Crispy Baked Rosemary Garlic Fries

Two stories accompany the recipe. One tells how we stumbled upon a busy rosemary pant for only $2.50. Two, we discovered a new restaurant downtown Wichita, which feels like Portland, Oregon, not Kansas. We think these are two great discoveries.

The rosemary is first. I Instagrammed our new herbs two weeks ago, and here is a better-looking portrait of one. Basil is something I’ve used in Thai and Italian food for quite some time. It was a friend’s gift. You can never go wrong by adding more herbs. When John and I went to our local Fresh Market two weeks ago, we found an incredible deal: Two herb plants for only $5! They looked so good! I was amazed. We grabbed a mint and a rosemary and went to the cashier to claim our prize. As they say, the rest is history.

Second, the recipe’s inspiration. This new restaurant called Public in Wichita is so cool that we have been there three times already. We’ve bought two Groupons and will be going there tonight after we finish our Christmas shopping.

We invited two friends to join us on our first visit and shared the rosemary garlic fries. After one bite, I had a slow-motion intimacy with the French fry. I wasn’t expecting much. It was evidently hand-cut, perfectly salted, and adorned with fresh pieces of minced rosemary and garlic. It was delicious and very inventive. It was so tasty that after the fries had been eaten, I literally picked the rosemary from the bottom of my bowl and put it in my mouth. From there, it was over. The next day, I recreated the recipe.

Watch how everything comes together! The public led us to rosemary, which led to this recipe: crispy baked French fries seasoned with garlic and rosemary. This is a casual dish that can be served with a burger but sophisticated enough to impress the most discerning foodies. We tried it, and it worked on both counts. Enjoy your French frying.

Ingredients

• Three russet potatoes (roughly peel and cut into wedges or strips).
• 2-3 Tbsp avocado or olive oil to rim pan
• Olive oil 1 Tbsp (for coating fries).
• Use 1/4 teaspoon each of sea salt and black pepper (to your taste).
• One large handful of rosemary
• Two cloves of fresh garlic minced

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 475 degrees (246 C).
• After 15 minutes of soaking in hot water, drain the potatoes and thoroughly dry them with clean paper towels or dish towels.
• After drying, place them back into the bowl. Add salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil, and then toss.
• Coat a baking sheet with a rim generously and remove any excess oil. Arrange fries in a single line on the baking sheet.
• Cover foil and bake for 5 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for another 15 minutes. Turn over the pan with a spatula after removing it from the oven. They will come off the baking sheet if they are stuck. Gently push them with the spatula. Please keep them in one layer for even baking. Put back into the oven for five more minutes.
• Flipping again, remove from oven. Return to the oven for another 5-10 minutes or until golden brown.
• Transfer to a large serving bowl. While still hot, season with salt and garlic minced to your taste. Serve warm. Toss.