Garlic Oven Fries

I know you think of me as a chocolate person (if you think of me at all).
But I am hereby on the record as saying: I cannot resist a french fry.

I'm pretty sure I'm not alone with this weakness. You might be like me and hardly ever order them for yourself. But let's see a show of hands from those of you have never stolen a few fries off your kids' plates.
See. I knew it. Not one of you.

Because even though we are adults here and we know that french fries are not exactly a "healthy choice", they are irresistible.

And how about garlic fries? Did you ever have garlic fries? Apparently they are a big deal in northern California and that is where I first tasted them. It was a beautiful, sunshine-filled day in Sonoma and we were at the Healdsburg Bar & Grill. The fries were hot, crispy and garlicky. Shared with old friends on that sunny patio, they were perfection.

A Google search turned up lots of ways to make garlic fries, including several for making oven-baked fries. While it's unlikely that any of the world's greatest french fries are baked in an oven (they'd be called french bakeds then, wouldn't they?), it seems like a good idea for the home cook. I'm not really into the whole boiling oil thing. Partly fearful of first degree burns, partly too lazy to clean it up.

So oven-baked garlicky fries it is.
These were a HUGE hit at the dinner table. Whatever else I served with them was completely superfluous. And it mattered not one bit that they were baked not fried. The technique is a little more involved than you're regular oven-baked fries. But you will be rewarded with lots of browned crunchy bits and noticeable but not overwhelming garlic flavor. As well as the eternal love and gratitude of those dining with you.


Garlicky Oven Fries
from Cook's Country magazine


6 garlic cloves, minced or put through a garlic press

6 Tbsps. vegetable oil

3 large russet potatoes, scrubbed and each cut into 12 wedges

2 Tbsps. cornstarch

1 1/2 tsps. salt

3/4 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 475F.
Combine minced garlic and oil in a large bowl and microwave until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer 5 tablespoons of the oil (leaving the garlic in the bowl) to a rimmed baking sheet. Tilt baking sheet, coating the entire surface.
Add potatoes to bowl with remaining oil and garlic and toss to coat. Wrap bowl tightly with plastic wrap and microwave on high power until potatoes are translucent around the edges, 3-6 minutes, shaking bowl to redistribute halfway through.
Combine cornstarch, salt, pepper and garlic powder in a small bowl. Sprinkle over hot potatoes and stir to coat. Arrange potatoes in a single layer on prepared baking sheet and place in oven, Bake, turning once, until deep golden brown and crisp, about 40 minutes. Serve at once with an additional sprinkling of sea salt if desired.