Belgian French Fries Recipes

BELGIAN FRENCH FRIES

Steps:

• First wash and peel the potatoes. Some people prefer them unpeeled, but I think they are better without the skins.
• Cut the potatoes lengthways to your preferred thickness. Maybe you want to use a French Fry Cutter for this? Generally the thicker they are the less crispy they may turn out in my experience. I tend to cut them about 10-12 mm thick (say ½ inch).
• Dry the potatoes on some absorbent kitchen towel.
• Heat the oil until it is bubbling. It is easier to use a fryer, but you can also do in a pan with a basket (which is what I did). Then fry the potatoes in batches for about 4 minutes at 125C. Do not let them brown. Then remove from the basket to a plate and let them cool for about 30 minutes. Line the plate with absorbent paper to clean off any oil.
• When you are ready to serve up, re-heat the oil and re-fry the potatoes at a higher heat (175C) than the first time (I used a bigger gas hob). Make sure the oil is at temperature before adding the potatoes. You should only need to fry for about a minute until they are just beginning to brown. Do not overcook.
• Drain on kitchen paper and lightly salt before serving.

THE ONE AND ONLY TRULY BELGIAN FRIES

Steps:

• Pour enough oil into a deep fryer to reach at least halfway up the sides of the pan but not more than three-quarters of the way up. Heat the oil to 325°F.
• Cut the potatoes into sticks 1/2 inch wide and 2 1/2 to 3 inches long. Dry all the pieces thoroughly in a clean dish towel. This will keep th oil from splattering. Divide the potato sticks into batches of no more than 1 cup each. Do not fry more than one batch at a time.
• When the oil has reached the desired temperature, fry the potatoes for 4 to 5 minutes per batch. They should be lightly colored but not browned. If your fryer has a basket, simply lift it out the remove the fried potatoes. Otherwise, use a long-handled skimmer to lift out the potatoes. Be sure to bring the temperature of the oil back to 325°F in between batches. At this point the fries can rest for several hours at room temperature until you are almost ready to serve them.
• Heat the oil to 325°F. Fry the potatoes in 1-cup batches until they are nicely browned and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain on fresh paper towels or brown paper bags and place in a warmed serving bowl lined with more paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and serve. Never cover the potatoes to keep them hot as they will immediately turn soft and limp. If you are inclined to perfectionism, leave some potatoes to fry halfway through the meal so you can serve them crisp and piping hot.

FRIETEN (BELGIAN FRENCH FRIES)

Steps:

• Cut the potatoes in the form of French fries and rinse them well with water. make them dry with a clean dish cloth.
• Deep fry them 5 minutes at 150 degrees Celsius,
• take them out of the oil and leave them to cool down.
• Heat the oil to 180 degrees Celsius and deep fry the fries until they are crispy on the outside and golden brown (about 5 minutes).
• Sprinkle with salt and serve with mayonnaise.

BELGIUM FRITES(FRENCH FRIES)

Steps:

• Cut the potatoes lengthwise into thin strips, about 1/3-inch in width. Soak the potatoes in ice-cold water for 1 hour, drain, and pat completely dry.
• Heat the oil in a deep skillet(or deep fryer) to 325F and fry the potatoes, in batches, for 5 minutes, until they turn golden brown.
• Drain the frites on fresh paper towels and salt them.
• Makes 2 large or 3 medium servings.

AUTHENTIC BELGIAN FRIES ( FRENCH FRIES )

Steps:

