Sweet Potato Oven Fries

We love, love, love these things. The mates and I sat around the dining table last night and seriously scrafed down these babies.

We were turned on to sweet potato fries in Memphis, TN about 3 years ago and I've been making them ever since. On that occasion we had taken the youngest boy on a round about trip through some of the Southern states. We stopped for the night in Memphis. Then immediately headed down to Beale Street for a bit of clubbing. The boy was 20 at the time. Legally too young for serious clubbing but JR & I thought we'd give it a shot. Low and behold, the bouncers never gave him a second look. We got into the BB King club, listened to some wonderful blues, drank some Okay beer, ate some great food (sweet potato fries included), and became the world's coolest parents EVER!

These are so dead on easy you'll wonder why you never made them before. Those of you who grew up despising those nasty sweet potato casseroles served on the holidays (or maybe those were nasty because my mom was making them and she CAN'T, emphasis intended, cook). Try these instead. You'll thank me later.


Sweet Potato Oven Fries

About 1/2 cup vegetable oil (better than olive oil because it heats to a higher temperature. You want the fries to get crispy so go for the veg oil)

2 large orange or white fleshed sweet potatoes

About 2 teaspoons ground cumin

Coarse salt

Preheat oven to 425 or there abouts. I make mine at a high heat because I'm usually in a hurry or I'm lazy, you decide.

Generously spread the veg oil on the bottom of a large cookie sheet. Shake all about so all the corners get oil. Very important step here. Clean up can be a bear if you don't coat the pan properly. You could, I guess, cover with tin foil first but that would be cheating. JR does the dishes at our house so if I was a really considerate wife I'd have covered the bottom of the cookie sheet with tin foil. He didn't complain so he must have been okay with the mess in exchange for the tastiness of these fries and the love he bears for me. Or he never complains and is a wonderful and long-suffering husband. I'm going with the first statement.

Peel the sweet potatoes. Using a SHARP knife, cut the sweet potatoes lengthwise into narrow strips about 1/4 inch thick. These puppies are hard. Cut off one end to make a flat edge, stand up on this end then make the initial cuts. Quickly, roll them in the oil. If you don't they will get all yucky brown colored. Spread out in a single layer.

Sprinkle with cumin and salt.

Roast until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Turn once about 1/2 way through roasting time.

Transfer to a couple of sheets of paper towels to drain excess oil. Sprinkle with more cumin and salt. Serve immediately.

Serves 3 -4

I shouldn't have to say this but I will cuz I'm a dork. If you need to serve more than 3-4 just double the recipe (duh!) Just be sure that you use more than one pan. They need to be in a single layer.

Enjoy

Love,
M

P.S. dipped in blue cheese dressing. Ahhhhhhhh! Words can not describe. Better than chocolate? no but dang close!