French burgers with the easiest French fries. A method for French fries that starts in cold oil, and only requires one fry!
I’ve made two grave mistakes in the kitchen lately, and I just can’t help but think another one is right around the corner. Everything happens in threes, right?
My first mistake was to make that healthy alfredo sauce recipe that uses cauliflower instead of cream. The recipe has been floating around the internet lately. Can you say ‘yuck with a side of yuck sprinkled with yuck?!’ If I wanted something with the texture of gritty hummus on my pasta, I’d stir sand into hummus instead.
I’m still mourning the beautiful head of golden cauliflower from the farmer’s market that was wasted. Cauliflower is one of my favorite vegetables (after artichokes), but even this sauce was inedible.
My second kitchen mistake involved cheese. I didn’t know that one could make a bad choice in the cheese aisle. I mean, besides Limburger, right? The other day, I bought reduced fat Brie. What was I thinking? It was a domestic Brie, too. I think I finally figured out what it tastes like…rubber bands. The texture isn’t too different either. I figured someone who eats enough goat cheese for a family of four each week (guilty, party of one) should take it easy on the cheese. Never again. I’d rather have two bites of the good stuff---the triple crème stuff---than a whole wedge of light Brie.
Easiest French Fries:
These chicken burgers (when topped with regular full-fat Brie) are definitely not a mistake. They're flavored with lemon zest, tarragon, and Cornichons (tiny, herby French pickles). The melted Brie on top is like walking into a bakery before closing and being the recipient of all the unsold baked goods for the day. (Perfect is the word I was going for there).
If you're not a pickle lover, you can leave out the Cornichons--they're still delicious. I piled all these delicious French flavors on a baguette and declared it the Frenchiest burger in the world.
All that was missing was French fries for two and two cold beers.
So, this French fry recipe is life-changing. The recipe comes from my friends at America's Test Kitchen in their new book The Complete Cooking for Two Cookbook. They call it 'Easier French Fries' because it eliminates the need to double fry and the need for a thermometer.
The recipe is a bit unusual, but I get perfect fries every time.
I've probably made this French fry recipe 10 times or so. You place fresh-cut Yukon gold potatoes in cold oil, and then bring it up to a boil. After the fries have been cooking at a rolling boil for 5 minutes, stir, and continue frying for another 20-25 minutes, stirring twice, until golden brown. That's it.
I like to think of myself as the queen of fried foods (see my Graham Cracker Fried Chicken to verify my aristocracy).
So when I find an easier method for frying, I'm all over it. I whipped up a quick mayo-tarragon dipping sauce and happily devoured the French fries. Yes, I'm one of those people that dips their French fries in mayo, and I'm terribly sorry for it. You can use ketchup if you like (more mayo for me!)
If you're up for making your own burger buns, my homemade brioche buns are so good here! So soft and fluffy!
French Chicken Burgers Easy French Fries
Yummy chicken burgers served with homemade fries.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tablespoons fresh chopped tarragon
- zest from ½ a lemon
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 Cornichon pickles, finely diced
- ¼ + ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¾ pound lean ground chicken
- 2 ounces of Brie, sliced
- half a baguette, sliced in half
- 2 large leaves of lettuce
- mayonnaise for bun
- cherry tomatoes, for garnish
- extra Cornichon pickles, for garnish
- 1 ½ pounds Yukon gold potatoes (do not substitute another kind of potato!)
- 3 cups peanut or vegetable oil (do not substitute another kind of oil!)
- kosher salt
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the tarragon, lemon zest, olive oil, pickles, salt and black pepper. Mix well. Add the ground chicken, and mix until combined, but do not over-mix.
- Divide the mixture into 2 round patties, and refrigerate while the grill heats.
- Oil a grill or grill pan over medium heat. Grease the grates. When you can hold you hand 4" above the grates for only a few seconds before it gets too hot, the grill is ready.
- Place the burgers on the grill and do not touch them for at least 5 minutes. Close the grill (or loosely drape with foil if you're using a grill pan indoors).
