Crispy potatoes

 

4g baking soda and 25g kosher salt per 2 qt water to boil potatoes

4 lbs russets (or Yukons) peeled and cut into large chunks (2-3” or so)

5T (75ml) extra virgin olive oil/duck fat

 

Oven rack to center, preheat oven to 450

Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil over high heat

When the water comes to a boil, add salt and baking soda and the potatoes and stir.  Return to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook until a knife meets little resistance when inserted into a potato chunk – about 10 min after returning to boil

Drain carefully and let rest in pot for about 30 seconds to allow excess moisture to steam off – transfer to a bowl with the melted fat, season to taste with salt and pepper, and toss to coat roughly until a thick later of mashed potato0like paste has built up on the potato chunks

Transfer to large parchment lined rimmed baking sheet and spread them evenly – roast 20 min, flip, continue roasting until deep brown and crisp, shaking and turning a few more times, about 30-40 min.

Satsumaimo Oven Fries

Pretty much the same as regular Sweet Potato Fries, only using the purple skinned Japanese sweet potatoes.

Oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Wedge the sweet potato and toss into sip-top bag along with oil and seasonings (salt/pepper - add what you like - remember that spicy compliments sweet ... cayenne would not go amiss!) and shake it around to coat evenly. Spread evenly on parchment and back 20-30 minutes, flipping once.

Satsumaimo Amani

• Japanese sweet potato (1/2 lb) in 1/2" slices
• 1.25 C dashi
• 1.5 T sugar
• 2 t soy sauce

Soak sweet potato slices in water for 10 minutes. Place slices and dashi in a pot over medium heat - bring to a boil. Add sugar and soy sauce and reduce to simmer - heat reduced to low. Put foil or a drop lid over potatoes, simmer on low for 20 minutes or until the liquid is almost gone. Makes 4 servings.

Sweet Potato Fries

*****
These, as written below, are great, but cutting them (skins on) into 3/4" or 1" thick rounds, tossing in olive oil, salt and pepper and then cooking on parchment at 450 for 20 minutes, flipping once, cooking an additional 10 minutes makes them PERFECT! (Though no longer fry shaped)
*****

My first attempt was to simply cut them into wedges (skins on) and coat with olive oil, salt and pepper. They were okay (Scott said they were really good, but I think he was trying to be sweet – the insides were overcooked and dry, like mashed potatoes that need more milk and butter added!) There were 2 good things that came out of this experiment however: 1) I had accidentally picked up a white sweet potato and despite the color, they seem to work the same and they taste really good!; 2) the outsides of the fries were crispy and delicious – if I could increase surface to insides ratio, I would have the perfect fry!

Experiment 2 (electric bugaloo …) – I had it in my head to use my mandolin slicer to make waffle fries – figured that would give me maximum surface area and a thinner cut would improve that pesky surface to insides ratio. Issue: the waffle slice mode makes for thin slices – too thin to work for this application. So, I sliced them to 1/8th inch instead, coated them in olive oil, salt and pepper and popped them into a 350 degree oven for 8 minutes, flipped them, gave them another 10. They were good, but they did not brown very well. But the insides were perfect!!! Not too dry.

I think next time I make them (soon … I just bought the super crazy cheap “it’s Easter!” 5lb box of them) I will start them off at a higher temp, and then lower it to 350 when I flip them.