A few months ago, I went to dinner at my friend Clare's house (home of the perfect cauliflower soup, by the way), and she and her husband served mussels and fries. Everything was delicious, but you know what actually stole the show? The tangy mayonnaise they served with the fries. So, here's how to serve delicious European-style fries for an instantly special dinner...
The secret trick to making fries is...not to make them. They're a hassle, and you need a deep fryer. And they often come out soggy or bready. So instead, buy a bag of Trader Joe's Fries. Seriously! They are delicious! Then to make the Belgian-style mayonnaise, just mix regular mayo with a splash of red-wine vinegar, and stir together until you have the tangy taste you like best. Voila! You have an instant fun dinner. You can pair them with mussels, burgers, roast chicken, fish sandwiches...even just a frothy pint of beer.Who's in? :)
P.S. More best recipes, including bourbon banana bread and a lazy egg sandwich.(Photos by Laura Ratliff for Cup of Jo. And thanks to Shoko for help with this series)
Wow! Looks so good.
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, I've tried that. Europe has its advantages.
ReplyDelete/ Avy
http://MyMotherFuckedMickJagger.blogspot.com
♥
Haha, funny to read our belgian fries.
ReplyDeleteNo the real trick about making those great belgian fries is that you have to fry them twice. That's what makes them crispy and offcourse the right kind of patatoes!
Almost every Belgian will stop at a "frituur" to buy their fries after they have been on a holiday. They can be soooo good and the best thing is indeed with home made mayonaise.
grtz from the belgian girl!
Have you ever been here? They have nearly thirty types of mayo! Definitely a treat! I went during spring break last year.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.pommesfrites.ws/
I love Belgian style fries!
ReplyDeleteLOVE TJ's fries! Will try this, including the paper cup. It just looks yummier! ;o)
ReplyDeleteThe mayo vinegar combo is my favorite. When I waited tables years ago, the restaurant I worked at put it on their shrimp po'boy. KILLER!!
ReplyDeleteAfter enjoying many a hot, salty paper cone of Belgian fries here in the Netherlands, I beg you not to use those puny, skinny little fries! It's just not the same, when the originals are so thick and meaty.
ReplyDeleteclara, YES! that place is mindblowing!!!
ReplyDeletethank you, marjolein!! and valerie, you're right, those meaty ones are good....but trader joe's doesn't sell them! :)
ReplyDeleteAs a current Belgian resident, I can totally attest to the awesomeness of Belgian fries... in fact, I may have to go out for some now :)
ReplyDeleteOooh my that sounds delicious. I always try to bake my fires and they just don't turn out very flavorful. Will have to try trader joe's:)
ReplyDelete~Jennifer
These look amazing. I love the spicy mayonnaise idea. The way they are served is gorgeous!!!!!
ReplyDeleteYum those look delicious!! That's one thing I've always wanted to make at home, homemade fries, it seems so simple but such a good snack to know how to whip up!
ReplyDeleteOh yes, we have recently become converts to Trader Joe's potato fries (the sweet potato ones are a staple at our house too) since I read about them on momfilter. So perfectly delicious and easy!
ReplyDeleteDid you hear about the new artisanal mayo store that opened in Brooklyn? I can't wait to go!
http://gothamist.com/2012/04/10/mayonnaise_store_opens_in_brooklyn.php
Love Belgian fries! Interesting thing is, fries, despite being so simple, appear in almost every cuisine. Different country, different spin.When I was growing up in Poland, we would buy fries in these little booths/kiosks. Always served in a brown paper bag. Salt only!
ReplyDeleteFries + aioli (especially a basil aioli--I have the killer-est recipe!) are my absolute weakness. Throw mussels in there and I'll faint.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree about making home made fries. They can be delicious if 2x cooked, but who has the time or inclination to do that? Not me! I think this is an ideal solution for when you want the fun of fries without the hassle. I have got to try that mayonnaise combo.
ReplyDeleteI'm in. (Plus, my kitchen is too small for a toaster oven, let alone a deep fryer.) These look yummy.
ReplyDeleteyummm.
ReplyDeletewww.therecordologist.blogspot.com
I`m in! they look so delicious! I just ate some french fries, but i still have place for some more in my stomach :)
ReplyDeletebest regards.
www.aventurilemimozei.blogspot.com
Oh yum... Love fries.!
