Fries/Chips

Somehow it didn't really occur to me just how many random words were changed between the British and American editions of all the Harry Potter books. I now realize that it must be immense. While I don't own the British edition myself, I can only assume that they would list our next item, fries, as chips. But regardless of what they're called, today, in the American vernacular, we are making french fries.

"He had never seen so many things he liked to eat on one table: roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and, for some strange reason, peppermint humbugs" (Sorcerer's Stone 123).

Who doesn't like french fries? Umm, nobody, that's who. We'll be using Dinah Bucholz' recipe.

You Will Need:

6 large Idaho potatoes (or however many you want-- I used four medium ones, and there were plenty of fries for two very generous servings)

Oil for frying (Peanut or Vegetable)

Salt to taste

1. Wash your potatoes and peel them if you like. I didn't.

2. Slice the potatoes into 1/4" (ish) slices. Then cut the slices lengthwise into 1/4" sticks.

3. Rinse the potato sticks in cold water until the water runs clear and dry them with paper towel. Wrap the potatoes in paper towel until you are ready to fry them (otherwise they'll get all starchy again).

4. Fill a medium saucepan or deep skillet with about 1-2" of oil and heat it until it reaches 350 degrees. 

5. Add the potatoes in batches, frying them until they are darker yellow, about 3-5 minutes.

6. Remove the potatoes from the oil with a slotted spoon and set on paper towels to drain. Be sure to check between batches that the temperature is still at 350.

7. Just before you're ready to serve them,  re-heat the oil to 350 and fry the potatoes again until they are golden brown and a little crispy, 1-2 minutes. 

8. Drain on paper towels and salt to taste. Serve asap and enjoy!

These are pretty delicious, and unlike french fries you might pick up for 99 cents at a drive-thru, they actually taste like potatoes! What a thought!