serves 4
My friend Katerina was a pioneer, bursting onto the restaurant scene in Rethymnon, Crete, when she was just about twenty years old. She has built her restaurant Avli into a beautiful space, housed in an old Venetian building in the old town of this quaint port city. One of the best things on her delicious Cretan menu is also one of the simplest: fried potatoes, arguably the best I’ve ever had at a restaurant anywhere in Greece. The dollop of spicy whipped feta she plops on top of the fries is a stroke of culinary genius! She serves them up in an old-fashioned cesulus, a stout metal scoop that was a measuring tool of yore.
6 large, preferably organic russet potatoes, scrubbed
Corn or sunflower oil, for frying
Extra-virgin Greek olive oil, for frying
Coarse sea salt
Dried Greek oregano
1 recipe for Feta Fire
Cut each potato into 6 or 8 long, finger-thick wedges. Place them in a bowl of cold water and refrigerate for 2 hours. Drain and pat dry thoroughly.
Fill a large deep skillet or wide pot with 2 inches (5 cm) of oil, using 3 parts corn oil to 1 part olive oil (the olive oil lends flavor). Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it registers 300ºF (150ºC) on an instant-read or deep-fry thermometer. Working in batches, add the potato wedges to the hot oil, being careful not to crowd the pan. Fry for about 5 minutes, just until the potatoes are softened but before they start to brown. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the potatoes to paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining wedges.
Raise the heat under the oil to high and bring it to 400ºF (200ºC). Again working in batches, add the par-cooked potatoes and fry until they are golden brown, with crisp, crinkly skin. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining wedges.
Transfer the potato wedges to a serving bowl, sprinkle with salt and oregano to taste, and toss. Dollop a generous scoop of the whipped feta on top and serve.