ReplyDeleteI live in Amsterdam at the moment and they seriously have the best fries here! I spent some time in Brussels one weekend and the fries were insanely good as well. My Californian girlfriends think its disgusting of course to dip fries (or frites as they say here) and mayo but now I wouldn't have it ANY other way!!!!
ReplyDeleteWHAT. Those look SO good! I want to be friends with your friends ;)
ReplyDeletexo's, Vanessa
Ooo yummm! If ever in Milwaukee, go to Hollander Café... they have fry just like this and they put them in the cute paper cone and cup. Haven't tried the Trader Joe's brand, but Alexia's All Natural fry line is TDF. MMM, fries.
ReplyDeleteHomemade mayo is the easiest damn thing in the world to make. Then you add the other stuff...seriously, ppl, make some w/ a blender (using farmers market eggs).
ReplyDeleteI'm going to have the real-deal Belgium moules et frites in just a few weeks when I land in Brussels! I can't wait. I practically live off mussels and fries from a Belgian bar here in Philly called Monk's. It's so authentic.
ReplyDeletewe did pomme frites for my daughter's birthday party a couple years ago and had all kinds of fun dipping sauces, everyone loved them! but i had no idea about vinegar in the mayo... brills :)
ReplyDeletemany canadians, such as myself - well at least the ones that live in Québec and near Québec eat fries with a mayo type dressing... it's soo delish.
ReplyDeleteYum! Fries are the best! I like the idea of the tangy mayo. You also might like Emeri's recipe for baked fries, which are healthy, but super tasty!
ReplyDeleteI vote yes! But I already love mayo with my fries... it's kind of a problem...
ReplyDeleteYum!
ReplyDeleteYum I've always loved putting mayo on my fries! LOL it must be the fatty in me. I actually invested in a deep fryer and you can buy those frozen bag of Oreida french fries and fry them and they come out soo crispy and delicious! I was in Amsterdam last year with my boyfriend and we spotted those Frites stations everywhere- so of course we had to stop and indulge!
ReplyDeletexx Olivia
IWANTTHESESHOES
that sauce sounds delicious and i need to pick up those fries!!!
ReplyDeleteBunnyFuFu Fashion
My mother-in-law is Dutch, and this is her favorite way to eat fries--even if it's just with plain mayonnaise.
ReplyDeleteI lived in Belgium for a year so I am all over this.....I'm ALL in...feet, head, arms, body....ALL in! hahaha.
ReplyDeleteWish I could get to traders joes though, I mean, living in the south of France does have its down sides, believe it or not!!!! :)
Louise xo
boo hiss! This is a cop out!
ReplyDeleteI love the TJ's shortcut. I'm a sucker for a good mayo dipping sauce. I think this is a must-try.
ReplyDeletexoxo,
mon amy
Looks Delish! We don't have a trader joes here in Boise :( i'm sure I can find a good substitute though! Thanks for the mayo tip!
ReplyDeleteIf only the UK had a Trader Joes!
ReplyDeletegood tip....love fries with mayo. I sometimes make chipotle mayo! Spicy but delicious. Gotta love TJ's.
ReplyDeletexo
E
http://www.urbanchiqueness.com
I've never thought of adding red wine vinegar to mayo. I'll definitely try it next time we have fries!
ReplyDeleteWe often make curry mayo by mixing in curry powder and honey to taste - sweet and spicy!
Yum! You're making me so hungry for some fries! I love the dipping sauce for sweet potato fries, too!
ReplyDeleteomg, those fries are the best! I have gotten numerous friends hooked. I love eating them with fry sauce-- equal parts ketchup and mayo.
ReplyDeleteyum! i LOVE mayo and fries, and i LOVE vinegar on fries, so vinegary-mayo sounds delicious!
ReplyDelete(and fries are SO easy to make! julienne some washed potatoes, toss in salt, pepper, and olive oil, and bake at 350 until golden! super simple :D)
...or even better?? homemade CHIPS in the MICROWAVE! can't get any easier than that, right?
http://www.beyondthestoop.com/2012/02/im-believer-microwave-potato-chips.html
oh my...they look good!!
ReplyDeleteI love Belgian style fries, these look perfect!
ReplyDeleteMal @ The Chic Geek
After living in Europe for 3 years I can testify their fries are amazing! Thanks for the tip!
