Pommes de Terre Pailles

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Mandoline with a fine julienne blade or a sharp chef's knife
• •5 to 6 quart (5 to 6 L) heavy saucepan or Dutch oven
• •Clip-on deep-fry thermometer
• •Wire spider or broad wire skimmer
• •Two rimmed trays fitted with wire racks
• •Clean lint-free kitchen towels

Instructions

1. 1

   Cut the Fine Julienne

   Cut the peeled potatoes julienne-fashion into long match-shaped rods about 1/16 inch (1.5 to 2 mm) square. A mandoline fitted with its fine julienne blade makes quick, even work; with a knife, first cut thin lengthwise planks, stack only two or three at a time, then slice them into rods of the same width. Uniform thickness matters more than identical length because every strand must cook at the same pace.

   Use the mandoline guard or a cut-resistant glove and stop before the potato becomes too small to hold securely. The final stub belongs in tomorrow's soup.
2. 2

   Wash and Dry Thoroughly

   Put the julienne into a large bowl of cold water and agitate it well with your fingers. Drain and repeat two or three times, until the water is only faintly cloudy; washing removes loose surface starch that would glue the strands together. Spread the potatoes over clean lint-free linen, blot them, turn them, and transfer them to a second dry towel if the first becomes damp. Each strand should feel dry and slightly chalky, with no bead of water visible.

   This is the step that decides both safety and crispness. Wet potatoes make hot fat spit, lower its temperature, and cling together in damp little nests.
3. 3

   Make the First Fry

   Pour the oil into a 5 to 6 quart (5 to 6 L) heavy pot, leaving the pot no more than half full, and clip on the thermometer. Heat the oil to 320°F (160°C). Add the potatoes in five or six loose handfuls, stirring gently with a wire spider so the strands separate. Fry each batch for 2 to 3 minutes, until cooked through, pale, and flexible rather than crisp. Let the oil return to 320°F (160°C) between batches. If a batch begins taking real color now, lift it immediately and lower the heat; it can still be saved with a much shorter second fry.

   Keep a fitted lid beside the stove and never leave frying fat unattended. If the oil catches fire, turn off the burner and cover the pot. Never put water on burning oil.
4. 4

   Drain and Rest

   Lift each batch with the spider, shake it well over the pot, and spread the strands in a single layer on a wire rack set over a rimmed tray. The rack is the home equivalent of the brigade's frying basket and linen, letting oil and moisture escape without trapping either underneath. Leave the potatoes unsalted and uncovered for at least 10 minutes. The first fry cooks them; this rest dries their surface for the second.

5. 5

   Fry Again Fiercely

   Just before serving, raise the oil to 375°F (190°C). The entry's smoking fat becomes carefully measured upper frying heat in the home kitchen: the oil should shimmer, never visibly smoke. Fry the potatoes again in three or four batches for 45 to 75 seconds, stirring once, until straw-gold, crisp, and stiff enough not to droop from the spider. If a batch stays pale and limp, the oil temperature fell too far. Let it return to 375°F (190°C), give that batch another 15 to 20 seconds, and drain again. Ça se rattrape.

   If the oil gives off smoke, slide the pot off the heat at once and let it cool below 375°F (190°C). Smoke means the fat has overshot its useful range; it is not the signal to add potatoes.
6. 6

   Salt and Serve

   Shake each finished batch thoroughly over the pot, then drain it briefly on clean linen or absorbent paper. Salt moderately while the potatoes are still hot, beginning with half the measured salt, tossing gently, and adding only what they need. Heap the pommes pailles loosely on a warm platter and serve at once. If the table delays you, hold them in a single layer on a rack in a 200°F (95°C) oven for no more than 10 minutes. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Choose a floury potato. Russet is the dependable market answer, while Agria and Bintje are excellent when available; waxy potatoes retain too much moisture and tend to bend rather than crisp.
• •Pommes pailles are finer than pommes allumettes. Aim for rods no thicker than 1/16 inch (1.5 to 2 mm), because a mixed cut gives you burnt threads beside soft ones.
• •A thermometer earns its place here. The first fry needs moderate heat to cook without coloring, while the second needs fierce, controlled heat to drive off the last moisture before the potato absorbs excess fat.
• •These wait badly by nature. Serve them beside grilled steak, roast chicken, or a plain omelette, and have the rest of supper ready before beginning the second fry.

Advance Preparation

• •The cut and washed potatoes can remain submerged in cold water in the refrigerator for up to 4 hours. Drain and dry them only when the frying oil is nearly ready.
• •Complete the first fry up to 2 hours before serving and leave the potatoes uncovered in a single layer on their racks. The second fry must wait until the table is ready; it is the step that makes pommes pailles what they are.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 130g)