Tag: potatoes

Spicy Garlicky Crispy Oven Baked French Fries

Tom

The secret to crispy oven baked french fries? A few years ago I posted my favorite oven baked french fry recipe…that one was great (it was for thicker steak-cut fries), but I’ve been experimenting with oven baked fries since then and came up with this recipe, which is even better…it turns out thinner, crunchier, crisper fries with way more flavor. The secret is par cooking the potatoes in the microwave for a couple of minutes in a garlicky olive oil and then coating them with a spicy cornstarch mixture before baking them in the oven. It sounds a lot more involved then it is…it’s actually simple, fast and definitely worth trying. It is also very forgiving, so feel free to experiment with different spices and quantities…as long as you dry the potatoes well after soaking, and keep an eye on them as they cook, they’ll come out great. Pair the fries with a super-melty cheeseburger topped with caramelized onions and you’ll never want to go out for burgers and fries again, ’cause crispy oven baked french fries don’t get an better than this.

Please click here for the printable recipe.

Best Crispy Roasted Potatoes Ever!

Tom

crispy_roast_potatoesThese are absolutely the best roasted potatoes I ever tasted…crispy on the outside and fluffy and tender on the inside. Also, although russets work really well with this recipe from J. Kenji López-Alt, the genius Culinary Director over at Serious Eats, I would recommend Yukon Golds (or a combination of the two) for the best and most flavorful results. You can check out the recipe here…these potatoes take a little more time and effort but I think once you taste them, you’ll agree that they are SO worth it.

Crispy Spicy Oven-Baked Garlic French Fries

Tom

A few months ago I posted my favorite oven baked french fry recipe…that one was great (it was for steak-cut fries), but I’ve been experimenting with oven baked fries since then and this recipe is even better…it turns out thinner, crunchier, crisper fries with way more flavor. The secret is par baking the potatoes in the microwave for a couple of minutes in a garlicky oil and then coating them with a spicy cornstarch mixture before baking them in the oven. It sounds a lot more involved then it is…it’s actually simple, fast and definitely worth trying. It is also very forgiving, so feel free to experiment with different spices and quantities…as long as you dry the potatoes well after soaking, and keep an eye on them as they cook, they’ll  come out great. Pair the fries with a super-melty cheeseburger topped with caramelized onions and you’ll never want to go out for burgers and fries again, ’cause it doesn’t get an better than this.

Please click here for the printable recipe.

Crispy Crunchy New Jersey Diner Home Fries

Tom

Crispy Crunchy New Jersey Diner Home Fries! These are a great addition to any breakfast, but with a couple of eggs and some bacon and toast, you feel like you’re having breakfast in a classic New Jersey diner (and make no mistake about it…there are no better diners than Jersey diners). They’re extremely simple (and fast) to make…just 1/4 inch dice two medium-sized russet potatoes (about 2-3 cups) and a small onion (about 1/4 cup). Place the diced potatoes in the microwave, cover, and cook on high, for about a minute until partially cooked, stirring halfway through to ensure even heating. Heat up a skillet (preferably a cast iron one), add a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil and/or butter (and if you are also making bacon, use about 1-2 tablespoons of the bacon grease instead of the oil…it adds tons off extra flavor), toss in the potatoes and onions, season liberally with salt and pepper and let them fry over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for about 8-12 minutes until golden brown. I use a cast iron bacon press to press them down between stirs so they crisp up faster and more evenly, but it’s not necessary. That’s all there is to it…try these and you’ll agree that, for great breakfast potatoes, it really doesn’t get any better than Crispy Crunchy New Jersey Diner Home Fries!

Oven Baked Spicy Crispy French Fries

Tom

crispy spicy oven friesEveryone loves french fries, but deep frying at home is messy and the clean up sucks. These oven baked fries are just as tasty, a little bit healthier and way easier to make and clean up after than the deep-fried variety. The secret is the pre-soak that removes some of the starch and helps the fries to crisp up on the outside while staying tender and moist on the inside. Pair these with my Oven Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings and you have a great finger-licking good, faux deep-fried, quasi-healthy meal that everyone will love. If you prefer thinner, crispier garlicky oven baked fries, please click here.

Please click here for the printable recipe.

Smashed Baby Red Potatoes…Crunchy & Delicious

Tom

Smashed Baby Red PotatoesSmashed Baby Red Potatoes! If your tired of the same old baked potatoes or french fries (although I don’t understand how anyone could get tired of french fries) here is a simple recipe for preparing this amazing dish. These baby red potatoes that not only taste incredible…moist and creamy on the inside and crunchy on the outside…but also look really great on your plate. Try and get the smallest red potatoes you can find…that way you have a much larger crispy to creamy ratio in each bite! And although they’re delicious right out of the oven, definitely try them with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkling of green onions…it really rounds out the flavor.

These amazing Smashed Baby Reds are a festive, delicious, impressive-looking appetizer to pass around at you next cocktail party (or any party for that matter). They also go perfectly with just about any dish, from burgers and steaks to salads.

Please click here for the Delicious Crunchy Smashed Baby Red Potatoes printable recipe.

The Best Way to Peel a Potato

Tom

Leave it to Mary Ann from Gilligan’s Island to show us the best way to peel a potato. Every Thanksgiving, we make a ton of mashed potatoes for 40 people and the only thing we don’t look forward to is peeling all those potatoes. Well thanks to this video from Mary Ann, it looks like next Thanksgiving that won’t be a problem. Now if we can just get the Professor to invent an easy way to deep fry a turkey without burning down the entire neighborhood.

BTW, if you really want to do it the authentic “Mary Ann” way, here are the Red Silicon Gripper Tongs she uses in the video. They’re great for using with non-stick cookware and they’re heat resistant up to 600° and dishwasher safe.

Fast and Simple Diner-Style Home Fries

Tom

These are a great addition to any breakfast, but with a couple of eggs and some bacon and toast, you feel like you’re having breakfast in a great New Jersey diner (and make no mistake about it…there are no better diners than Jersey diners). Extremely simple (and fast) to make…just 1/4 inch dice a russet potato and some onions. Then put the diced potatoes in the microwave, covered, for a minute or two (depending on the quantity) until partially cooked. Heat up a skillet (preferably a cast iron one), add a couple of tablespoons of  vegetable oil and/or butter (and if you are cooking bacon, use about 1-2 tablespoons of the bacon grease instead of the oil to add tons off extra flavor), toss in the potatoes and onions, season with salt and pepper and let them fry, stirring occasionally, for about 4-8 minutes until golden brown. I use a cast iron bacon press to press them down between stirs so they crisp up faster and more evenly, but it’s not necessary. That’s all there is to it…try and you’ll agree it doesn’t get any better then this!