Main dish • Savoury
Jarrod’s Newfoundland Fries
Office Manager
This is actually not something I grew up eating a lot but it is a typical Newfoundland dish. It is a way to use up leftover dressing and gravy from Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. What makes this really special for me is the savory. It is a taste and smell of my childhood and instantly transports me to my mom’s dinner table. While this meal can use sage instead of savory, it is the savory that makes it a Newfoundland meal.
Ingredients
Fries
- 3 pounds potatoes
- 3 litres canola oil
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Dressing
- ½ cup breadcrumbs (these should be really small and crumbly)
- 1 teaspoon savory (or sage)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ½ small onion, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- Pepper to taste
Gravy
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup beef stock
- 2 teaspoons cider vinegar (I halve this amount)
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Step 1
Wash your potatoes. Cut them into fries. (You can skip this and use store-bought fries if you wish. Follow the package instructions for cooking.)
Step 2
Place the fries into a large bowl with cold water. Let them sit, refrigerated, for at least 1 hour. Drain them and let them dry on a baking sheet before cooking.
Step 3
Add about 7 cups of oil in a heavy-bottomed pot. Heat until it reaches 300°F.
Step 4
Blanch fries for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with paper towel.
Step 5
Increase heat on the oil until it reaches 375°F. Add fries and cook until golden brown (about 3 to 4 minutes). You may need to do the fries in batches depending on the amount. Transfer the cooked fries to a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt.
Step 1
Toast your breadcrumbs with dried savory in a large pan over medium heat until golden brown (about 5 minutes). Transfer to a large bowl.
Step 2
Add butter and onion and cook until they are softened. Season with sugar (I don’t use sugar), salt and pepper and stir this into the breadcrumbs.
Step 1
Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add flour, whisking occasionally, until paste turns a light golden brown (about 5 minutes).
Step 2
Slowly whisk in stock, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to medium-low and let simmer for about 2 minutes.
Step 1
Put fries on your plate, spoon dressing on top of fries and then cover in gravy. Add more dressing if you wish.
