“The cottage fry is a fine fry in its own right.”

This quick tutorial by Food Wishes With Chef John explains how to make a delicious and sometimes overlooked form of french fry recipe – the cottage fry. Chef John Mitzewich says that cottage fries are meant to look like the shingles on the roof of a cottage, and when he layers these homemade french fries together, it is easy to see where this reference came from.

THE RECIPE:

Russet potatoes, sliced 3/8 inch
Olive oil
Black pepper
Cayenne
Salt
Thyme
Rosemary
Oregano
Lavender

Wash, drain, and pat the sliced potatoes dry, then put them in a mixing bowl. Add oil and spices to taste then mix with your bare hand until evenly coated. Evenly space the potatoes on a baking sheet or sheet of foil (for crispier fries) and place in a preheated oven at 425 degrees. After 15 minutes, flip the fries and bake for another 15 minutes. Repeat this process until cooked to your liking.

PROS:

Chef John is casual and funny, the kind of chef who has fun with cooking, and stepping into his Food Wishes kitchen is a friendly, educational experience. The length and quick pace is perfect; it is just long enough to fully explain this baked french fry recipe, but short and snappy enough to keep viewers engaged.

CONS:

The focus of the video is the food, and close-ups of the ingredients and preparations provide an exciting bird’s eye view of the process. While this approach gives viewers a lot of great visual information, it will leave viewers looking to connect with the host wanting a little something more.

THE TAKEAWAY:

Fun gourmet food for time-pressed cooks.
Food On The Table can make dinner easier. Learn how here.