Homemade French Fries and Balsamic Ketchup
I remember going to my best friend’s house in upstate NY a decade or two ago and having her introduce me to oven fries. They were better than any fast food fries I had ever eaten! I’ve made them quite a bit over the years and last season, the winter box of Yellowbird was heavy on the potatoes so I pulled this recipe back into the mix and my hubby and I enjoyed them several times over the winter. Since 'potato season' is just around the corner, I thought I’d share it with you. I never had a formal, written recipe for oven fries so I’ve adapted this one from the Kara Mangini’s amazing cookbook, “The Vegetable Butcher”. If you’re not familiar with Mangini, she is the owner of the local produce inspired restaurant, Little Eater here in Columbus, Ohio.
Oven Fries
2-3 large potatoes (not a waxy variety), scrubbed, rinsed well, and cut into 1/4” thick sticks
2 Tbsp EVOO
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp rosemary
1/4 tsp black or white pepper
Sea salt
Preheat oven to 450º. Lightly grease the bottom of two baking sheets with oil or cooking spray.
Place potato sticks on one of the baking sheets and coat with the olive oil and the salt, pepper, and rosemary (and/or any other spices you want to try). Make sure they are evenly coated. If you used 3 potatoes, you might need to add more oil, depending on the size of potatoes.
Spread the potatoes evenly in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets, leaving them room to breathe. Roast for 10 minutes, then flip the potatoes with a spatula and rotate the pans. Bake until golden and crispy on the edges, 10-12 minutes more.
Sprinkle the fries with coarse sea salt as soon as they come out of the oven (if you wish) and serve immediately.
Tomato- Balsamic Ketchup
1 Tbsp EVOO
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
2 cups chopped tomatoes or halved cherry tomatoes
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 tsp brown sugar
1.5 tsp balsamic vinegar
Heat EVOO in a smal saucepan over medium heat.
Add garlic clove and cook until fragrant, about a minute.
Add salt, tomatoes, pepper flakes, and brown sugar and cook, stirring occasionally until the mixture thickens, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the balsamic vinegar and simmer for another 2 minutes.
Carefully transfer the tomato mixture to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth.
Eat immediately. This will store for a few days in the refrigerator. Re-heat before serving for max deliciousness.
