potatoes: baked. And there are more clever ones: gnocchi. There are complex ways that we crave: French fries, for example.
Those fries. I assume that more pounds of potatoes are eaten via fries than by any other means. I’ve researched that topic, but with nothing conclusive [my Google skills are good, but not superb]. F
Fries are available at every restaurant. And if you do crave those fries, what do you do? Make them yourself, or drive to Mac…?
Making fries at home has been, and remains a chore. Deep frying, even with one of the new and much better appliances, is still messy and awkward. If you want fries, and want them easy, what can you do?
The oven. Concepts for baked fries have been around for decades. Baking is easier than deep frying, less mess, and certainly healthier. The challenge is to find a baked recipe providing you with a satisfying result.
Baking is never, never going to replace frying. You can’t get the same flavor or texture. The goal for a baked recipe is give you a truly interesting flavor and texture combination. You want to match the satisfaction of one of those Mac… fries!
This recipe, from allrecipes.com, really does meet those expectations. These fries have that “comfort food” touch as you first bite in, followed by an array of spice tones coming from paprika, garlic, chili, and onion.
We did modify the recipe shown below by sprinkling salt on the potatoes before baking. And, this is surely one of those great “modify your heart’s content” recipes where you can freely adjust the relative amount of spices. Or change them: substitute ground cumin for the chile powder, for example.
These fries take 45 minutes in the oven, so you can start them and work on the rest of your meal. And, as for the cooking time, some baked recipes call for only 30 minutes. It’s a matter of your personal taste, whether you like your fries more or less crispy, and — of course — depending on how thick you cut the potato wedges.
Baked French Fries
Yield: enough for 1
Ingredients:
- 1 large baking potato
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 450° F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Cut the potato into wedges [peeled or unpeeled].
Mix the olive oil and the spice ingredients in a bowl. Dip each wedge into the olive oil mixture and place on the baking sheet.
Bake for 45 minutes [or less depending on your texture preferences].
Serve hot. Have salt on the side, plus all your regular favorites: mayo, mustard, vinegar, …
Source: allrecipes.com