Since giving up palm oil, buying pommes frites in restaurants is pretty much off limits. When restaurants cook them from frozen, they likely contain palm oil. But it’s easy to make them at home.
They look like French fries but what are pommes frites? Well, they’re French fries. That’s right. Pomme frites is the real name for French fries.
Making foods at home is so easy and healthier than buying processed foods. Here’s how to make pommes frites. These frites are so crisp and have such a great flavor. You can also make a nice aioli to go with them or serve with ketchup. Like all potatoes, pommes are amazing with coarse salt and freshly-ground pepper and a sprinkle of garlic powder.
This family recipe includes a delectable rosemary garlic sauce.
Old-Fashioned Pommes Frites Recipe
These pomme frites are fried in oil. If you don’t want the oil, there are air fryer versions that you can try. To make air fryer pomme frites, follow the same procedure, but instead of putting them in the oil, put them in the air fryer for about 3 minutes instead of 5 each time.
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Time in Refrigerator: 30 – 60 minutes — This is how my Grandma made them.
Serves 4
Pommes Frites with Rosemary Garlic Paste
- 2 pounds russet potatoes – Peeled or not; your choice
- Olive oil for frying – I love using organic olive oil or avocado oil
- 4 crushed garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- Sea salt
- Pepper – Use white pepper or coarse black pepper for amazing taste
How to Make Pommes Frites
- Wash potatoes. Peel if you choose. I leave the peels on for extra nutrients.
- Cut potatoes into sticks about ¼ inch thick. Rinse your potato sticks in cold water until the water runs clear. Put the potatoes in a large bowl and cover with cold water by about an inch. Add ice over the top to cover. Put in the refrigerator for 30 minutes at least – but you can leave them for up to a day.
- Remove the potatoes from the water and pat dry. Try to remove all moisture.
- Heat about 2 inches of oil in a large saucepan. Line a baking pan or sheet with a couple of layers of paper towels.
- When the oil reaches 275 degrees F, work in batches. Fry the potatoes for about 5 minutes, until they begin to get translucent and are just starting to get tender.
- Transfer the potatoes from the oil to the paper towels until they are all done.
- Put in the refrigerator and let rest for 30 minutes. (You can omit this step if you are short on time.)
- Reheat the oil so it reaches 350 degrees F.
- Return the potatoes to the heated oil and fry in batches about 5 minutes each until they are crisp and golden. Use a slotted spoon to remove the fries from the oil and transfer them to the baking pan (no paper towels this time).
- While the the pommes frites are frying, crush the garlic into a mortar. Add the rosemary, salt, and pepper. Work the mixture with the pestle, pounding and grinding until it forms a paste.
- Toss the pommes frites with the rosemary-garlic paste and serve immediately.
You don’t have to put the cut up potatoes in water for 30 minutes but the cold water helps remove some of the potato starch and makes them crispier.
Cooking Potatoes at Home
Since figuring out my son has a palm oil allergy and palm oil intolerance, I am not able to rely on processed foods. The good news from this is my family eats a lot healthier. I fill my grocery cart with fresh fruits and vegetables each week, more than ever before.
Potatoes are filling, affordable and very versatile. Maybe best of all, they are a hit with kids and adults alike. See my other potato recipes, including mashed potato cakes, hash browns in air fryer and air fryer home fries for some other easy ideas.
Pomme frites are easy to make, and my kids love them. They contain less chemicals than buying frozen fries from the grocery store. Also, if you have an air fryer, you can make air fryer pommes frites using the above recipe.
They are so good with salt and pepper or a sprinkle of garlic powder and/or a side of ketchup. I cannot ever make enough for my family. We all devour them. They are the apple of the earth…. Serve them as a salty snack or as a side with lunch or dinner. You can also present them as an upscale appetizer with this garlic rosemary paste.
Please leave a note in the Comments if you enjoy this old-fashioned pommes frites recipe. It takes a bit longer to make them when you soak them in the cold water and put them back in the refrigerator after the first round of cooking, but the extra crispiness makes it worth it.
Pommes Frites ~ The Old-Fashioned Way!
Ingredients
- 2 lbs russet potatoes
- olive oil
- 4 cloves of garlic crushed
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary finely chopped
- sea salt and pepper
Instructions
- Wash potatoes. You can peel them or leave the peel on. Cut into sticks about ¼ inch thick.
- Rinse potato sticks in cold water until the water runs clear. Put potatoes in a large bowl and cover with cold water by about an inch. Add ice over the top to cover. Put in the refrigerator for 30 minutes at least – but you can leave them for up to a day.
- Remove potatoes from the water and pat dry, removing all moisture.
- Heat about 2 inches of oil in a large saucepan. Line a baking pan or sheet with a couple of layers of paper towels.
- When the oil reaches 275 degrees F, work in batches, frying the potatoes for about 5 minutes - until they begin to get translucent and are just starting to get tender.
- Transfer potatoes from the oil to the paper towels until they are all done.
- Put in the refrigerator and let rest for 30 minutes. (Omit if you are short on time.)
- Reheat the oil so it reaches 350 degrees F.
- Return the potatoes to the heated oil and fry in batches about 5 minutes each until they are crisp and golden. Use a slotted spoon to remove the fries from the oil and transfer them to the baking pan (no paper towels this time).
- Optional: Crush garlic into a mortar. Add the rosemary, salt, and pepper. Work the mixture with the pestle, pounding and grinding until it forms a paste.
- Toss the pommes frites with the rosemary-garlic paste and serve immediately.