ReplyDeletehttp://knownitwasyou.blogspot.com/
Yum but it's sooo easy to make your own! Cut up any type of starchy potato and fry in a cast iron pan, in about 2" of olive oil and voila-deeelic. My Greek Momma makes them all the time, soooo good! Salt when HOT and add a little oregano too and a squeeze of lemon. Mmmm
ReplyDeletegreat idea! i sometimes mix a little bit of paprika in the mayo too {in addition to the vinegar} and it makes it so perfect.
ReplyDeleteWho would ever make the themselves anyway??? :-)
ReplyDeleteHaving just gotten back from Europe, where we stayed in Brussels as a side trip, this is timely. That said, I had the frites at several places and did not find the mayo to be extra-tangy. If anything it was LESS tangy and more creamy than what we find here. Regular mayo (which already contains vinegar) should suffice, I would think, although as another poster said, I often love to put vinegar on fries, so this sounds like its own delicious thing... just doesn't sound particularly Belgian.
They put mayo on their fries in Montreal (where I used to live), too, so this does not seem odd to me. (Plus, I grew up obsessed with putting tartar sauce on everything including fries.)
That whole dinner sounds effortlessly yummy!
ReplyDeletehttp://gandacummings.blogspot.com
Where I grew up, people mix mayo with a little maple syrup and a dash of cayenne pepper (or hot sauce) and dip fries into it. DELISH!
ReplyDeleteone of the many things i love about europe.
ReplyDeleteThat's sooo much easier than I anticipated! Can't wait to try it!
ReplyDeleteFun post! There is a restaurant here in Quebec City that gives you three choices of dipping mayo. Needless to say they get a lot (too much) of my money.
ReplyDeleteHave you seen the Rick Steves BeNeLux segment on "The Art of Flemish Fries"? Yum: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgaYKInDaew. I have to say this show is part of what convinced me to put Belgium and the Netherlands next on my foreign-travel list.
ReplyDeleteP.S. I loved fries with mayo long before the idea grossed out Jules (Samuel L. Jackson) in Pulp Fiction. :)
One thing I like is Pomme Frites...with all the dipping choices ...but this sounds delish!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE French Fries!!
ReplyDeleteI work at a Belgian bar and they make fires...they...are...DELICIOUS!
ReplyDeletethis is such a simple, different idea
ReplyDeleteand i love a sweet-ish dipping sauce with my fries! makes me want to host friends on the next warm night :)
Ah, yum! I crave fries all the time. This post makes my mouth water...haha
ReplyDeleteThese fries sound taste!
ReplyDeleteI love how you name every food post 'The Best.... You'll Ever Have'! It really grabs people's attention! And these fries certainly do look delicious....
ReplyDeleteKate {Something Fabulous}
http://thesomethingfabulous.blogspot.com
i love trader joe's and fries! i'm definitely going to buy this the next time i go
ReplyDeletewww.helloclee.blogspot.com
yum! I also do this and use By The Sea Salt, which I first found on Martha's Vineyard at Midnight Sun. They now sell it online, which is wonderful, because once you try it you will be hooked!
ReplyDeleteSuch a great idea to wrap it in newspaper! I love these photos, really beautiful. And now I want fries!
ReplyDelete-C
Another greta combo - which teams perfectly with seafood is to mix horseradish in with mayo. Seriously to die for! Hand on heart not lying!
ReplyDeleteThese french fries are making my mouth water, despite the fact that I just finished lunch not 5 minutes ago. I will definitely have to try these!
ReplyDeleteI am addicted to potatoes and I absolutely LOVE fries. They are so good and the best snack/pick me up. You can make them salty-sweet, spicy, savory with garlic or switch up the type of potato. This sauce just adds to the amazing non-ketchup ways you can season your potatoes.
ReplyDeleteCrunchy, waffle shaped, skinny, thick, baked or fried...mmm I love fries! The perfect comfort food.
Too bad we don't have trader joes in Dallas.
Have you had the fries at The New French in the West Village? Best fries and aioli ever!!!
ReplyDeleteAnja
www.onebiterule.com
trader joe's has the best everything. we also LOVE the whole foods fries. I season with a pinch of rock salt or seasoned sea salt (gotta love flavored salt!)
ReplyDeleteI make a California version: mayo and tapatio. We use it for anything. Fries, steak, even roasted brussels sprouts.
