Showing posts with label Russet Potatoes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Russet Potatoes. Show all posts

Monday, June 1, 2009

#132_Homemade French Fries


Homemade French Fries
There are two ways you can make French fries.
On second thought, there might be more than two ways,
but the following are the only ways I know.

One way is oven-baked where you drizzle olive oil
on the cut potatoes then bake them in the
oven for 20-25 minutes on 350 degrees.
This is actually a healthy way to make fries,
but I don't think they taste as good as the ones fried in oil.

The second is the deep fry method, actually twice fried,
which is a method most chefs use to make fries.
The potatoes are blanched in hot oil,
then return them to the oil to fry them the second time.
I only made fries this way a couple of times.
It is too much frying for this old lady.


Here's how I make my fries:

You'll need:

Russet potatoes.
Russets or Idaho are best kind of potatoes for fries
(click here.)
and canola oil for frying.
Some chefs use peanut oil, but I haven't tried using it.

1) Scrub potatoes good with vegetable brush if leaving the skins on (why not? skins good for you!) Cut them into strips.

2) Cover cut potatoes with ice water or ice cubes so they won't turn brown as you are cutting the rest of the potatoes or as you are preparing the oil to get hot.

3) When ready to fry, dry the potatoes with paper towels or clean dish cloth.

4) In a deep pan, heat the oil. If using an electric deep fryer which I use when making 5 lbs. of potatoes, (yes, my G'kids love these fries) right temperature should read 350 degrees.

5) Fry potatoes in hot oil, in small batches.

6) To check if the potatoes are done:
Scoop up a bunch with a slotted spoon.When they feel light and somewhat airy, they are done. They should be firm and crispy too and not limp.

Simple, aye?

7) Drain fries on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt.
8) EAT THEM RIGHT AWAY!!

NOTES: Here's a quicker way to make French fries:
1) Wash and scrub potatoes well with cold water, then pierce them with the tines of fork. 2) Microwave the potatoes until they are half way cooked, about 3 minutes.
3) Then cut them into strips. (There's no need to put them in ice cold water).

4) Fry them in hot oil in small batches until they are light and airy when lifted with a slotted spoon. Really easy as 1-2-3-(4)!


Here are a couple
useful tips on potatoes from this link, click here.
  • Do not store potatoes in the refrigerator. Refrigeration converts the starch in potatoes to sugar which will cause the potato to darken when cooked.

  • Prolonged exposure to light causes greening and makes the potato taste bitter. Peel or pare green area from the potato before using.

Saturday, December 6, 2008

#43_Mashed Potatoes

I overheard somebody talking about perfect mashed potatoes at a restaurant awhile ago. In my opinion, I don't think there is such a thing as perfect mashed potatoes. The way one makes it or likes his mashed potatoes is purely a personal preference. For some people, they like their mashed potatoes light and fluffy, some like it dense and lumpy, or creamy, or runny, or country (with skins on).
Although I'm not a meat-and-potato person but rather a rice-and-gulay person, when I cook or eat mashed potatoes, I like mine light and fluffy. For those who don't like it that way, then it won't be a perfect mashed potato for them.

I wasn't able to take a picture of the finished product because I was running behind schedule at the time but the picture above shows how I prepared the potatoes to be mashed. Peeling the potatoes is the hard part, other than that it is really easy to make it.

Recipe for basic mashed potatoes:

5 lbs. russet potatoes

1 stick butter

1 can evaporated milk, heated

salt to taste


Peel and wash the potatoes then slice them crosswise. I discovered that it is faster to slice them this way than slicing them in cubes. Put the sliced potatoes in a big pot and put enough water to cover them. On medium high heat, boil the potatoes until fork tender. Drain the water but leave a little bit in the bottom of the pot. To the hot potatoes, add some salt and the butter and hot milk. With a potato masher, mash them tatoes, it is a good work out for the arm. After mashing it with potato masher, use an electric hand mixer and beat the mixture until smooth and fluffy. If dense, add some more hot milk.

Serve it hot with gravy. Click here for gravy recipe #260

Note: I have a big aluminum pot that I use for boiling the potatoes. I mash and beat them with the mixer in the same pot I boiled them in. You can transfer the boiled potatoes to a big bowl and mashed them but you have to work quickly to make sure the potatoes stay really hot when mashing.