[Week 21] The Method Behind ATK's Crispy Oven Fries + 6 More Recipes to Make This Week

Plus: Beet Dip at Fork, Large-Batch Tahini Dressing, Tokyo Bekana

Hello Farm Share Friends,

A few nights ago, after my daughter watched me sweep a heap of sliced potatoes off the counter into a bowl of hot water sitting in the sink, she asked me what I was doing.

I was making oven fries, and she couldn’t understand why I would soak them in water before baking them. “How do they get crispy?” she asked.

It’s a great question.

And because I find science challenging, I had to refresh my memory before answering. Here’s why:

America’s Test Kitchen sought inspiration from the technique used when making traditional French fries, which is a brief blanching in hot oil or water before the final fry. This blanching step “not only disrupts the starch molecules inside the potato (encouraging a fluffy interior), but also washes away some of the starch on the outside of the potato (preventing a leathery exterior).”

Interesting right?

I make these fries at least twice a week this time of year, and I can attest after many many batches that the method works and the recipe overall is simple — cutting the potatoes into 1/4-inch thick sticks is the hardest part:

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This week we are receiving Tokyo Bekana and Daikon, two vegetables I do not have many recipe suggestions for beyond pickling. As always, your ideas are always so helpful and inspiring. Please share any thoughts.

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Week 21 Vegetables

• Tokyo Bekana → Tokyo Bekana Recipes

• Daikon → Daikon Recipes

• Carrots → Carrot Recipes

• Beets → Beet Recipes

• Cabbage → Cabbage Recipes

• Kale → Kale Recipes

• Onions → Onion Recipes

• Broccoli → Broccoli Recipes

• Potatoes → Potato Recipes

Find recipes for all the vegetables here → Farm Share Vegetables

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Mezze course at Fork dinner.

Beet Dip at Fork

As I type, I am on the train home from Philadelphia, where I spent a few short days celebrating the 25th anniversary of Fork, the restaurant I worked at many years ago. As part of last night’s event, five women, a mix of Fork alumni and current chefs, designed a tasting menu inspired by both the season and their time at Fork. My contributions included pickled crudite, crispy za’atar chickpeas, seeded sourdough crackers, and raw beet dip. It was wonderful being back at Fork, and so much fun seeing the whole meal come together.

What does this have to do with farm share produce? Beets! We received them in this week’s share, and one of the easiest (and tastiest! and prettiest!) things you can do with them is buzz them into a purple purée.

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6 More Recipes to Make this Week

For the hardy greens arriving in the farm share this week and in the weeks ahead, this large-batch tahini dressing is a favorite.

I also love the spicy cashew dressing in this Charred Broccoli Chopped Salad Recipe:

Carrot-Ginger Soup

Sichuan Noodles with Chillies, Cabbage, and Scallions

Quick-Pickled Carrots & Daikon (for a grain bowl or salad).

Lighter, Better Broccoli-Cheddar Soup

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Fellow Farm Sharers: Please share in the comments links to recipes you are loving for your farm share vegetables! Tips, questions, and suggestions are always welcome, too. Enjoy your vegetables! 🥦🥬🥒🌶🌽🥕 See you next week :)