• you will need an open (no lid) deep fryer , if you only have the kind with filters and lids , just don't close them, the steam has to be able to leave very fast else you loose crunchiness.
• Peel your potatoes , and cut them lengthwise into discs of about 1/4 inch thick (they can be a bit thicker if you like that) . Then slice the discs lengthwise into fries of the same thickness.
• Make sure your sink is clean , and wash your fries in cold water . Drain the water , and wash them again in new clean water. Repeat this a few times until no starch comes off the potatoes and the water stays clear. Dry your fries well , so there is no more moisture on their sides.
• First cooking . Put the thermostat for your oil to approximately 320°F or 160°C , not higher . Put a small to medium amount of fries in the cooking basket ( you will have to do this multiple times , if you put in too much fries at once you will loose your temperature and your fries will turn out horrible) . Make sure all fries are under by shaking the basket . During cooking you can shake the basket a few times so you know they're not sticking together. Important: To check if the first cooking is done lift your basket out and pinch a fry if you can pinch all the way through they are done (if you do it fast you will certainly not burn your fingers ), they should still look pale and white , stay with your cooking for this , timing is important.(repeat until they are all done , and let your fat heat up to the appropriate temperature each time).
• Take out the fries , shake them and put them in a big bowl to cool off , once they are cooled to room temperature they are ok to start the second cooking . you can keep these at room temperature for hours until you are ready to serve the meal , in fact leaving them a bit will only make them better , just put a towel over the bowl , no need to put them in the fridge(where condensationwould coat them).
• Second cooking. Put the thermostat of your oil at approximately 370°F-374°F or 185°C-190°C , this is usually the highest setting , or just below that . Put a _small_ amount of the precooked fries in your basket . fry them while shaking the basket in the oil a few times during cooking , you can even take the basket out a few times to throw them in the air (not really needed , but supposed to be good tor making bubbles appear on them :) . They are ready when they are a rich golden brown in color . I put them in a deep plate with a paper towel at the bottom , and use a paper towel to quickly rub the excess fat off them before i serve(paper towel on top hand on paper towel , make a circular movement , take out towel). add a bit of fine salt , and serve. best with a T bone steak or sirloin *grinn* but as you know , fries go with just about anything :).
• A bit of added history : The French will be the first to say that "les frites" come from Belgium. And it being true that Belgians have made and perfected the stuff for years and years, the origin of deep frying potatoes in oil comes from a monastery in Spain.
• Smakelijk (bon appétit).
• EDIT:.
• Recently I found out that Bintje potatoes have become commonly available in the United States . These are without a doubt the best potatoes to use.

BELGIAN FRIES (POMMES FRITES)

Steps:

• Pour enough oil into a deep fryer to reach at least halfway up the sides of the pan but not more than three-quarters of the way up. Heat oil to 325°F.
• Cut the potatoes into sticks 1/2 inch wide and 2-1/2 to 3 inches long. Dry all the the pieces thoroughly in a clean dish towel. This will keep the oil from splattering. Divide the potato sticks into batches of no more than 1 cup each. Do not fry more than one batch at a time.
• When the oil has reached the desired temperature, fry the potatoes for 4 or 5 minutes per batch. They should be lightly colored but not browned. If fryer has a basket, simply lift it out to remove the fried potatoes. Otherwise, use a long-handled skimmer to lift out the potatoes. Be sure to bring the temperature of the oil back to 325°F in between the batches. At this point the frites can rest for several hours at room temperature until you are almost ready to serve them.
• Just prior to eating, heat the oil to 375°F Fry the potatoes in 1-cup batches until they are nicely browned and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes per batch. Drain on fresh paper towels or brown paper bags and place in a warmed serving bowl lined with more paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and serve. Never cover the potatoes to keep them hot as they will immediately turn soft and limp. If you are inclined to perfectionism, leave some potatoes to fry halfway through the meal so you can serve them crisp and hot.

BELGIAN FRIES

Steps:

• Peel and rinse the potatoes. Then, it's off to the chopping board! Start by cutting your potatoes lengthwise (make sure your discs are not too thick), then slice the discs into fries of roughly the same thickness. Don't worry if you end up with a few oddballs. Belgian fries are very forgiving. ^^
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and fill another pot with ice water.
• Once the water comes to a boil, add a teaspoon of salt. Add one big slotted spoon worth of raw fries to the boiling water and blanch them for 5 minutes. Remove with the slotted spoon and dunk into the ice water bath before putting them on a clean dish cloth/kitchen towel. Pat them dry. You want to get rid of any moisture before you start frying. Repeat until your entire batch of raw fries has been blanched. [I should add that not everyone blanches their fries. As potatoes have a high sugar content, they tend to turn dark brown when frying. By blanching them the sugar content is reduced and they'll get a nice golden colour.]
• OPTIONAL: I tend to go the extra mile and arrange individual fries to air-dry for a few minutes after patting them dry, just to make sure they're nice and dry before I start pre-frying them. We take our fries seriously in Belgium. Can you tell?
• Frying happens in two stages. You can use a deep-frier for this or a wok. I used a wok. Pre-frying: heat 1 litre of the oil until it reaches 150°C and start frying in small batches (one heaped slotted spoon at a time) for 6 minutes each. If using a wok, make sure you check the oil's temperature after each batch. After pre-frying, put the fries in a bowl with some kitchen roll to draw out the excess oil. Your fries will start to look yellow at this stage but not golden yet. [If making a large batch, you can freeze the fries after this step and save them for another day. They keep in the freezer for 6 months. You can also store them in the fridge until later on (if using the same day). If you're looking to fry the full batch, move on to step 6.]
• As soon as your fries have been pre-fried, it's time to turn up the heat. Add the remaining 0.5 litre of oil to the hot oil in the wok and heat it up until it reaches at least 180°C. It's best to keep the flame a bit higher throughout the second fry compared to the pre-frying stage. Keep an eye on that temperature, and remember: the more room your fries have, the crispier they'll be in the end!
• Fry in batches (6 minutes per batch) until nice and golden. When you take them out of the oil, you'll notice straight away whether they're crispy or not.
• Transfer to a bowl with some kitchen roll and add a pinch of salt.
• Serve with a good dollop of mayonnaise.

