Belgium Fritesfrench Fries Food

MOULES-FRITES

Steps:

• Rinse the potatoes, peel them and rinse them again. Dry them well in a cloth.
• Cut the potatoes into French fries, regular width and length, about ½ inch (1 cm) thick.
• Dry the potato sticks with a cloth again.
• Melt the beef fat in a deep fryer and then heat it to 280 F (140°C).
• Fill the basket with fries, without packing them too much, then immerse the basket in the oil for 6 minutes of frying.
• Shake the basket a little during cooking to prevent the fries from sticking together. They should be golden and cooked to the core but still be a little soft.
• Drain the fries by shaking them over the fryer, and allow them to cool completely before the second fry.
• After or towards the end of the cooking of the mussels, immerse the fries in the oil heated to 350 F (180°C) for 2 to 3 minutes, shaking the basket regularly so that the cooking is uniform.
• As soon as they are colored, drain them and place them in a bowl covered with paper towel. Season with salt and serve immediately.
• In a large Dutch oven or pot, melt the butter over low heat, add all the minced vegetables and brown for 5 minutes over low to medium heat, stirring occasionally.
• Increase the heat to the maximum, without burning the butter, add the mussels to the pot and add the bay leaf and thyme. Cover immediately.
• After a minute, add the wine, and as soon as it boils again, add black pepper and cover the pot.
• Shake the pot, holding the lid on well to distribute the aromas.
• Continue cooking over high heat and still covered, shaking the pot from time to time.
• Stop cooking when the mussels are open, and serve.

MOULES FRITES - FRENCH/BELGIAN BISTRO STYLE MUSSELS AND CHIPS

Steps:

• Frites/Chips:.
• Slice the potato into thin strips (2mm x 2mm) and rinse in salted water. Heat a deep fat fryer to 325°F/160°C (preferably using sunflower or groundnut oil). Place the frites/chips in and cook for 4-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
• Moules/Mussels:.
• Tip the mussels into a large bowl of cold water, rinse and then drain well and pull away any 'beards'. (Fresh mussels look black and shiny and should only smell pleasantly of the deep sea - the vast majority should be tightly closed. Avoid any that smell 'fishy', look dry or are mostly open.).
• Place the chopped onion, shallot and garlic in a saucepan with the olive oil, gently sweat them over a low to medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until slightly soft.
• Add the chopped herbs, and pernod or pastis if using and mix with the onion mixture.
• Add the washed mussels to the pan and cover with dry white wine, bring slowly to the boil, then simmer gently whilst stirring. Continue until the mussels have opened - discard any that do not open, this can take between 2 to 5 minutes.
• Add the creme fraiche if using, mixing through the cooked and opened mussles. Cover until the frites/chips are cooked.
• Whilst the moules are cooking, turn up the deep fryer to 375°F/190°C and salt the frites/chips. Add the frites/chips back to the oil for around 1 minute until golden and crispy.
• Serve the moules in a deep bowl with the frites/chips on the side - providinf plenty of napkins and a large bowl for the shells.
• Note - to make the best frites/chips your uncooked frites/chips should be washed in cold water and dried thoroughly before cooking.

AUTHENTIC BELGIAN FRIES ( FRENCH FRIES )

Steps:

