Belgian French Fries
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Belgian fries are fried twice, with a long rest in between, and that is what gives them a golden crust and a soft, fluffy middle. The first fry cooks the potato through at a gentler heat, and the pause lets the surface dry so the second fry crisps rather than soaks up oil. Choose a floury potato such as Russet or Maris Piper, and cut thick or thin depending on how much crunch you want.
Instructions
Peel the potatoes and cut them into fries. Thickness is up to you: 10 to 13 mm gives a good balance of crisp outside and soft inside, and thinner fries of down to 5 mm will be crispier throughout.
Prefry the potatoes for about 7 to 12 minutes in fat at 130 to 186 °C (275 to 365 °F). The oil cools sharply when the fries go in, so keep the heat low enough that the outsides do not burn. The fries are ready when they are cooked inside but still a pale beige to yellow and not dried out.
Lift the fries out of the oil and toss them so they do not clump together. Leave them to cool and dry for at least 30 minutes, which makes the finished fries crisper and less greasy. At this point you can freeze them for later, or keep several batches of prefried fries ready for quick frying.
Deep-fry the fries for about 2 to 5 minutes in fat at 175 to 195 °C, depending on how cold they are when they go in. Fry in small batches so the oil stays at 125 to 160 °C for the first 30 seconds. Aim for a total cooking time of 7 to 16 minutes without letting the fries turn greasy.
Cool and dry the fries again for at least 25 minutes. This second rest keeps them crisp and helps stop them tasting oily.
Toss the fries vigorously, spin them around in a container to throw off excess fat, then toss them a second time. Season with salt and serve.
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