The "Cali Special" French Fries
A twist on the classic California "animal style" fries!
Prep time: 40 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 large Sweet Onion (Mayan, Vidalia®, or Walla Walla), sliced
- 2 lbs Hollywood Fries potatoes, scrubbed clean, peeled, and cut into ¼" fries
- Peanut or avocado oil, for frying
- 4–5 slices American cheese
- 1 tbsp butter
- Salt
Fry Sauce
- 2 tbsp plus 2 tsp mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp ketchup
- 2 tsp sweet pickle relish
- ½ tsp sugar
- ½ tsp white vinegar
Preparation
- Heat a couple of inches of oil in a deep, heavy pot to 300° F.
- While preparing other ingredients, soak cut fries in cold water to keep from browning and to break down excess starch.
- Heat 1 tbsp of butter in a skillet over medium-high heat until melted. Add onions and reduce heat to medium-low. Stirring occasionally, cook for about 20–25 minutes until soft and golden brown. Set aside.
- In a bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, ketchup, relish, sugar, and vinegar. Set aside.
- Remove fries from water and place on paper towels, blotting to dry.
- In 3 to 4 batches, cook the fries for 4–5 minutes per batch until soft, not browned. Using a slotted spoon, remove each batch of fries from the oil and drain on paper towels.
- Increase the temperature of the oil to 400° F. Cook the fries in batches again until they are golden brown. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt.
- Place some freshly cooked fries on a plate and cover with an American cheese slice. Top with fry sauce and caramelized sweet onions and serve alongside your favorite burger. Enjoy!
Tip: We also topped our favorite burger with the extra caramelized sweet onions and fry sauce…so delicious! Sweet Onions are a year-round item from Progressive Produce. Choose from Mayan Sweet Onions, Vidalia Sweet Onions, or Walla Walla Sweet Onions depending on the season.