Beer-Battered Cajun Fries

• 2 pounds russet potatoes
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon Cajun spice (I use Tony Chachere’s)
• 2 teaspoons garlic salt
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup lager-style beer, plus additional as needed
• Peanut oil (or other high smoke point, neutral flavored oil), for frying

Cut potatoes lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices, then cut slices into 1/4-inch sticks (I leave the potatoes unpeeled). Soak fries in an ice-water bath for at least 2 hours, or up to 8 hours. This removes the starch from the potatoes and makes for a better fry.

Mix flour, spices and beer to create a thick, pancake-like batter, adding more beer if necessary. Divide batter evenly between 2 large mixing bowls (one batch will be used to dredge the fries before blanching and one batch will be used to dredge the fries for the second cooking). Add potatoes to the batter and toss, making sure to coat each fry completely.

Fill a large cast iron or enamel pot with 3 inches of peanut oil. Heat oil to 325 degrees over medium-high to high heat. In 2 or 3 batches, add fries and blanch until lightly golden and limp, yet cooked through. This could take anywhere from 4 to 6 minutes. Watch the oil temperature carefully and try to maintain the temperature at 325 degrees (it will lower drastically once the fries are added). You can use tongs to gently separate the fries while they are cooking; they have tendency to cling to each other. Remove the fries from the oil with tongs or a spider and allow to cool on a paper towel-lined sheet pan while finishing the remaining batches.

Once all of the fries are blanched, raise the oil temperature to 375 degrees. Dredge the blanched fries in the second bowl of batter, tossing to coat. Again in batches, cook fries until crisp and deep golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes, but this could be more or less depending on how much the temperature of the oil fluctuates. Remove to another paper towel-lined sheet pan, taste-test a fry, and season with additional Cajun seasoning or salt as needed. Serve immediately.

Serves 6

Per serving: 401 calories; 14 g fat (2 g saturated fat; 31 percent calories from fat); 60 g carbohydrates; 0 mg cholesterol; 930 mg sodium; 7 g protein; 4 g fiber.

45 minutes to make

2 hours to soak