Summer Accoutrements: Baked Seasoned Fries and Quick Pickled Onions
These fries are perfect to go along with summer grilling meals, while the pickled onions make a nice tangy addition to burgers, hotdogs, sandwiches, and even hors d’oeuvres.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
For the onions:
- 1 red onion (sliced about 1/4-inch thick)
- ½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 dried red chili pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup red wine vinegar
- ½ cup rice vinegar
For the fries:
- 3 large russet potatoes
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 1 tablespoon Adobo seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Bell’s Seasoning
- extra salt (to taste)
- ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Olive oil
Instructions
For the onions:
- In a small pot, add all the ingredients and stir. Bring the pot to a boil, stirring occasionally for about 1-3 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the onions sit to absorb the flavors and cool to room temperature for about 30 minutes. If you’re strapped for time, though, you can eat them immediately. Or you can make them far in advance and let them sit in the vinegar and use them over the next couple of weeks.
For the baked seasoned fries:
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Thoroughly scrub your potatoes. Cut them into slices lengthwise, and then cut each slice into 1/2-inch thick fries. As you cut, drop the fries into a bowl of cold water.
- Let the potatoes soak for 10-15 minutes.
- While you’re waiting, combine all of the spices into a small bowl. Drain the potatoes and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Spread the potatoes out on a dry dishcloth. Pat dry and transfer to a large bowl. Drizzle olive oil over the potatoes and sprinkle in the seasoning. Toss to coat.
- Spread the fries in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with nonstick foil. Bake the fries, stirring/flipping them every 15 minutes for 45-60 minutes.