RecipesVegetarian and Vegetables

Belgian Fries recipe

“Mistakenly thought of as French rather than a Belgian invention, pommes frites, also known as pataten and frieten in Belgium, are lengthways sliced Bintje potatoes that have been double fried in horse or ox fat.

Belgian Fries recipe
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Ingredients

For the recipe:
  • 900g Bintje/Yukon Gold/Red/Russet potatoes
  • Vegetable oil
  • a VERY good sprinkling sea salt
  • for serving caramelised onions (optional)
  • for serving mayonnaise (optional)

“Mistakenly thought of as French rather than a Belgian invention, pommes frites, also known as pataten and frieten in Belgium, are lengthways sliced Bintje potatoes that have been double fried in horse or ox fat. They traditionally come served in a paper cone, and are usually only sprinkled with lots of salt, but nowadays will also be topped with some kind of sauce, typically one that is mayonnaise-based!”

Thanks to Nikibakes for the tasty recipe!

Method

01
Peel the potatoes and slice them  into 1 cm (1/2-inch) thick slices and then into 1 cm (1/2-inch) wide strips.
02
Place them in water for a few minutes so that as much starch as possible gets washed out. Then, take them out of the water and pat them dry thoroughly.
03
Fill a deep fryer or a frying pan with oil, then heat it to 320°/160°C. To check the temperature, use an instant-read thermometer.
04
Fry the potatoes in batches, adding only a handful at a time, for four to eight minutes, depending on the thickness. Make sure to flip them often so they do not stick.
05
Then, place them on a large plate lined with a paper towel and leave them to cool for at least half an hour.
06
Next, up the heat of the oil to 375°F/190°C, then fry the potatoes a second time, but this time for two minutes only until they are golden and crisp.
07
Sprinkle with salt, and serve with mayonnaise, caramelised onions (if desired) and other desired sauces. Enjoy!