ReplyDeleteP.S. - Trader Joe's will be ALL OVERRR Texas in the next 2 years. Hold out!
if you like spice you should try mixing mayo and sriracha hot sauce. amazing!
ReplyDeletethree words: sweet chili sauce.
ReplyDeletei had it with fries (and everything else for that matter) when i lived in australia. it is absolutely amazing. almost as amazing as your frozen french fry suggestion! i can't wait to try them. it would be wonderful to have a good go-to frozen fry....
themyletts
Make that a Belgian beer and I'm definitely in! I'll have to give the Trader Joe's fries a try (I've been loving everything else from there).
ReplyDeleteWhat's even better than the mayo/vinegar combo is aioli! (mayonnaise with garlic)
ReplyDeleteI've been to Belgium and aioli with fries is way more common than mayonnaise, and for good reason because it is DELICIOUS!
http://www.bestrecipes.com.au/recipe/Garlic-Aioli-L12381.html
You actually don't necessarily need a deep fryer. I've made sweet potato fries in the oven and they have turned out great!
ReplyDeletei'm with you abigail. oven fries are delicious and their even less fatty!
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI am sorry but those fries do not look like Belgian fries.
I am belgian and i live in Brussels.
The secret for making Belgian Fries is ............ you have to cook your potatoes 2 times... the first time for around 10 minutes in boil oil (around 140-150 ° celsius) then the second time just before eating into oil at around 180° celsius) until the fries become "gold" ...
Bon appétit
I really like your blog
You guys have starbucks we have fries joints! I go there once a week for fries, a bicky burger and something meaty fried (not sure that there is meat inside)! No other country in the world can make fries like that! And yes we put them into a pointy sack like on your photos and of course we eat it with mayonnaise! It is cheap, very greasy but I cannot live without
ReplyDeleteoh my yumminess :)
ReplyDeleteyou are making me totally hungry
will need to try this!
hugs
Betty Bake
http://www.bettybake.co.za
I am a mayonnaise LOVER since i can remember... i put it with everything!
ReplyDeleteAnd mussel with fries are great candidates to ; )
http://mykitschworld.blogspot.com.es
Hi Joanna,
ReplyDeleteSo this is going to be nit picky, and I apologize for that, but as an American who's been living in Brussels for the last few years, I've been taught by my Belgian friends that it's white vinegar that's preferred, not red wine. But tomato, tomata, right?
If you do have a deep fryer, making fries commes les Belges isn't that hard actually. My friend's mother recently took me under her wing to teach me the ways. Her recipe is here (http://thepetitfour.com/?p=2752). And yep, they are fried twice, just like what Sophie said!
But seriously, fries with mayo taste great no matter what!
Yumyumyum! Mussels and fries with tangy mayo?! How fun:)Even in tiny Portland, Maine we have a Trader Joe's. Thankfully!
ReplyDeleteWe've always added a crushed glove of garlic (out of a garlic press is best, but a really fine mince will work, too) and a squirt of Sriracha in our mayo. It's excellent with fries and steamed artichoke! I'll try the vinegar/mayo combo asap!
ReplyDeleteThat´s so lame. It´s dead easy making your own mayo. It's only egg and oil. A minute. We fry our chips in an ordinary pan and they come out crispy. No special equipment needed.
ReplyDeleteSo, I never, ever buy mayonnaise. It's dead easy to make so let me share with you my mayo recipe, you just won't believe how easy it is. Many people say mayo contains vinegar but not my recipe (an old family recipe), the secret is in the mustard you use. In France, i like Amora but you can't find it here so I find Trader Joe's dijon mustard the best to use. so here it goes.
ReplyDelete1 egg
1 heaped table spoon of dijon mustard (the stronger the mustard the better)
Mix with an electric mixer then slowly add vegetable oil until you have desired consitancy, still using the electric whisk (don't bother using a hand whisk, you'll never reach desired consistancy). add salt and pepper to taste (i like trader joe's lemon pepper best). Now, some people make it with olive oil but i hate it, it gives it a sickly taste. Try making it, you'll never look back Enjoy!
There are no nutritonal benefits of french fries at all. They are full of starch ( can cause diabetes). The potatoes become carcinogenic when deep fried ( cancer causing)
ReplyDeleteCalories again. Im trying to get rid of it.
ReplyDeletethanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI am using these tips to teach a group of teenagers the basics, in a couple of weeks. Thank you!cheap prom dresses
ReplyDelete