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Home Cook: Dave Popple, Hopewell Junction
As a corporate psychologist and co-founder of Facticiti.com, I travel a lot in my job. I've gone to more than 20 countries where I like to collect cookbooks and recipes. These books include a Thai cookbook written in Danish from the only Michelin Star Thai Restaurant in the world and a handwritten recipe for Lamb Rogan Josh from the head chef of the Paul Restaurant in Bangalore, India. This french fry recipe springs from his interest in modernist cooking inspired by a gift of a Sous Vide from his wife last Christmas. I've adapted it and make it often at home.
Recipe: Four Way Fries.
Ingredients:
- 3 to 4 Russet or golden potatoes
- 2 Tbsp soda
- 1 Tbsp Salt
- 1 Tbsp Sugar
- Optional: Crushed garlic cloves
- Truffle cream
- Butter
- Sea salt
- Fresh ground pepper
Directions:
- Skin and cut three to four large russet potatoes into 3/4 in squares.
- In large pot, add 4 quarts of water, 4 tablespoons of baking soda, 4 tables spoons salt, and 1/4 cup sugar.
- Raise temperature to 195 degrees in the solution. The easiest way to do this is to get the solution to boil and then turn down your heat until it stops. This will get you close enough to 195.
- Place cut potatoes in the hot solution for 25 minutes.
- Pour out solution and place the potatoes in your dehydrator* and set at 160 degrees. Dry for 30 minutes. The potatoes will start to develop a very thin skin.
- *A convection oven set at 160 will have the same effect. However, you need to place the potatoes on a drying rack or else the will break and fall through.
- Heat your oil up to 375. A peanut oil blend is best but any medium high to high heat oil will work. Fill basket and fry for six minutes.
- Remove fries and let the batch cool, repeat until all of the potatoes have been fried.
- Once they have cooled, fry in small batches at 375 or freeze and fry later. The second round is three to four minutes for non-frozen, five to six minutes for frozen.
- Season with sea salt or truffle cream and butter. For this version, mix truffle cream with softened but not melted butter in a large bowl. Toss in fries. The heat of the fries will melt the mixture and coat the fries. Salt and then serve.
- Another option is Garlic and Parmesan, in which case you should crush whole garlic cloves and place in large bowl with a little olive oil. Toss in fries. The heat from the fries will soften the garlic. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.
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