Author Notes: If you are looking for a good excuse to deep fry something — and who isn’t? — give these Wonder Fries a whirl. They are whole fingerling potatoes, first boiled then fried, and then topped with a lip-smacking miso mayonnaise and a nice bite of green onions. They are a starchy, savory bomb, highly addictive in both flavor and texture. Eat them fast not only because they’re good hot but because if you’re sharing these, you’ll have competition. When I eat fried potatoes, I like them on the salty side, but for some the miso mayonnaise might be salty enough, so I’ve made the finishing sprinkle of salt optional. If you like a little spice, add a splash (or more) of your favorite hot sauce in with the mayonnaise. These fries will have you wondering why you don’t make them all the time! —vvvanessa
Food52 Review: WHO: vvvanessa is a Food52-er, recreational baker, and one of the minds behind the blog Hungreem.
WHAT: These can be a snack, or a side, or your entire brunch. Just don’t expect to have leftovers.
HOW: Fingerling potatoes are boiled first, gently smashed, fried, and then drizzled with miso mayonnaise and sharp green onions.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside, these are potatoes of our dreams. The miso mayo is truly essential — so don’t skimp. —The Editors
Serves: 4, as a side
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 16 min
Ingredients
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1 1/2
pounds fingerling potatoes, each as close to the same size as possible
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1/4
cup mayonnaise
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2
teaspoons miso paste (brown is ideal, or try chickpea or brown rice miso)
-
1
teaspoon fresh lemon juice (up to 2 teaspoons)
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4
cups Oil for frying (I use rice bran, peanut, and/or safflower—use more as needed)
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2
stalks of green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced
-
1
pinch Sea salt (optional)
Directions
- Wash the potatoes and place them a deep pot. (Halve any large ones if needed.) Cover them with 2 inches of water.
- Place the pot on high heat, bring to a boil, and cook the potatoes until just barely cooked, about 8 to 12 minutes depending on size. You don’t want them to get soft, so test them frequently. The tip of sharp knife should penetrate the flesh easily but not split the potato in half. Err on the side of slightly undercooking them.
- While the potatoes cook, prepare a sheet pan or large frying pan with a thick dish towel. When the potatoes are done, drain them, and spread them out on the dish towel. Roll them around a bit to dry them off, then let them sit for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
- While the potatoes cool, mix the mayonnaise, miso, and lemon juice thoroughly in a small bowl. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- While the potatoes are still warm but not too crazy-hot to handle, firmly but gently crush each potato to break the skin and flatten just slightly. I use a dish towel under the heel of my hand to help press the potatoes down. You want to them to be mostly intact, but if they break in half, no big.
- Prepare your deep fryer (I use a cast iron pan with a few inches of oil) and have at the ready a sheet pan lined with newspaper, a grocery bag, or paper towels. Fry the potatoes in batches at 375º F until the edges brown, about 4 minutes (in the cast iron pan, I do 2 minutes on each side). If you’d like, keep the potatoes warm in a 200º F oven until all of them are cooked.
- In a serving dish, toss the potatoes with the green onions. Top with the miso mayonnaise and an optional sprinkle of salt. Serve immediately.
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Photo by James Ransom
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Take this time to prepare yourself — these fries are going to be insane.
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Photo by Food52
Cut your fingerlings into roughly equal sizes, and boil to just short of done.
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While that's happening, make your miso mayo.
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Yes, miso mayo. This stuff is almost as key as what you'll do next.
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Squash the potatoes! We use the heel of our hand and a dish towel — you can also use a meat pounder.
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Then slip the squashed babies into hot oil.
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And wait, patiently.
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They're done when they look like this. Now eat all of them — you deserve it.
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Photo by Food52