Ten Potatoes? What The Fries?!

Yeah, what's up with the catchy, cute potato-y name? And why Ten Potatoes and not, say, a clever name like 9 1/2 Potatoes? Or 3 Men And a Little Potato? Wait. No! Ewwww. That sounds like it could be the title for a very bizzarre porn flick no one should ever have to see. Ewwwwww. exactly.

No, seriously. The naming of this blog was a deep and meaningful process that was multi-faceted and retrospectively interesting, and I've decided to share with you the bits and pieces that made up the name.

The mighty tattie is arguably the most popular vegetable in Lebanon, where I was born and raised. As a rule, every Lebanese grandma feeds her grandkids double their weight in French fries at any given visit, provided the parents aren't paying attention, of course! And my grandma was no exception.

Without question, Téta, or "Grandma" in Lebanese, standing in her old kitchen making us the fried spuds is definitely a memory that is up in my Top 5 Best Of Grandma moments. And best of all was the fact that hers was a basket of fries that was forever bottomless.

To a child, THAT is the definition of heaven.

Her secret? She used an antiquated cast iron pot for frying and she served the fries with a magic dip called Labni. More on that in the recipe I have for you below, in case you feel like you gotta be fryin' somethin'.

Now, everyone will tell you that potatoes are also a perfect compliment to every Lebanese dish, as well as most other Mediterranean meals. It is impossible to crave potatoes when you're in that part of the world. For all you pomme-de-terre fanatics out there, there'll be plenty of recipes coming up with potatoes being the star or the supporting ingredient.

And while the Lebanese war (1975-1990) was taking place, the courageous potato continued to grow unafraid, and was readily available for the people, even when other food items were scarce. I remember having to peel a mountain of them in the shelter, for almost every meal - in a make-shift kitchen, mind you - and often times by candlelight, due to electricity rations. Some would say that it isn't the most ideal lighting environment for a kid with fat fingers using a semi-sharp object like the potato peeler. But hey, it was either french fries peeled by candlelight or no fries at all! And NO was not an option for this hungry kid!

Funny that even in today's peaceful Lebanon, my folks still buy potatoes by the case! I think they must be suffering from some strange post-war-survival syndrome.

To sum it up for you: I believe a blog's name has to be catchy and memorable, and I really really want you foodie peeps to remember and read this blog for a long time to come. So "Ten Potatoes" it is.

Oh. One more thing: I think it takes about 10 potatoes to make enough fries to feed my family: Mom, Dad & Three Little Boys (read: Pigs). :)

Téta’s Home-Made Batata Mikliyyeh (aka fries)

4 Large Potatoes - I like Russet
Corn Oil – you can substitute vegetable or peanut oil
Salt & Pepper
Labni – Savory Creamy Yoghurt Dip, found in Mid-Eastern specialty stores
Serves 6

Clean the potatoes well under running cold water. Peel the skin off. Cut the potatoes in the shape of batons (about ¼ inch thick). Put the potatoes in a large bowl. Rinse under cold water until the water becomes clear. Cover potatoes with cold water. Set aside.

Heat the oil to about 350 F (180 C). Drain the potatoes very well. Sprinkle with salt & pepper, toss until well-coated with S&P then fry for about 6 minutes. Remove from oil and onto a container covered with paper towels. Let sit for at least 10 minutes, or until you are ready to serve. This first-fry process is also called blanching.

When ready to serve the potatoes, reheat the oil to 350 F (180 C) and refry for 90 seconds (1.5 minutes) or until the desired doneness is achieved. I like mine on the crispy side. Taste for salt and pepper. Serve hot with the creamy labni dip – a heavenly combination of flavors. Enjoy!

Cheers to all the good grandmas of the world!

Maroun Antoine
San Francisco