Oven Baked French Fries

I've been on a mission to reduce the condiment population in my fridge. I don't really need to have seven different kinds of soya sauce. We have six different open jars of jam or jelly- an neither of us actually eat toast and jam. There are four kinds of mustard open right now. Four different containers fo maple syrup. Two jars of capers. Plus there are all the things we only have one of: mayonnaise, oyster sauce, fish sauce, chili sauce, olive and pimento spread, cashew butter, balsamic vinegar, red curry, pesto sauce, butter, Becel, Worcester sauce, etc. I suspect that the percentage of real food could be under 50. That doesn't seem right.

I went after the pile of ketchup packets (it seems so wasteful to throw them out) the other night. I do like French fries, but I'm afraid of deep frying, and anyway, the media keeps telling me I shouldn't like French fries. So I bake them in the oven and feel like a gourmet food saint. And then enjoy a good ketchup binge which undoes the good food karma.

These are good for a snack, but they also go nicely with a meal as the potato selection. They look very pretty next to a salad.

Oven Baked French Fries

Potatoes

Olive oil

Herbs, optional

Salt and pepper

1. I leave the skins on, if they're good. Slice them thickly, about 1-2 cm thick.

2. Rinse them in cold water to reduce the starch, then pat dry with a linen or paper towel.

3. Toss the potatoes fingers in a mixing bowl with a small amount of olive oil (about 1 Tbsp per 1 C of potatoes) until lightly coated. Include dry herbs if desired (i.e. oregano, rosemary).

4. Spread the fingers on a metal baking sheet. Bake at about about 375F for approximately 50 min or to the right golden colour. Turn once, halfway through as they begin to turn golden on the baking sheet side.

5. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, or as desired.