START TO FINISH: 45 minutes MAKES: 6 servings

French Fries

What You’ll Need

4 medium baking potatoes (6 to 8 oz. each)

Peanut or vegetable oil for deep-fat frying

Snipped fresh rosemary and/or sage (optional)

Salt or seasoned salt (optional)

How to Make It

1. If desired, peel potatoes. To prevent darkening, immerse peeled potatoes in a bowl of ice water until ready to cut. Cut potatoes lengthwise into ½-inch strips; return to ice water.

2. Fill a deep, heavy 3-qt. saucepan or a deep-fat fryer half-full with oil over medium heat to 325°F. Drain potatoes; pat dry with paper towels. Using a slotted spoon, carefully add potato strips, in about eight batches, to hot oil. Fry 2 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer potatoes to paper towels to drain.

3. Preheat oven to 300°F. Heat the oil to 375°F. Add potato strips, in about eight batches, to hot oil and fry 2 to 3 minutes or until crisp and golden. (If desired, add rosemary and/or sage.) Transfer to paper towels to drain. If desired, sprinkle with salt. Keep warm in oven while frying remaining potatoes.

Sweet Potato Fries: Prepare as directed, except use 4 medium sweet potatoes (about 2 lb.), peeled. If desired, sprinkle fried sweet potatoes with cinnamon-sugar.

PER SERVING, PLAIN OR SWEET POTATO VARIATION: 487 cal., 45 g fat (8 g sat. fat), 0 mg chol., 6 mg sodium, 20 g carb., 1 g fiber, 2 g pro.

Place peeled and cut potatoes water to keep them from turning brown.

Cut the potatoes as evenly as possible into ½-inch-thick strips.