- Flip the burgers, and then divide the sliced Brie on top of each burger. Leave the grill open and continue cooking until the burgers register at least 165°F, about 5 minutes.
- Serve the burgers on the sliced baguette with lettuce, mayo, cherry tomatoes, and extra Cornichons.
- Prep the potatoes by squaring off the sides to make them perfect rectangles (no need to peel them). Then, slice each potato into ¼" planks. Stack the planks, and then slice into ¼" batons that resemble the typical French fry shape.
- Set a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet lined with paper towels.
- In a large saucepan, combine the potatoes and oil. Turn the heat to high, and bring the oil up to a boil. Once at a rolling boil, boil for 5 minutes.
- Next, gently stir the potatoes to ensure they're not sticking to the bottom of the pan. Continue to fry another 12-14 minutes, until the exteriors are starting to firm.
- Gently stir again, and then fry another 5-10 minutes, until golden brown and crisp. Remove from the oil and place on the wire rack. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately. Do not make ahead of time.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1431Total Fat: 67gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 45gCholesterol: 213mgSodium: 1878mgCarbohydrates: 141gFiber: 15gSugar: 15gProtein: 76g
Stephanie @ Eat. Drink. Love. says
I want to dive into that plate! I love how perfectly crispy those fries are!
ashley - baker by nature says
You are amazing, lady! From the adorable outfit with beers in hand to the crispy fries and chicken burgers… just all YES!
Carol at Wild Goose Tea says
Well thanx for the being the guinea pig chef for the cauliflower sauce. And yeah don't mess with my brie, which is probably my favorite cheese. I had no idea you were the Frying High Queen. Good to know. The burger and fries rock!
Christina Lane says
Thanks, Carol! And I definitely learned my lesson! :)
Lori @ RecipeGirl says
Adding these to my must-try soon list! So gorgeous!
Lori @ RecipeGirl says
this is the best post. Reduced-fat brie... yeah, what the hell were you thinking???? :)
Willow @ Will Cook For Friends says
Oy, I've made the same mistake with low-fat cheese before. Blech! I'm all about triple-creme brie, but I don't think it ever would have occurred to me to top a burger with it. Speaking of which, these burgers sorta kinda sound too good to be true. And french fries that don't need to be double fried? GET OUT. Get out right now, America's Test Kitchen! (Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to buy some yukon gold potatoes...)
LIsa says
You're a pure genius!! But tell me HOW do you maintain such a thing figure with all of this deliciousness? Mayo dipped fries = perfection.
So this fry recipe you dont need a deep fryer for and can do it on a stove?
Christina Lane says
Yep, stove top only :)
I run a lot. And yoga a lot ;)
Kayle (The Cooking Actress) says
Yeaaaah this is DEF the opposite of a mistake!!! LOVE the brie on the burgers and those perfect, crisp, YUMEHHHH french fries!
Bekah says
So, I love fries, and I make them all the time with the double-fry method. This looked great and I followed it to the letter, only to have the fries verrrrrrrrrry dark brown by halfway through the 12-14 minute middle timed period. Had to take them out and declare them done way before the burgers were scheduled to be done :( because I'd timed them to be done for the full frying time you recommended. What happened?? And yes, I did use exactly the ingredients in exactly the way you described.
Christina Lane says
America's Test Kitchen has a trouble-shoot page. Try that? I've made them loads of times without issues. One time I tried to use sunflower oil and they were very dark brown. Still tasty, but not the golden yellow like pictured. Did you happen to use different potatoes? And did you slice them the size of regular fries? The only thing I can think of is they were too small
Bekah says
Right at 1/4"x1/4" and I used straight vegetable oil. I'll check the troubleshoot page - thanks. You *do* keep the oil on high after it comes to a boil? That was the part I questioned - even turned it down a tad, though the directions didn't say to - but it didn't help much. They were just below the point of burning when I removed them. We still enjoyed them, but they weren't as hot by the time the burgers were done. =)
BruCrew Life says
Dang girl, this is one crazy good looking meal!! I want it for lunch right now! ;)