I should apologize in advance for the following ode to french fries. Really it should be an ode to the wonderous potato but for now we will focus on just the french fry. Whom ever the lovely individual that created the french fry, I whole-heartedly thank you. Fries are simply the best thing ever. I know, I know, I’ve said that with many a food item. I genuinely mean it every time I say it too. The fry however, well it gets its own special place on the top food item list. If it was nutritionally acceptable I would eat them daily. No joke! Sadly, they are not, so in turn I do not, but let me tell you if there ever is a way to make that happen I am 100% on board.
Inching my way closer to that goal is at least trying to find a way to prepare fries in a slightly more nutritional way. I’m not afraid of the carb (and you shouldn’t be either). We all need carbohydrates in our diets to maintain balanced nutrition and provide us with energy for our bodies to function. The potato does that wonderfully while containing fiber, vitamin C & vitamin B6. On its own the potato could easily be consumed daily. The key is how you prepare the potato. Baked, steamed, boiled all work. It’s the added oils & salt that can turn the once healthy item into both a nutritional dilemma & delicious treat. Which is why balance is key! You can still have your fries & eat them too with a couple of alterations. First, let’s oven roast those potatoes. A simple reduction in the amount of oil used to cook them still yields a perfectly crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside bite. Second, let’s season them with some salt & vinegar. Heavy on the vinegar (in my opinion) & just a sprinkle of salt. This packs a ton of flavor & turns in ordinary potato into something just a little extra. And there is nothing wrong with extra!
You might also like some of these recipes to go with your fries & other snacks…
Salt & Vinegar Fries
Ingredients
- 2 russet potatoes
- 5-6 tbsp white vinegar, divided see notes
- 2 tbsp salt, divided see notes
- water
- 1 tbsp olive oil`
Instructions
- Wash & scrub the potatoes. Cut into your preferred fry size, just try to keep them uniform so that they cook evenly.
- Place the cut potatoes in a large bowl & fill with water so they are completely submerged. Add 3 tbsp of vinegar & 1 tbsp of salt to the water. Place in the refrigerator for 1-3 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 400° & line 1-2 baking trays with parchment paper.
- Remove the potatoes from the refrigerator, drain & rinse. Then pat dry to remove as much liquid as possible.
- Arrange the potatoes on the baking tray & drizzle with the olive oil.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven & flip the french fries over. Bake for another 10-15 minutes until crispy on the outside & tender on the inside.
- Remove from the oven & immediately toss with the remaining vinegar & salt (based on your taste preferences). Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
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