The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (131 page)
Read The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook Online
Authors: The Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Tags: #Cooking
SERVES 4 AS A MAIN COURSE OR 8 AS A SIDE DISH
To be time-efficient, cook the ham while the potatoes are in the oven.
1 | recipe |
1 | tablespoon unsalted butter, plus 2 tablespoons melted |
12 | ounces deli-style baked ham, sliced ¹⁄ |
1 | cup frozen peas |
6 | ounces Gruyère cheese, shredded (1¹⁄ |
¹⁄ | cup sour cream |
¹⁄ | cup half-and-half |
2 | tablespoons whole grain mustard |
Salt and pepper |
1.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add ham in even layer and cook, without stirring, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Stir and cook 30 seconds longer. Off heat, stir in peas; transfer mixture to large plate.
2.
Halve each potato lengthwise. Using soupspoon, scoop flesh from each half into bowl, leaving ¹⁄
8
- to ¹⁄
4
-inch thickness of flesh in each shell. Place shells, cut side up, on aluminum foil–lined baking sheet and return to oven until dry and slightly crisp, about 10 minutes.
3.
Meanwhile, mash potato flesh with fork until smooth. Stir in melted 2 tablespoons butter, ham mixture, 1 cup cheese, sour cream, half-and-half, mustard, and salt and pepper to taste.
4.
Remove shells from oven and heat broiler. Mound filling into shells, then sprinkle with remaining ¹⁄
2
cup cheese and broil until spotty brown, 6 to 10 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes; serve.
To prevent cheese from clogging the holes of your box grater and to make cleanup a breeze, lightly coat the coarse side with vegetable oil spray and then shred the cheese as usual.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
We wanted to find a recipe and method for making french fries that would rival restaurant versions. For us, the ideal fry would be long and crisp, with right-angle sides, a nice crunch on the outside, and an earthy potato taste. Waxy potatoes were too watery and fried up with hollow cavities that simply filled with oil. Russet potatoes turned out to be the best choice, but because they are starchy, we found it was important to rinse the starch off the surface after cutting the potatoes. Refrigerating the potatoes in a bowl of ice water for at least 30 minutes meant that when the potatoes first entered the hot oil, they were nearly frozen, which allowed a slow, thorough cooking of the inner potato pulp. (Without this step, the fries started to brown well before the insides were fully cooked.) We liked our fries best cooked in peanut oil but vegetable oil was a good second choice. We fried the potatoes twice: The first fry was at a relatively low temperature to secure a soft and rich-tasting interior; the quick second fry was at a higher temperature to crisp and color the exterior.
SERVES 4
Flavoring the oil with a few tablespoons of bacon fat gives the fries a mild, meaty flavor, but omitting it will not affect the final texture of the fries. The oil will bubble up when you add the fries, so be sure you leave at least 3 inches of room between the oil and the top of your pot. We prefer peanut oil for frying, but vegetable oil can be substituted. You will need at least a 6-quart Dutch oven for this recipe.
4 | large russet potatoes (10 to 12 ounces each), peeled and cut lengthwise into ¹⁄ |
2 | quarts peanut oil |
4 | tablespoons bacon fat, strained (optional) |
Salt and pepper |
1.
Rinse cut potatoes in large bowl under cold running water until water turns from milky to clear. Cover with at least 1 inch of water, then cover with ice. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or up to 3 days.
2.
Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-low heat until 325 degrees. While oil heats, add bacon fat, if using. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet, line rack with triple layer of paper towels, and set aside.
3.
Pour off ice and water, quickly wrap potatoes in clean kitchen towel, and thoroughly pat dry. Increase heat to medium-high and add potatoes, a handful at a time, to hot oil. Fry, stirring with wire skimmer or slotted spoon, until potatoes are limp and soft and start to turn from white to blond, 6 to 8 minutes. (Oil temperature will drop 50 to 60 degrees during this frying.) Using skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer fries to prepared wire rack and let drain for at least 10 minutes.
4.
When ready to serve fries, reheat oil to 350 degrees. Using paper towels as funnel, pour potatoes into hot oil. Discard paper towels and line wire rack with another triple layer of paper towels. Fry potatoes, stirring frequently, until golden brown and puffed, about 1 minute. Transfer to prepared rack and drain. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
TO MAKE AHEAD:
Potatoes can be prepared through step 3 and sit at room temperature for up to 2 hours, or they can be wrapped in paper towels, sealed in zipper-lock bag, and frozen for up to 1 month, before proceeding with step 4.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
When we wanted to make french fries with half the oil and no double frying (we didn’t even want to have to pull out a thermometer), we submerged the potatoes in room-temperature oil before frying them over high heat until browned. This gave the potatoes’ interiors an opportunity to soften and cook through before the exteriors started to crisp. Starchy russets turned leathery with the longer cooking time. With lower-starch Yukon Golds, however, the result was a crisp exterior and a creamy interior. And because of their thin skin, we didn’t even have to peel them. They stuck to the bottom of the pot at first, but letting the potatoes cook in the oil for 20 minutes before stirring allowed enough time for them to form a crust that would protect them. Thinner fries were also less likely to stick.
SERVES 3 TO 4
Flavoring the oil with a few tablespoons bacon fat gives the fries a mild, meaty flavor, but omitting it will not affect the final texture of the fries. We prefer peanut oil for frying, but vegetable oil can be substituted. This recipe will not work with sweet potatoes or russets. Serve with ketchup or a dipping sauce (recipes follow), if desired. You will need at least a 6-quart Dutch oven for this recipe.
2¹⁄ | pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, dried, sides squared off, and cut lengthwise into ¹⁄ |
6 | cups peanut oil |
4 | tablespoons bacon fat, strained (optional) |
Kosher salt |
1.
Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet, line rack with triple layer of paper towels, and set aside. Combine potatoes, oil, and bacon fat, if using, in Dutch oven. Cook over high heat until oil has reached rolling boil, about 5 minutes. Continue to cook, without stirring, until potatoes are limp but exteriors are beginning to firm, about 15 minutes.
2.
Using tongs, stir potatoes, gently scraping up any that stick, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp, 5 to 10 minutes longer. Using skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer fries to prepared wire rack. Season with salt and serve immediately.
MAKES ABOUT
¹⁄
2
CUP
In Belgium, mayonnaise-based dipping sauces for fries are standard. Hot sauce gives this dipping sauce a bit of a kick.
5 | tablespoons mayonnaise |
3 | tablespoons ketchup |
1 | garlic clove, minced |
¹⁄ | teaspoon hot sauce |
¹⁄ | teaspoon salt |
Whisk all ingredients together in small bowl.
MAKES ABOUT
¹⁄
2
CUP
5 | tablespoons mayonnaise |
3 | tablespoons sour cream |
2 | tablespoons chopped fresh chives |
1¹⁄ | teaspoons lemon juice |
¹⁄ | teaspoon salt |
¹⁄ | teaspoon pepper |
Whisk all ingredients together in small bowl.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
The ease and neatness of oven-frying—as opposed to deep-frying in a pot of hot oil—is such an engaging proposition that we decided to try to make oven fries worth eating on their own terms. We were after fries with a golden, crisp crust and a richly creamy interior. We soaked peeled russet potatoes, cut into wedges, in hot water for 10 minutes to remove excess starch, and to prevent the potatoes from sticking, we poured oil, salt, and pepper on the baking sheet, instead of on the potatoes, which elevated them just enough off of the pan. To get the combination of creamy interior and crisp crust, we covered the potatoes with aluminum foil to steam them for the first five minutes of cooking and then uncovered them and continued to bake until they were golden and crisp.