Time to break out the Spiralizer again! This time, it won’t even feel like there are veggies involved, so any little ones in your house can get excited. 🙂Â
One of Anthony’s favorite foods–hands down– is french fries. He will order them at almost any restaurant we go to and even eat them for dinner (with maybe some spinach on the side) and be totally content. It’s his inner 5-year-old, I’m sure of it. That being said, when I’m super exhausted and don’t really feel like being in the kitchen, this is definitely one of those make everybody happy recipes. Super fast, supper yummy, and not altogether terrible for you.Â
I shallow-fried these in about a half-inch of vegetable oil to cut down on oil absorption and make the finished dish a bit lighter. My next project is to try using sweet potatoes and bake them instead…Â I’ll let you know how it goes! I also love them because they adapt to any seasoning profile that you like. Here I used easy-peasy garlic salt, some crushed red pepper and dried parsley. So yummy! You could use anything you like– ditch the red pepper for a milder flavor, or try cajun/blackening/cayenne to dial up the heat. Really, anything goes. Only rule is you have to eat them IMMEDIATELY. Shouldn’t be too hard, right?
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- 2 large red potatoes, peeled
- 1 tablespoon garlic salt*
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- Preheat your oven to its lowest setting. This will help you keep the first batch of fries warm and crispy while you fry the second batch. Line a small baking sheet with paper towels and keep nearby.
- Pour vegetable oil into a large rimmed skillet until about ½-inch deep. Heat to 375 degrees F over medium heat, or until the oil is shimmery and when you little bubbles form and swirl around the handle of a wooden spoon placed into the oil.
- While the oil is heating up, mix together your seasonings in a small bowl or ramekin, and set aside. Then peel your potatoes. Finally, attach the large noodle blade to the spiralizer and slice both potatoes, trimming the strands to your preferred lengths (the shorter they are, the faster and easier they cook!)
- When the oil is hot, carefully place the potatoes in the pan, about ½ at a time (see note). Keep a close eye on the fries, turning them until they are golden brown on all sides, about 3-5 minutes. When done, remove the fries from the oil onto the paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain excess oil. Sprinkle with half of your seasoning blend and toss to coat. Place the first batch in the preheated oven and fry the second batch. When all the fries are done, serve immediately with condiments of your choice.
Frying in batches helps you avoid overcrowding the pan. Too many things frying all at once can drop the oil temperature too much, giving you soggy, not crispy results... Yuck!