The Ultimate Fried Potato Recipe

Posted by Boris Veldhuijzen van Zanten on Apr 6, 2007 in Food, Inspiration, Personal | 5 comments

In 1999 I was held up for a few hours in London. I skipped breakfast and started to get very hungry by 12. Someone suggested I go and eat something at the bar at the corner of the street. The daily special, hamburger with fries, was everything I desired and within 10 minutes I was served one of the best hamburgers I have ever tasted.

Even more memorable than the hamburger were the fries they served with my burger. They were simply delicious. Not the small French fries you usually get but quarter potatoes with the skin still on and fried golden brown. The inside was soft and tasteful. I can still taste them…

Ever since I have been trying to re-create those fries. I have tried everything: in the oven, small potatoes, big potatoes, salted, boiled, frozen, fried twice and grilled. But only last week I suddenly had what seems like to ultimate recipe for fried potatoes.

Please give my OpenRecipe a try and feel free to improve on it:

- 4 large potatoes
- salt and pepper
- flour
- microwave oven
- peanut oil

1: Start heating oil (not olive but peanut oil)
2: Take sharp knife and carefully slice potatoes in 4 (2 for smaller potatoes) and place on big plate.
3:Place potatoes in microwave for 20 minutes. They will be cooked and the skin will start to come lose.
4: Lay to rest on a cold plate for 5 to 10 minutes.
5: Throw some pepper and flour on potato slices. (No salt yet!)
6: Fry in oil until golden brown, about 5+ minutes, and place on hot plate.
7: Add sea salt (big chunks) and serve with mayonnaise or, preferably, aioli.

Now I will spend another 8 years on the ultimate hamburger.