Double-Fried Pommes Frites with Garlic Aioli

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Shatter-crisp bistro fries made the classic way: russet batons soaked, blanched in moderate oil, rested, then blasted hot until the crust cracks like glass. Tossed with flaky salt, thyme and parsley and served with a five-minute garlic aioli. An air-fryer method is included for a lighter weeknight version.

Ingredients

• 2.5 lb russet potatoes (about 3 large)
• 1 tbsp distilled white vinegar (for the soaking water)
• 6 cups peanut oil or refined canola oil, for frying
• 1 tbsp flaky sea salt, plus more to taste
• 1 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, lightly chopped
• freshly ground black pepper

• 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 cloves garlic, grated on a microplane
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup neutral oil such as grapeseed
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tsp cold water, if needed to loosen

Instructions

1. Peel the potatoes (or leave a thin strip of skin on for a rustic look) and square off the sides. Cut lengthwise into planks a scant 3/8 inch thick, then cut the planks into 3/8-inch batons. Uniform thickness matters more than perfection — thin strays burn.
2. Put the batons in a large bowl, cover with cold water by 2 inches, add the vinegar, and swish to rinse off surface starch. Soak 20 minutes (or up to 8 hours in the fridge). Drain, then dry very thoroughly in a clean kitchen towel; any clinging water will make the oil erupt.
3. Make the aioli while the potatoes soak: whisk the egg yolk, Dijon, garlic, lemon juice and fine sea salt in a medium bowl for 20 seconds. Add the grapeseed oil in a very slow trickle, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thick and glossy — about 3 minutes. Whisk in the olive oil last. If it is stiffer than mayonnaise, whisk in 1 teaspoon cold water. Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days.
4. Pour the frying oil into a heavy 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven — it should come no more than a third of the way up the sides. Clip on a thermometer and heat over medium to 325°F. Line two sheet pans with paper towels and set a wire rack on a third.
5. Blanch the fries in 3 batches: lower one batch in with a spider or slotted spoon and cook 4 to 5 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the potatoes are tender and floppy but still pale — no browning. Lift onto a paper-towel-lined pan. Let the oil return to 325°F between batches.
6. Spread the blanched fries on the wire rack and rest at least 20 minutes at room temperature (or refrigerate up to 24 hours, or freeze on the pan for up to a month). This rest is what creates the glassy crust.
7. Raise the oil to 375°F. Fry the rested batons in 3 batches for 2 to 4 minutes each, until deep golden and audibly crisp when stirred. Frozen fries go straight in from the freezer and may take 1 minute longer.
8. Drain each finished batch briefly on paper towels, then immediately dump into a wide bowl and toss with a pinch of flaky salt while the oil is still hot on the surface — salt only sticks in the first few seconds.
9. When all the fries are done, toss the whole batch with the remaining flaky salt, parsley, thyme and several grinds of black pepper. Pile into a paper-lined bowl or cone and serve at once with the cold garlic aioli.
10. AIR-FRYER PATH: After soaking and drying, toss the raw batons with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil. Air-fry at 300°F for 10 minutes, shaking twice, to soften. Raise to 400°F and cook 12 to 16 minutes more, shaking every 5 minutes, until deep golden. Work in two batches for a 6-quart basket — crowding steams them. Toss with salt and herbs as above.

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