French Fries

[ChristineM]

and I assume such things are BAAAAD for us

We use colza oil, by all accounts one of the more healthy options with low saturated fat

 

[Thief]

We use colza oil, by all accounts one of the more healthy options with low saturated fat

lard would then be.....animal fat
creamed

is that right?

 

[metis]

The French tend to prefer very thin fries cooked to a brownness generally darker that most American fries. This is what I prefer, so here in the States I ask the waiter/waitress for them more well done.

BTW, oven roasted potato wedges if cooked "right" can also be very good, and they're quite popular in northern Italy.

 

[ChristineM]

lard would then be.....animal fat
creamed

is that right?

Yes, lard is rendered pig fat.

It has only half the saturated fat as butter but twice that of olive oil.

Colza is even lower in saturated fat (lowest of all cooking oils) and high in unsaturated so its good for cholesterol

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

Right, that's it! I'm definitely going to try moules at home, when I can get to the fishmonger. (At the moment it is hard, because they only allow 2 people in the shop and they are doing a lot of deliveries to people who are isolating at home, so there is often a queue stretching round the corner.

What weight do I need to buy for 2 people?

The default in belgian recipies is about 1kg per person.

Here's the tradition belgian style recipy (for 4 people):

4 kg fresh mussles
2 finely cut celery sticks
1 chopped onion
1 knob of butter

for the saurce:
1 tablespoon of mustard
2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar

Preparation:

Make the mustard sauce:
Mix the mustard with the white wine vinegar.

Make the mussels:
Rinse the mussels under cold running water. Take a large pot because the mussels increase in volume and you should be able to shake them well. Butter the pot and braise the vegetables. Add the mussles and cover and simmer for a few minutes, then shake gently to bring up the bottom mussels and mix the vegetables well. Repeat several times.

Serve with french fries.

If you haven't cooked with mussles before, here's a golden tip that might save you a completely ruined dish...(i speak from experience....)

It deals with which mussles are okay and which aren't.

As a rule, you only used closed mussles.

If during rinsing, you encounter an open one, give it a little tap with a spoon. If it doesn't close (it might close slowly...) then throw it away. It's a dead one. You don't want that in the pot.

Mussles that are broken - throw away.

Closed mussles that are noticeably heavier then the rest: throw away. There's no mussle in there. Only dirty sand.



Ok, I'm hungry again

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

I prefer oven chips, they don't taste of grease.

On fact its those in your pic that we use most often...

The french packet

View attachment 39254

Haha. Yes, these are quite standard in our home freezer
I sometimes go for the Allumettes as well instead of the classic. Extra crisp.

 

[ChristineM]

Haha. Yes, these are quite standard in our home freezer
I sometimes go for the Allumettes as well instead of the classic. Extra crisp.

I am not so keen on the Allumettes, they reminded be too much of McDonald's

 

[exchemist]

The default in belgian recipies is about 1kg per person.

Here's the tradition belgian style recipy (for 4 people):

4 kg fresh mussles
2 finely cut celery sticks
1 chopped onion
1 knob of butter

for the saurce:
1 tablespoon of mustard
2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar

Preparation:

Make the mustard sauce:
Mix the mustard with the white wine vinegar.

Make the mussels:
Rinse the mussels under cold running water. Take a large pot because the mussels increase in volume and you should be able to shake them well. Butter the pot and braise the vegetables. Add the mussles and cover and simmer for a few minutes, then shake gently to bring up the bottom mussels and mix the vegetables well. Repeat several times.

Serve with french fries.

View attachment 39267


If you haven't cooked with mussles before, here's a golden tip that might save you a completely ruined dish...(i speak from experience....)

It deals with which mussles are okay and which aren't.

As a rule, you only used closed mussles.

If during rinsing, you encounter an open one, give it a little tap with a spoon. If it doesn't close (it might close slowly...) then throw it away. It's a dead one. You don't want that in the pot.

Mussles that are broken - throw away.

Closed mussles that are noticeably heavier then the rest: throw away. There's no mussle in there. Only dirty sand.



