"SKINNY" FRIES: SWEET POTATO AND POTATO OVEN-FRIES

I've posted a recipe before, on what is possibly the world's best way of making "fries" in the oven. Crispy on the outside, steamy on the inside, delicious all over! This time around I added sweet potatoes to the mix.

As I've said in the earlier fries recipe, you want to use starchy potatoes rather than waxy. But really, any potatoes will be great in this recipe. Make sure to soak the cut potatoes in cool water anywhere from 2 - 24 hours, and change the water every few hours if you're soaking them longer than 4 hours.

Sweet potato fries, whether oven-baked or deep fried, don't crisp up as much as potatoes do, because of the higher moisture content of sweet potatoes. But slicing them into thin sticks and baking at a high temperature will help crisp them up considerably. Also, spread the fries on greased baking trays in a single layer without crowding.

As all respectable fries are, these are great with ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard-mayo mixed, pesto, cilantro chutney, herb dips, cheese dips, or, as I served them, with a quick creamy dip. I mixed home-made crème fraîche with some home-made chili sauce and called it all done! 

Home-made crème fraîche is so much more delicious and cleaner than buying commercially made sour cream. Besides, you can season the crème fraîche with anything: lemon, salt, pepper, honey, chili sauce, or even mix a couple of tablespoons into pesto or tomato (pasta) sauce to make a creamy sauce for your pasta.

On to the potatoes... when I refer to potatoes here, I mean sweet potatoes and potatoes.

Sweet Potato and Potato Oven-Fries
Makes: 4 - 6 servings

- 2 large russet potatoes (or 4 medium potatoes of any type)
- 2 large sweet potatoes (or 4 medium)
- 3 tbsp. oil (peanut, sunflower, safflower, coconut, olive, grapeseed)
- pepper, to taste
- salt, to taste
- 1 tbsp. oil, for greasing the baking trays

1. Scrub any dirt or soil off the potatoes.
2. Cut into thin fries and soak in cool water for 2 - 24 hours, changing water every few hours if soaking longer than 4 hours.
3. Pre-heat oven to 425 F / 220 C and grease 1-2 large baking trays.
4. Drain the potatoes and pat dry. Toss with oil and pepper, mixing everything with your hands to get the oil and pepper on all the potatoes.
5. Put the potatoes on the baking trays in a single layer - don't pile them up on the trays otherwise some potatoes will be soft not crisp. Bake in batches if you need to.
6. Bake for 30 - 35 min. (bake for 5 - 7 min. longer if you want them crisper). Ovens vary in temperature, so check the fries after 25 min.!
7. Remove the fries from the oven and add salt and toss well to distribute the salt evenly.
8. Add more pepper if you want, and serve hot, plain or with a dip!