Garlic Baked Fries

I haven’t had a fried french fry in ages!  I really can’t tell you the last time.  I basically now cut up a fresh potato, toss it with minimal oil, then baked at 400 until cooked through.  I found this recipe a while back and I LOVE it and I know you will, too.

Servings: 3 will give you basically a whole potato per person, but you can make it for 6 and it seems plenty.

Points: 6 points if serving 3, 3 point if serving 6

Ingredients:

3 baking Potatoes

3 cloves Garlic (I LOVE garlic, so you can put in less, 1 might do it if you aren’t a garlic lover)

3 TBS Oil (I use olive oil in everything)

3 TBS Cornstarch

1 tsp Salt

1 1/2 tsp Fresh Ground Pepper

1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

Tools:

Medium-Large pot (You’ll need to have the potatoes all fit in after cut, covered in water; that’ll help you decide what size to make it)

Large bowl

Wooden Spoon

Measuring spoons

Small metal bowl OR Small glass bowl OR small (very small) sauce pan

Baking Sheet

Paper Towels (I use Costco brand paper towels and two are perfect for this)

Instructions:

Put the water on to boil

Preheat the oven to 440

Wash potatoes under cold water

Cut each potato into 12 wedges:

The easiest way to get 12 consistent wedges is to cut each potato in half long ways:

Then cut each half into thirds:

Then each each third in half:

Once all the potatoes are sliced, drop them into the water.  You aren’t going to really cook the potatoes through, just par boil, really.  They’ll only get partially done.  The water doesn’t even have to boil, just be really hot.

Once the potatoes are in the water, you are going to start preparing a garlic infused oil.  When peeling garlic I have one of these really cool garlic peeler tube thingies (it’s the officials name):

Just slide in your unpeeled garlic clove:

Gently press down (you need some pressure, but not enough to crush the clove):

Then, maintaining the pressure, roll back and forth:

Then, tilt the tube and let the clove slide right out:

The paper peel will fall right off:

If you don’t have one of those cool things (I highly suggest you get one) peel your garlic by hand then mince:

Put the garlic in a metal bowl or small sauce pan, then mix in 3 TBS of oil:

Now, since I use a metal bowl, I just place it on very low heat on my electric stove.  If you use a sauce pan do the same thing.  You want to heat the oil enough that the garlic warms up and it’s yummy flavors just infuse into the oil.

If you don’t have either of those things, I have been known to get a small glass bowl and place it in the water with the potatoes (almost like a double boiler).  The main purpose is to heat it so the flavors infuse.

Once that is going, place the paper towels on the baking sheet. 

Once the potatoes have been in the hot water for about 10-15 minutes, drain them and transfer them to the paper towels:

 

Basically, you’re steam drying them.  Just let them sit on the paper towels, releasing their steam and drying themselves up a bit.

While they’re doing their job, get the large bowl and put in the cornstarch, garlic powder, salt, and pepper:

Mix them up:

Once the potatoes are dry, put them in the large bowl with the dry ingredients: Pour the oil and garlic over the top:

Mix and toss until well coated:

Once they are well coated and evenly coated, place on the baking sheet (note, toss the paper towels, their job is done now).  You can also lightly oil the pan if you feel you need to:

Bake for about 30-40 minutes until crisp and brown.  Then, enjoy:

These are good plain or with pretty much any dipping sauce.  I usually make a light mayo/mustard mix for myself and my husband like plain old ketchup.

My Comments:

The first time I tried this recipe I was a bit hesitant.  I mean, cornstarch?  On fries?  Then I made them.  It was very easy to make.  Then I tasted them and OH…MY…GOSH!  Let me just say, DELICIOUS!

My husband?  He LOVES these!  He gets so excited every time I make them.  I don’t know what it is about these, but they are to die for!

It is a long process (I mean, 40 minutes just to bake but then everything else to prepare it does take a little over an hour from start to finish), but it is so worth it!

If you try them, let me know what you think!