Ok, I'm hungry again

Thanks, that's very useful indeed. But there is very little liquid in this, I notice. I presume the principle is to steam the mussels in the vapour from the vinegar. And I was sort of expecting white wine to be in there somewhere...but perhaps I am confusing with a French recipe....

 

[ChristineM]

Thanks, that's very useful indeed. But there is very little liquid in this, I notice. I presume the principle is to steam the mussels in the vapour from the vinegar. And I was sort of expecting white wine to be in there somewhere...but perhaps I am confusing with a French recipe....

Yes, the french steam mussels in white wine with shallots and garlic

 

[Quagmire]

Ow man. Earlier today in some post, I made a joke involving french fries. Nevermind the context.
But ever since then... Ow man, I gave myself a craving for delicious real belgian french fries from a proper french fries shed.... But I can't yet because of this corona business.

So I thought I'ld go for the next best thing: An ode to our national pride, the french frie!

To start with, it's not French! It's Belgian. ;-)
It's an urban legend off course. It's close to impossible to really find out where exactly the french fries originated. Most likely it wasn't an "overnight" invention either and more like a development of potato cooking.

However, when the name "french fries" started to circulate around the 1900's in the US and Brittain, almost instantly objections from belgians pop-up.

In any case, in Belgium, french fries are like a national pride. Every single village has a fries shed. And most have multiple. The village where I live, has 8 for little under 10.000 residents. So it's extremely present in our culture.

Such fries sheds are relatively unique in the world. It's a typical belgian thing.

View attachment 39227


View attachment 39230

View attachment 39231

Even mobile ones:

View attachment 39228

View attachment 39229



So, as Belgian I say to you: when this corona thingy is over and done with, and you happen to find yourself in Belgium for some reason... do yourself a favor and ask around for a good "frituur", just go get yourself a pack. You just have to. I think it should be crime to come to Belgium and not get a pack of fries in a genuine fries shed.


View attachment 39232


View attachment 39233







I'm so hungry

So weird: swear to God about 5 minutes ago I was thinking that French fries are one of the things I miss most now.

 

[Thief]

So weird: swear to God about 5 minutes ago I was thinking that French fries are one of the things I miss most now.

yep...weird


and do not construe that as a personal attack

 

[Thief]

Yes, lard is rendered pig fat.

It has only half the saturated fat as butter but twice that of olive oil.

Colza is even lower in saturated fat (lowest of all cooking oils) and high in unsaturated so its good for cholesterol

and if I save the 'grease' from bacon.....
where does that fit it?

 

[Thief]

and for participants that have been to Ronald's house

have you noticed an after taste when eating fries?

 

[Thief]

and yes....I have a discussion on the radio years ago.....
the two people talking about fast food made observation
they didn't feel so good after eating at McDonald's

too much of something?

 

[Shaul]

Latkes are better than French fries.

 

[Thief]

Latkes are better than French fries.

so...you shred the potato
pack it into a patty
and drop that into a skillet

but....no animal fat?

 

[Shaul]

so...you shred the potato
pack it into a patty
and drop that into a skillet

but....no animal fat?

Nu, are you serious? You add egg, flour and onions into the shredded potatoes. Then you deep fry them in oil and or butter. They soak up way more fat than French fries. Then they are served with sour cream because indulgence is what they are about! Latkes could give French fries a cholesterol induced heart attack.

 

[ChristineM]

and if I save the 'grease' from bacon.....
where does that fit it?

Great for frying and roast potatoes but lousy for your cholesterol

 

[Onoma]

I rarely eat 'em anymore, but when I do make them, I blanch once in water, once in oil, then a second fry in hotter oil, ( letting them cool off in between blanches so the starches congeal )

Then eaten with a nice garlicky aioli, perhaps some truffle oil if I feel rich

 

[ChristineM]

I rarely eat 'em anymore, but when I do make them, I blanch once in water, once in oil, then a second fry in hotter oil, ( letting them cool off in between blanches so the starches congeal )

Then eaten with a nice garlicky aioli, perhaps some truffle oil if I feel rich

Love the truffle oil