Challenge fast-food chains: Five golden secrets to truly crispy fries at home

Fast-food-style fries, soft inside and golden and crisp outside, do not have to remain a restaurant-only treat. The method presented here relies on five stages, from an iced starch bath to double frying, followed by a rich dipping sauce.

The first step is to cut frying potatoes into equal sizes and place them in ice-cold water. Adding a tablespoon of grape or apple vinegar and leaving the potatoes for at least 30 to 40 minutes helps remove surface starch. The potatoes should then be dried individually with paper towels or a clean cloth. Any remaining moisture can cause dangerous oil splashes and lower the frying temperature, leaving the fries soft.

The first fry, described as a white cook, takes place in oil heated to about 130 to 140°C. The potatoes cook for roughly four to five minutes, just until the centers soften, without taking on color. They then cool completely on a rack or paper towels before spending at least one to two hours in the freezer, or overnight if time allows.

The frozen potatoes go into hot oil for a second fry, lasting three to four minutes, until golden. They should be salted immediately after removal. The suggested sauce combines thick mayonnaise, truffle oil, crushed garlic, mustard, lemon juice and freshly ground black pepper. If truffle oil is unavailable, the recipe recommends strongly flavored extra-virgin olive oil instead.