FLEMISH FRITES - BELGIAN FRIES WITH ANDALOUSE SAUCE

Steps:

• Stir mayonnaise, tomato paste, red onion, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, lemon juice, and salt together in a bowl. Cover the Andalouse sauce with plastic wrap and refrigerate 8 hours to overnight.
• Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• Submerge potato strips in a bowl of ice water; rinse potatoes in several changes of cold water until water in the bowl is clear. Drain potatoes and pat dry.
• Working in batches, fry potatoes in the hot oil until just cooked through but still white, about 5 minutes. Transfer fries to a paper-towel lined plate to drain. Bring oil back to temperature between batches. Cool potatoes to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
• Increase oil temperature to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Working in batches, fry the potatoes again until deep golden, 5 to 10 minutes more. Transfer fries to a paper-towel lined plate to drain. Season fries with salt and serve with Andalouse sauce.

CLASSIC BELGIAN FRENCH FRIES

Steps:

• 1. Starting at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours before serving, scrub the potatoes well under cold running water. Peel them, if desired. Using a sharp knife or a French fry cutter, cut each potato lengthwise into long sticks about Y4 inch square. Place in a large bowl of cold water. (If you like crispy fries, refrigerate the bowl of fries for 2 hours.) Drain well. In batches, spin the potatoes in a salad spinner, then pat completely dry with paper towels. Wrap the potatoes in paper towels to keep them from discoloring. 2. Place a large wire cake rack over a jelly roll pan. In a deep Dutch oven over high heat, melt shortening to a depth of 2 to 3 inches and heat it to 325°F. In batches, without crowding, deep-fry the potatoes until tender and just beginning to color, about 3 minutes. Using a wire-mesh skimmer, transfer to the wire rack and let cool. The potatoes can stand at room temperature for up to 4 hours. 3. Preheat the oven to 200°F. Transfer the cooled potatoes to paper towels and pat to remove excess fat. Reheat the shortening over high heat to 375°F. In batches, without crowding, add the potatoes and cook until crisp and golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a wire-mesh skimmer, transfer the fries to the wire rack and keep warm in the oven while frying the rest. Serve immediately, seasoned with salt and with a dipping sauce on the side. NOTE: It's a fact that the most delicious French fries are cooked in rendered lard or beef fat. (McDonald's fries haven't been quite the same since they stopped using beef fat.)GAUFRETTES (WAFFLE-CUT POTATOES): cut the ends off a potato to make it somewhat rectangular. Using the ruffled blade of a mandollne, cut the potato end to make a ridged surface. Turn the potato 90 degrees and slice again to make a waffle-cut chip. Continue cutting and turning the potato until all of it has been sliced. Repeat with the remaining potatoes. Transfer to a bowl of cold water and let stand for 5 minutes. Drain, spin in a salad spinner, and pat dry with paper towels. Deep-fry in 375°F vegetable oil until crisp and golden, about 3 minutes. SHOESTRING POTATOES: Using a mandollne, cut the potatoes lengthwise into 1/16-inch square "shoestrings." transfer to a bowl of cold water and proceed as for the gaufrettes above.

BELGIAN MAYONNAISE TO SERVE WITH FRITES

Steps:

• In a medium sized bowl place the egg yolks and the mustard, together with a Tablespoon of cold water. Beat this with a hand mixer until it is well blended. While continuing to beat the mixture bit by bit add the salad oil. If the mayonnaise becomes too thick, add a little more water. Still beating the mixture add the lemon juice and then taste to see if seasoned properly. If not add more salt & pepper to taste. Store the mayonnaise in the refrigerator in a covered bowl.