Deep Fry

Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 1 hr

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min

Thai spicing brings new flavor to an avocado classic. Add more color by serving this in a large leaf of red cabbage.

There is no fancy skill involved in making these crispy fries, but there is a trick. The potatoes are fried twice. The first time cooks them through and makes them tender. The second time, which can be done hours later just before serving, turns them golden brown and deliciously crisp. You won't need a lot of special equipment, but a few items are essential. If you own an electric deep fryer, you're all set. If not, a 4-quart fryer with a basket insert and a separate deep-fat thermometer is your next choice. In a pinch, use a heavy pot that is at least 5 inches deep, a long-handled fried-food skimmer or very large long-handled slotted spoon, and a deep-fat thermometer. Keep in mind that the older the potato, the better it is for making fries. Never make fries with young potatoes as they have not had time to develop sufficient starch. The size of the fries is a very personal matter. Some people like them very thin and crunchy. Others prefer them quite large so that they can be crispy on the outside and soft in the center. Experiment to find the size you like best. Very thinly cut potato sticks need a shorter frying time, and the thicker ones take a little longer. Note: When frying anything in deep fat, always keep a lid close by. In case of fire, turn off the heat and cover the pan.

It's customary to serve jelly doughnuts at Hanukkah, since they are are fried in oil to symbolize the miracle of the oil that lasted for eight days instead of one.

In nineteenth-century America, kichlers or Haman's Ears for Purim Night were small cookies (kichel is cookie in Yiddish), sometimes made from a pound-cake batter, deep-fried in butter, and bathed in sugar syrup flavored with cinnamon and rose water. Notice that butter was used in this age before vegetable shortening. Haman's Ears is also the American name for a kichel, kichelkies, or hazenblosen (blown-up little pants), thin strips of fried dough sprinkled with confectioners' sugar, similar to the Italian bugie served at Carnivale in February. "When I would ask my grandmother how much red wine to use in her kichelkies, she would reply, 'Half and egg shell,'" said Flora Atkin, who enjoys making traditional family recipes for holidays. "She used to say, 'I know my recipe won't die because my granddaughter will carry on the tradition.'" She was right. Before Rosh Hashanah, each year, Mrs. Atkin makes kichelkies on an assembly line with three frying pans going at once.

This recipe was created to accompany Garlic Dijon Skirt Steak. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A well-sharpened French mandoline with a fluted blade is the secret to these paper-thin potato wafers with a waffle design. Active time: 55 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

Great with barbecued steak and cold beer.

This crispy chicken is accented with ginger and sesame oil, and served with a simple dipping sauce of soy, cilantro, green onions and ginger. Wrap the chicken in foil, and store the sauce and slaw in plastic containers; be sure to add a cold pack or two to the picnic basket. Fill a thermos with limeade, or bring along a cooler of your favorite beers.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

For a real southern meal, pair this dish with the bacon scallion hush puppies.