The Owl - Feedback

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hubbitron

I've done this now several times with... yams, and korean sweet potatoes

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what is preference?

Which potato?

edit: i misread your post.

Korean sweet potatoes, make sure you pick the smaller ones.

just like the wemins, yes?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hubbitron

I do have a great method for this if Ic doesn't mind...

I read an article from America's Test Kitchen about a few of the major American foods and new methods on cooking them. One was fresh cut fries. There is a French chef that put forth the proposition that the outside of the fry gets crispy because while it is cooling, the oil outside exchanges with the water inside. Hence the double fry method, you must first heat the inside of the fry to reduce the amount of water and get a crispier skin. He thought that perhaps if you started with your potatoes in cold oil and fried from there, the inside will cook during the process and you will get not only a crispier fry, but salvage more of the original texture and moisture on the inside. ATK actually tested the results against the double fry method, and the cold-oil method yielded better tasting fries with 1/3 of the fat. I've done this now several times with russets, yams, and korean sweet potatoes and it is the only way I will ever cook fries for the rest of my time in a kitchen.

The only drawback is that it takes at least 25-30 minutes on a regular stove (I always fry with my wok).

So, if you have the time, you can save your arteries and get better fries without the double fry method.

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This is awesome. Thanks for the tip.

Heston Blumenthal does fries.

I've never tried the cold oil method, but I like the theory behind it. I'll totally try it.

Traditionally it's "poached" at 250 for a few minutes, then drained and cooled, then "fried" at 350-375 depending on who you ask.

That's the way I do them. The fries are blanched (or poached or whatever you want to call it) at 300-325 and cooked to order at 375. The outside is quite crispy and the inside usually remains pretty soft. This is for sweet fries. For regular fries (not the frozen stuff, actual fresh cut pomme frites) I like to blanch and cook them with the same rules but I usually lift them up right before they are ready. Once they sit for a minute, I'll throw them back down in the oil for 10-20 seconds and pull them back up. I find a lot that the frites will be crispy after I cook them, but they will become soft again if they sit for more than a minute. This double cook method (for the order) seems to work quite well to keep them crispy.

I'm going to try the cold method. I've traditionally gone with blanch then fry (which turns out great regular fries just not sweet potatoes). I don't mind waiting for the cold oil to heat up if the fries come out crispy in the end. I'll post my findings for this method when I try it this weekend.

I think we need a new thread Cooking: HARD MODE

Most of the crap has been removed. I left most of the catfish stuff because it resulted in a real answer.

Let's try to not shit this thread up any more.

I was asked to host a wine dinner with the head sommelier of McCrady's / Husk (the best new restaurant in America - Bon Appetite) on the 21st. That's exactly one week after our projected opening.

Asked to provide a valentine's dessert pairing for the local wine store (giving them the Red/Black Bean with alder-smoked salt and cranberry).

What the fuck is happening???


Dishes I've been thinking about tonight:

duck
mirepoix elements

blood sausage
sauerkraut / mustard / beet

carrot
egg / pumpernickel / butter

pork belly
spatzle / beer gel / mustard seed

rabbit
elements of stew

chop
red eye / gastrique / asparagus / potato

sirloin
pumpernickel / cider / asparagus

"carrot cake"
pumpernickel / walnut / spice créme / sherry gastrique

trout
horseradish / carrot / parsley / roe

salad
"soil" / carrot / radish / beet / sesame vin

butternut
sherry / butter / pork jus