Garlic Oven Fries

I've never met anyone who didn't like fries. A month ago I met someone who said they didn't like potatoes--which really floored me, it's like not liking bread or something--but never someone trying to claim they didn't like fries.

Because they're really about the tastiest food right? It doesn't matter if you're not hungry, if I were to make a plate of these guys and set them in front of you I promise you'd still take a bite. And then probably another.

What's nice too is that being baked, they're a little less evil than normal fries and since I used olive oil it made me feel as if I was at least attempting to be healthy. They're good, I promise you.

Oh, and a final note. I have been taught that when you heat olive oil some of the flavor is mellowed and lost. When producers extract oil from the olives they typically do what's called a "cold press" where they squeeze the olives to get the oil but after several rounds of pressing the fruit, each round yielding less and less oil, they will use heat to get those last drops.

All this means that if you're looking for the best, most flavorful olive oil you want to buy the extra virgin "first cold press" variety. However, once you cook with the olive oil the heating process ruins some of the flavor so if you have a recipe that won't be heated--such as salad dressing--and want maximum flavor, be sure to splurge on the good stuff. But if you're going to be heating the oil such as you would in this recipe then go cheaper and use lighter versions because some of the flavor will be lost anyway.

The original recipe I found at The Purple Foodie. They're good with homemade ketchup, ranch dressing or Thousand Island dressing.

2 tablespoons minced garlic
6 tablespoons olive oil
3 russet potatoea cut into 12 wedges each
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder

Preheat oven to 440 degrees.

In a small saucepan combine garlic and olive oil, warming it over medium low heat until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Coat a large oven-proof casserole dish with the infused oil.

Add the potatoes and toss to coat. Wrap dish tightly in plastic wrap and microwave on high until the potatoes are beginning to cook around the edges, about 3 to 6 minutes, stirring potatoes half way through.

In a separate bowl, combine the cornstarch, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Sprinkle over the hot, partially-cooked potatoes and toss well to distribute coating. Arrange potatoes on a baking sheet lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray and bake, turning once half-way through, until brown and crisp, about 30 to 40 minutes.

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