Clay's Kitchen : Potato Recipes

Potato Recipes

Real Belgian Fries

Recipe from: Michel A. Mes

How to make REAL Belgian Fries!

Follow these instructions carefully and enjoy the wonderful taste of the real Belgian fries.

potatoes
oil
salt

Start by peeling some potatoes. Cut them in slices 1 cm (⅜ inch) thick and finally cut them into fries of 1 cm square. Dry the fries well in paper or a towel before putting them into the oil.

Note: some people like to put them in cold water for a few minutes. This washes out much of the starch and tends to make them less sticky after the first frying and more crispy after the second.

Heat the oil in a hot frying pan or deep fryer to a temperature of 320°F. Put in a handful of fries: not more at once because the oil will cool down too much. Fry for a few minutes (4 to 8 depending on the thickness and the kind of potatoes), stir regularly to prevent sticking. Put the fries into a large bowl with kitchen paper and let them 'sweat' for at least ½ hour.

Finally heat to 375°F and fry for 2 minutes until crispy and golden brown. This way the fries will be crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, the way they should be!

Serve with a little salt and some mayonnaise.

A list of No-no's:

Do not slice them too thin (see below). 1 cm square is the perfect dimension.
Try to cut them rectangular: pointed ends tend to burn. You'll need more potatoes of course.
Do not put in too many fries at once: the oil will cool down and your fries will be too wacky and greasy.
Do not fry them the first time until they become brown.
Never put a lid on your frying pan: this makes your fries wacky.
Never use frozen fries! Go to a McDonalds if you like them...

French fries (also known as Pommes Allumettes) are thinner then the real ones. They taste OK but are a lot more greasy! They are fried only once at 355°F. Other varieties include Pommes Paille (1,5 mm thick, fry once) and Pommes Gauffre (cut with a special knife).

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