Small Win #37: A romantic meal without reservations

You’re reading SMALL WINS. Every fortnight: one technique that’ll make you a better cook, plus the recipe that proves it. Six times a year: ‘The Fundamentals’ condenses everything worth knowing on one topic (e.g. ice cream) into a primer with the need-to-know knowledge and recipes. (Free subs: a monthly cooking lesson, plus 10 flagship recipes in the index.)

Subscribe now

I rarely fry. I hate the spatters, the jeopardy, the covert oil disposal but, most of all, I hate the smell that lingers afterwards. I dislike my home feeling like a chip shop for several days. But — and this is an annoying truth — frying does deliver the crispiest, most delicious results and so, sometimes, for a special occasion, I cave.

Though it seems like there’s much we can’t agree on these days, I’m sure we can see eye to eye on this: there are few things better than a fried potato. So when I discovered the cold-oil method for fries — minimal faff, minimal mess, minimal smell — I was an instant convert.

Valentine’s Day is around the corner and while, if I’m being honest, Pancake Day is vastly more exciting to me, I did want to offer a suggestion for what you might cook for your beloved or, indeed, your friends, or even yourself (just as valid). I believe that the least romantic thing you can do on Valentine’s Day is go out to a restaurant. Instead: stay in, open a bottle, make a big pot of mussels and a pile of homemade fries.

-Alexina

Subscribe now

Lesson » French fries without fuss

People will tell you that you need to do all sorts of things for perfect fries: triple-cook them, par boil, peel… This is not true. It turns out you can make very good fries at home without any of the above, and also without a deep-fat fryer or temperature probe.

As I said above, I don’t fry often but the cold oil method changed things for me. ‘Stress-free’ and ‘deep-frying’ previously seemed like an unlikely pair, and yet here we are.

It’s a simple premise: instead of

Read more