• you will need an open (no lid) deep fryer , if you only have the kind with filters and lids , just don't close them, the steam has to be able to leave very fast else you loose crunchiness.
• Peel your potatoes , and cut them lengthwise into discs of about 1/4 inch thick (they can be a bit thicker if you like that) . Then slice the discs lengthwise into fries of the same thickness.
• Make sure your sink is clean , and wash your fries in cold water . Drain the water , and wash them again in new clean water. Repeat this a few times until no starch comes off the potatoes and the water stays clear. Dry your fries well , so there is no more moisture on their sides.
• First cooking . Put the thermostat for your oil to approximately 320°F or 160°C , not higher . Put a small to medium amount of fries in the cooking basket ( you will have to do this multiple times , if you put in too much fries at once you will loose your temperature and your fries will turn out horrible) . Make sure all fries are under by shaking the basket . During cooking you can shake the basket a few times so you know they're not sticking together. Important: To check if the first cooking is done lift your basket out and pinch a fry if you can pinch all the way through they are done (if you do it fast you will certainly not burn your fingers ), they should still look pale and white , stay with your cooking for this , timing is important.(repeat until they are all done , and let your fat heat up to the appropriate temperature each time).
• Take out the fries , shake them and put them in a big bowl to cool off , once they are cooled to room temperature they are ok to start the second cooking . you can keep these at room temperature for hours until you are ready to serve the meal , in fact leaving them a bit will only make them better , just put a towel over the bowl , no need to put them in the fridge(where condensationwould coat them).
• Second cooking. Put the thermostat of your oil at approximately 370°F-374°F or 185°C-190°C , this is usually the highest setting , or just below that . Put a _small_ amount of the precooked fries in your basket . fry them while shaking the basket in the oil a few times during cooking , you can even take the basket out a few times to throw them in the air (not really needed , but supposed to be good tor making bubbles appear on them :) . They are ready when they are a rich golden brown in color . I put them in a deep plate with a paper towel at the bottom , and use a paper towel to quickly rub the excess fat off them before i serve(paper towel on top hand on paper towel , make a circular movement , take out towel). add a bit of fine salt , and serve. best with a T bone steak or sirloin *grinn* but as you know , fries go with just about anything :).
• A bit of added history : The French will be the first to say that "les frites" come from Belgium. And it being true that Belgians have made and perfected the stuff for years and years, the origin of deep frying potatoes in oil comes from a monastery in Spain.
• Smakelijk (bon appétit).
• EDIT:.
• Recently I found out that Bintje potatoes have become commonly available in the United States . These are without a doubt the best potatoes to use.

BELGIAN FRIES (POMMES FRITES)

Steps:

• Pour enough oil into a deep fryer to reach at least halfway up the sides of the pan but not more than three-quarters of the way up. Heat oil to 325°F.
• Cut the potatoes into sticks 1/2 inch wide and 2-1/2 to 3 inches long. Dry all the the pieces thoroughly in a clean dish towel. This will keep the oil from splattering. Divide the potato sticks into batches of no more than 1 cup each. Do not fry more than one batch at a time.
• When the oil has reached the desired temperature, fry the potatoes for 4 or 5 minutes per batch. They should be lightly colored but not browned. If fryer has a basket, simply lift it out to remove the fried potatoes. Otherwise, use a long-handled skimmer to lift out the potatoes. Be sure to bring the temperature of the oil back to 325°F in between the batches. At this point the frites can rest for several hours at room temperature until you are almost ready to serve them.
• Just prior to eating, heat the oil to 375°F Fry the potatoes in 1-cup batches until they are nicely browned and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes per batch. Drain on fresh paper towels or brown paper bags and place in a warmed serving bowl lined with more paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and serve. Never cover the potatoes to keep them hot as they will immediately turn soft and limp. If you are inclined to perfectionism, leave some potatoes to fry halfway through the meal so you can serve them crisp and hot.

THE ONE AND ONLY TRULY BELGIAN FRIES

Steps:

• Pour enough oil into a deep fryer to reach at least halfway up the sides of the pan but not more than three-quarters of the way up. Heat the oil to 325°F.
• Cut the potatoes into sticks 1/2 inch wide and 2 1/2 to 3 inches long. Dry all the pieces thoroughly in a clean dish towel. This will keep th oil from splattering. Divide the potato sticks into batches of no more than 1 cup each. Do not fry more than one batch at a time.
• When the oil has reached the desired temperature, fry the potatoes for 4 to 5 minutes per batch. They should be lightly colored but not browned. If your fryer has a basket, simply lift it out the remove the fried potatoes. Otherwise, use a long-handled skimmer to lift out the potatoes. Be sure to bring the temperature of the oil back to 325°F in between batches. At this point the fries can rest for several hours at room temperature until you are almost ready to serve them.
• Heat the oil to 325°F. Fry the potatoes in 1-cup batches until they are nicely browned and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain on fresh paper towels or brown paper bags and place in a warmed serving bowl lined with more paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and serve. Never cover the potatoes to keep them hot as they will immediately turn soft and limp. If you are inclined to perfectionism, leave some potatoes to fry halfway through the meal so you can serve them crisp and piping hot.