How to Make a Healthy Snack
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Slow Cooker Recipes
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Best Riffs on Hot Chocolate
The Basics: How to Make Oven Fries
Roasted instead of deep-fried
From the store to the kitchen to the table: We outline the steps that get you from something raw to something cooked using simple ingredients, free of measurements and complicated techniques. A method that you can have in your back pocket and whip out whenever you like. We call it recipe-free cooking.
- a knife
- a baking sheet
- a spatula
- two russet potatoes
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
- Old Bay Seasoning (optional)
Illustrations by Bill Russell
Know what's great? I made a ton of these one day w/a huge bag of russets from Sam's Club. Then froze them. Pull a few handfuls out, toss them on a cookie sheet in a 400 F oven for 10 mins and feed the kids when they get off the bus. I will try the water soaking to make them crispier!
i use lawry's if im in a lazy mood, if not i'll chop up some garlic, parsley, add some chile flakes, and then some lawry's :). lawry's on everything my friends.
These are amazing with a steak! A great example of a simple dish that really puts out.
I recommend you try them with a liberal dusting of dry dill. Crazy good...even hours later when they're cold!
Next time I'm going to try hickory seasoning salt.
Soaking for about 10 minutes in hot tap water helps remove the excess starch that can interfere with crisping. It's a step that I skip if I'm in a hurry, but if you do it, you'll notice a difference (when oven roasting, anyway...I've never deep fried potatoes at home).
For a fast ovenless version - cut potatoes into wedges or large chunks, toss with oil and salt, spread on microwave-safe...+READ
Soaking for about 10 minutes in hot tap water helps remove the excess starch that can interfere with crisping. It's a step that I skip if I'm in a hurry, but if you do it, you'll notice a difference (when oven roasting, anyway...I've never deep fried potatoes at home).
For a fast ovenless version - cut potatoes into wedges or large chunks, toss with oil and salt, spread on microwave-safe plate, and nuke for 7-8 minutes. Pull them out and dump them on a hot grill (make sure you cut them big enough not to fall through! or use a rack), right next to your burgers or steaks. Push them around a couple times to rotate - they are done when they are brown and crispy. Takes about 3-5 minutes, depending on heat of your grill. And they are creamy and soft on the inside, with roasted, crispy skin on the outside. I do a quick final toss with preferred seasonings, and they are always a hit.-COLLAPSE
"Old Bay seasoning" ?? Why not whip up your own concoction from your own herbs and spices. Cayenne, garlic and onion powder, dried thyme, oregano, kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper. That's what I use.
My personal concoction is a mixture of celery seed, ground mustard, red pepper, black pepper, bay leaves, cloves, allspice, ginger, mace, cardamom, cinnamon, paprika, and salt. I keep it in a...+READ
"Old Bay seasoning" ?? Why not whip up your own concoction from your own herbs and spices. Cayenne, garlic and onion powder, dried thyme, oregano, kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper. That's what I use.
My personal concoction is a mixture of celery seed, ground mustard, red pepper, black pepper, bay leaves, cloves, allspice, ginger, mace, cardamom, cinnamon, paprika, and salt. I keep it in a little can with "Old Bay seasoning" written on the side.-COLLAPSE
Grilled option: Don't wanna crank up the oven on a hot day? try this. Turn gas grill on low, put your oiled, seasoned potato wedges on the upper rack skin side down. Cook at about 300-400 degrees about 20 minutes,or until blistered and crispy (cook times and temperatures depend on your particular grill). Enjoy immediately!
If you want crispy-er oven fries, do not add any salt until they are finished cooking.
Also delicious- Cook the taters most of the way by boiling or microwaving, toss with oil and a bit of garlic, or your preferred seasonings and grill those suckers! They are a great addition to an all grilled meal when its too hot to turn on the stove, and you can par-cook them ahead of time.
Giving the sliced taters a nice long soak in water will remove some surface starches and provide for more crispy, crunchy oven baked tater fries.
If you don't want starch/carbs... maybe potatoes are not your best food choice. :-)
There's also a range of starchiness among different kinds of potatoes. IME, a waxier potato is best for this kind of cooking. But I still wouldn't rinse it.
I'm in New Zealand and it's COLD here now (our winter) so thanks for the stomach- and house-warming recipe!
Great idea with sweet potatoes too... I like to put cajun seasoning on them when they are hot, just out of the oven.
"Old Bay seasoning" ?? Why not whip up your own concoction from your own herbs and spices. Cayenne, garlic and onion powder, dried thyme, oregano, kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper. That's what I use.
I like using new red potatoes and cutting them into 1/4s or 1/8ths. This reduces cooking time to about 10 minutes. Some cayenne and chili poweder are a good addition too.
Even easier? My super-duper lazy method of a baked-style potato treat is to simply slice potatoes and nuke 'em for 5-10 minutes. It's surprisingly delicious if you like the contrast between mealy insides and the chewy outside "skin" that the microwave gives them.
I definitely don't soak the potatoes first whether baking or frying...true, a soak would remove some starch but it will also remove some flavor.
Besides...why is the starch "unnecessary"?
these would be better if you soaked them in water to remove some of the unnecessary startch
It would be lovely if these recipes were seasonal. They're great but who wants to crank an oven up to 425 on a hot summer day? Just a thought...