CRUNCHY OVEN FRIES
In need of a quick fix? Crunchy oven fries don’t live up to
the simple-yet-lofty culinary standards set by a French
fry, but they’re equally tasty in their own way. Since
they’re cooked in the relatively-low-energy environment
of the oven (remember, 375°F oil is far more efficient at
transferring heat than even a 500°F oven), you need to
take a few extra steps to ensure proper crust formation.
First you’ve gotta help them thicken their skins. I tried
simply battering and baking some, but it’s a no-go. The
watery potatoes sog out their skins far too quickly.
Starting them out by boiling them in vinegar-spiked water
is a much better first step, allowing the crust to stay intact
after frying.
Potatoes baked from raw (left) end up with thin, soggy
crusts. Parcooked potatoes (right) stay crisp after baking.Then I tried dozens of variations of coating, from
thick egg-based batters to simple dustings, and in the end,
I found the best method is to toss the boiled potatoes with