Parmesan Garlic Herb Fresh Cut Fries Recipe

My cute little herb garden I planted at the last possible minute a month ago is thriving with all of the sun we've been getting this summer. 

Is it weird that sometimes I just go outside and stare at it? 

My little 1 ft tomato plants outgrew their trellises and I had to get new 5 ft stakes for them yesterday, along with a sad lone hydrangea in the clearance plant section for $5. I know you're not supposed to plant them in the summer, but I just couldn't pass her up knowing she would probably end up in the trash! She has a new home in my front flower bed. 

The more I type, the more I realize I've become a crazy plant lady. 

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Anyways, tonight I was cutting up potatoes to make fries to go with bacon cheeseburgers (I got bacon and baby swiss from Amish country today and lord have mercy) and decided to go grab some herbs from outside to punch them up a bit. I grated some parmesan leftover from my chicken Alfredo the other night, and they were perfection. And so easy!

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Parmesan Garlic Herb Fresh Cut Fries

Serves 2-4

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Ingredients: 

2 large or 4 small russet potatoes

1-2 tbsp olive oil

salt & pepper

3 sprigs thyme

2 sprigs rosemary

3 parsley leaves

3 cloves garlic

Fresh parmesan

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Preheat oven to 350. Line a sheet pan in foil. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and prep a large bowl of ice water. 

Wash and cut potatoes into julienne strips 1/4" wide. Boil cut potatoes for 2-3 minutes, then immediately strain and add to ice water. Let sit for 10 minutes, then lay in a single layer on paper towels to dry. 

Toss blanched potatoes in olive oil with plenty of salt to taste. Spread into a single layer on prepared pan and add freshly ground pepper. Chop thyme, rosemary, and parsley and sprinkle evenly over potatoes. Peel and smash garlic slightly to open up the cloves and add to the pan. Bake for 25 minutes, then turn off heat and let sit inside the oven for an additional 15 minutes. 

Remove from oven and discard the garlic. Grate fresh parmesan over top while the fries are hot. 

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Pick & Prep the Herbs

I chose rosemary, thyme, and parsley for my herb blend. I love the bright flavor of rosemary, and I feel like parsley helps bring it out even more, along with adding a layer of freshness. Thyme adds another level of savory flavor and rounds out the blend.

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Starting at the base of the stem on the rosemary, slide your thumb and pointer finger up toward the top. This will quickly pull all the leaves off the stem. Do the same with the thyme, them add the parsley leaves to the mix. Using a chef's knife, pivot the knife back and forth while moving the handle up and down in order to finely chop the herbs. Sprinkle over the potatoes.

Take 3 cloves of garlic and smash them slightly to open them up. Remove the peel, and add the cloves to the fries. As the garlic roasts, it will flavor the fries without getting a mouthful of garlic when you go to eat them. 

Grate the Cheese

While the fries are still hot, grate fresh parmesan over top using a microplane/zester. Be sure to use fresh parmesan for this, as pre-grated parmesan will not melt as easily. As always, parmigiano-reggiano is the best choice, a block of regular parmesan is second, pre-grated parmesan is third, and green-can parmesan is not an option.