Avocado Fries

From Circle B Kitchen, adapted from Sunset Magazine.

I know, this sounds like one of the strangest things ever, but it is so good!  The panko coating is nice and crunchy, while the avocado insides get all soft and creamy.

Canola oil for frying

1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. kosher salt, divided
2 large eggs, beaten
1 1/4 cups panko
2 firm-ripe medium or 3 small avocados, pitted, peeled, and sliced into 1/2" wedges
Grated parmesan for serving (optional)

Preheat oven to 200F.  In a medium saucepan, heat 1 1/2" oil until it registers 375F on a deep-fry thermometer.

Meanwhile, mix flour with 1/2 tsp. salt in a shallow bowl.  Put eggs and panko in separate shallow bowls.

Sprinkle avocado slices with the remaining 1/2 tsp. salt.  Dip each slice in flour, shaking off excess.  Dip in egg and then panko to coat.  Set on plates in a single layer.

Fry a quarter of avocado slices at a time until deep golden, 30 to 60 seconds.  Transfer slices to a plate lined with paper towels.  Keep warm in oven while cooking remaining avocados.  Sprinkle with salt and a little grated parmesan.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes:
- These do not make good leftovers, even if you crisp them up in the toaster oven.  They take on an unappealing, somewhat fishy flavor.  And I like fish.  So you want to make only the amount you plan on eating, and then toss the rest.
- Try mixing together ranch dressing and salsa for a yummy dipping sauce!

Oven-Roasted Fries

From Bobby Flay's Burgers, Fries, and Shakes, page 92.

Prep: 10 min./Cook: 35 min.
Serves: 4-6.

Pictured: Oven-Roasted Fries with Cuban Seasoning.

5 large Yukon Gold potatoes, well scrubbed
1/4 cup canola oil
1 Tbs. kosher salt
3 Tbs. seasoning mix (pages 117-119), optional

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Place a large rimmed baking sheet in the oven to heat for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, slice each potato lengthwise into 8 slices.  Put the potato slices in a large bowl, add oil, salt, and seasoning mix, if using, and toss to coat the potatoes evenly.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and add the potatoes in an even layer.  Bake the potatoes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through, about 35 minutes.  Serve hot.

Cuban Seasoning

1 tsp. ground bay leaves

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. granulated garlic

1 tsp. granulate onion

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. ground turmeric

Whisk together bay leaves, cumin, garlic, onion, oregano, and turmeric in a small bowl until combined.

Notes:

- I used 10 small Yukon Gold potatoes

- My fries were delicious and cooked through, but perhaps next time I'll cook them a little longer to get them a little more like fries instead of roasted potatoes.

- A small coffee grinder is perfect for grinding dried bay leaves (as well as other spices).  I used a little less than 1 tsp. garlic powder because I didn't have granulated garlic, and I again used the coffee grinder to turn my dried minced onion into granulated onion.