Pommes Frites — Double-Cooked French Fried Potatoes

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Pommes frites are the defining accompaniment to every grilled steak in France — and the technique of double-cooking (cuisson en deux temps) is what separates a true French fry from a soggy chip. The method was perfected in Belgian and Northern French friteries and adopted universally. Choose floury potatoes (Bintje is the gold standard; Maris Piper or Russet Burbank are alternatives) — the high starch content produces a fluffy interior. Peel, cut into uniform batons 1cm × 1cm × 7cm, and soak in cold water for 30 minutes (this removes surface starch that would cause the frites to stick together and brown unevenly). Drain and dry thoroughly — wet potatoes cause the oil to splatter violently and the temperature to crash. FIRST COOK (blanching): fry at 140-150°C for 6-8 minutes until cooked through but completely pale — no colour whatsoever. The interior should be soft and tender. Remove, drain on a wire rack, and cool completely. This step can be done hours in advance. SECOND COOK (finishing): fry at 180-190°C for 2-3 minutes until deep golden and shatteringly crisp. The science: the first cook gelatinises the starch and partially dehydrates the exterior; the second cook at higher temperature creates rapid surface dehydration and Maillard browning, producing the characteristic glass-crisp shell around a fluffy, steaming interior. Season with fine salt the instant they leave the oil — the salt crystals need residual oil to adhere. Serve in a paper cone, a napkin-lined bowl, or simply piled alongside a steak. The perfect frite is audibly crisp when bitten, yielding to a soft, potato-flavoured interior. They must be eaten within 5 minutes.

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