Estate Dinners
Home Fries with Seasoned Ketchup
The Strategy:
For effortless entertaining, blanch your potatoes ahead of time, then simply finish frying them to golden perfection just before guests arrive. The irresistible contrast of their incomparably crisp, golden exterior and fluffy interior is perfectly complemented by a deeply spiced, scratch-made seasoned ketchup that only improves with time. Present these ultimate comfort food fries generously alongside your favorite meal, inviting everyone to savor a truly elevated take on a classic.
Ingredients
- 2 large Idaho potatoes, scrubbed
- 2 to 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- canola oil for frying
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon ground mustard
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon coarse salt, plus more for fries
- ¼ teaspoon coarse black pepper
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into 4 planks, then each plank into 4 strips. Let the strips soak in a bowl of cold water for at least 30 minutes. This removes some of the starch. If you want to, leave the peel on for a more rustic fry. You can also cut the potato into thinner strips for a skinnier fry. It’s YOUR choice.
- For the ketchup, whisk together tomato paste, sugar, vinegar, mustard, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice in a small pan over low heat. Pour in ¼ cup water. Whisk until smooth. Cook until the sugar melts and the ketchup is warmed through, about 5 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside and let the flavors blend at room temperature or in the refrigerator overnight. The longer it sits, the better the flavor.
- Transfer the potato strips to a pot of boiling salted water. Bring to a boil (the water temp will drop when you add the cool fries) and blanch for 2 to 3 minutes. The strips will just become pliable but still maintain their sturdiness. Transfer to paper toweling and blot dry.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Pour enough olive oil to come 1/3-inch up the side of the skillet. Heat the oil to 375°, using a candy thermometer to check the temperature.
- Dust the fries with cornstarch. You want a light dusting with no clumps.
- Carefully place the precooked potato strips into the oil. Cook until golden and crispy, about 5 minutes. Transfer the fries to a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Season with a generous sprinkle of coarse salt.
- Serve your French fries with ketchup to dip!
Thing to Note:
If you want a really crisp fry, try cooking your potatoes in duck fat. You can render the fat from cooking duck pieces, or you can buy a jar or two in the grocery store. Hot duck fat cooks the fries quickly and crisply. Give it a try!
The full recipe lives in the Vault
Ingredients, step-by-step method, and every chef-tested detail are reserved for members of the Estate Registry.
Join the Estate Registry
The Heart of the Table
There is a profound comfort in offering someone a plate of perfectly crisp, deeply golden fries made entirely from scratch. It is a quiet but powerful gesture that transforms an ordinary, casual side dish into the undeniable centerpiece of the evening. When you bypass the freezer aisle and instead embrace the meditative process of soaking, blanching, and frying, you are inviting your guests to slow down, relax, and share in the unpretentious joy of a meal made with genuine, thoughtful care.
Neighborly Grace
- THE PRESENTATION: Pile the thick-cut, golden fries into a high, rustic mound on a large wooden cutting board placed directly in the center of the table. Serve the dark, fragrant seasoned ketchup in a heavy ceramic bowl nestled right into the side of the fries. Sprinkle the whole board heavily with coarse sea salt right before serving.
- THE POUR: A rich, dark stout or a full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon. The robust, roasted notes of the beer or the dark fruit of the wine beautifully echo the warm cinnamon, clove, and allspice in the seasoned ketchup, while standing up perfectly to the fried potatoes.
- THE VIBE: Cozy, lively, and incredibly indulgent. This is the ultimate comfort-food anchor for a cool, relaxed evening indoors with close friends, where the food demands that everyone roll up their sleeves and dig in together.
