Chili Cheese Fries

Chili Cheese Fries 001

Leftover chili.  What to do?  Inspiration = Sonic.  Chili Cheese Fries. 

What is it about Sonic that makes people go nuts?  Everyone I know from a region without Sonic, doesn't seem to get enough of Sonic when they're in the region of Sonic.  Do you follow?

Since, I didn't feel the need to buy a fry daddy (Christmas anyone?), I decided to make oven fries.  I haven't had too much luck with these in the past.  Even Husband was skeptical.  He asked if they were going to mushy.  !?!

Determined to make a crispy oven fry I turned to Cook's Illustrated.  Their persitance paid off again.

Oven Fries (serves 2-3)
adapted from The New Best Recipe from the Editors of Cook's Illustrated

2 russet potatoes, peeled, each potato cut lengthwise into 10-12 even wedges
4 T vegetable or peanut oil
Salt and Ground Black Pepper

Adjust an oven rack to lowest position; heat the oven to 475 degrees.  Place the potatoes in a large bowl and cover with hot tap water; soak 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, coat a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet with 3 T oil and sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper; set aside.

Drain the potatoes.  Spread the potatoes out on a triple thickness of paper towels and pat thoroughly dry with additional paper towels.  Rinse and wipe out the now-empty bowl; return the potatoes to the bowl and toss with the remaining 1 T oil.  Arrange the potatoes in a single layer on the baking sheet; cover tightly with foil and bake 5 minutes.  Remove the foil and continue to bake until the bottoms of the potatoes are spotty golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet after 10 minutes.  Using a metal spatula and tongs, scrape to loosen the potatoes from the pan, then flip each wedge, keeping the potatoes in a single layer.  Continue baking until the fries are golden and crisp, 5-15 minutes longer, rotating the pan as needed if the fries are browning unevenly.

Transfer fries to a second baking sheet lined with paper towls to drain.  Season with additional salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately. 

I did have to increase the baking time to get them to crisp.  Actually, they could have been in a little longer still, but we were hungry.