08/20/2021 6:00 AM
Clarín.com
Gourmet
Updated 08/20/2021 6:00 AM
Every
August 20,
Frita Potato
Day
is commemorated in the world
.
The causes and origin of this celebration are not clear, although it is always good to remember the day as an ideal excuse to eat them.
One of the antecedents of French fries as they are known today
, in the form of sticks,
dates back to Belgium and France
.
Although in reality it is a historic fight that has not yet finished closing.
While the French proudly claim the invention of the dish, the Belgians also claim authorship.
At the end of the eighteenth century on the Pont Neuf
, in the heart of Paris,
sellers of French fries were installed,
making them in view of their customers inside braziers and pans.
Argentines accompany them with milanesas and the most daring with fried egg (Fer De la Orden)
In Belgium, on the other hand, they cook them in two stages: in oil and with fat.
While the French use only oil for cooking.
Then it remains only to think about the dressing: ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise or Provençal.
The variables are varied and there are all kinds of them.
Secrets to achieving the perfect fries
'Poutine', a typical Montreal potato chip dish (Getty Images).
1. Potatoes
If they are to be cooked in the skin, the potatoes must be brushed under running water.
Cut the potatoes into sticks (or the desired shape) and leave them in water to remove excess starch.
Place them on a cloth and dry them with absorbent paper to make sure that there is no water left.
2. The oil
Frying means dipping an item in hot fat so that it is cooked, crispy and slightly browned.
That is why
frying admits all kinds of oils
(that withstand high temperatures)
and fats.
A fundamental advice: place the food when the oil is very hot.
Temperature is the key to success.
If it's too hot, the potato will be brown on the outside and raw on the inside.
On the other hand, if it is too warm, the potato is "boiled" in the oil.
So ... how do we cook them?
Ideally, use a mix of temperatures.
Start with a strong frying (for those who have a thermometer, 180 degrees) so that the potato is sealed and then lower the temperature (between 150 and 160 degrees), so that the potato is cooked and is tender inside.
3. Drying
As soon as they are removed from the greasy medium, they
must be deposited on absorbent paper
, separated from each other, so that the heat they emanate does not dampen them.
4. Salt and seasonings
Crispy French Fries Recipe.
Photo @mamasanablog.
It is always salted once the potatoes are cooked and dry
.
To give them a different touch of flavor, you can mix the salt with spices such as ground chili, oregano or garlic powder.
If the idea is to eat them
"a la Provençal"
, before salting them, sauté them in a frying pan with a little oil,
garlic and parsley.
Salt and pepper later.
Tips for the crunchiest French fries
Beyond drying, oil temperature and correct salting,
there are alternatives to achieve more crispness
.
One option is to
pass the potatoes (washed and dried) through cornstarch
and shake them a little before frying.
This will form a thin layer on top of the potato and it will be crispier.
Another option is to sprinkle them with corn flour (better known as
polenta
)
, or as the chef Germán Martitegui prepares them, with a precooking of three minutes, and then, when cold and dry, they are passed through beaten egg and covered with flakes. corn chips mixed with instant mashed potato flakes.
Take a step-by-step look at the crispy fries in these two recipes:
-Crunchy potato chips recipe
-Recipe of French fries with corn flakes by Germán Martitegui
Look also
Giant and Reloaded Milanesas: 9 Places for Fans of XL Portions
Barbecue: the North American sauce that renewed our grill
