Louis Fries Recipe

Wash and peel the potatoes (optional). Cut into 6–8 mm (1/4–3/8 in) thick fries. Rinse cut fries under cold water until water runs clear to remove excess starch, then pat completely dry with kitchen towels.

Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer or heavy pot to 320°F (160°C). Blanch the fries in batches for 4–5 minutes until soft but not browned. Remove and drain on a wire rack or paper towels.

Increase oil temperature to 375°F (190°C). Fry blanched fries in batches until golden and crisp, 2–4 minutes. Drain on paper towels, season immediately with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp pepper.

In a small sauté pan over medium heat, melt 3 tbs butter with the 6 minced garlic cloves and sweat gently until fragrant (1–1.5 minutes) but do not brown the garlic. Stir in chopped parsley and grated Parmesan if using. Toss hot fries with the garlic-parsley butter so they are evenly coated. Keep warm until plating.

Trim sweetbreads: remove excess fat, membranes and any connective tissue. If large, split into smaller, even pieces so they cook uniformly (about 2–3 cm pieces).

Soak trimmed sweetbreads in cold milk with 2 tbs white wine vinegar (or in lightly salted water if skipping milk) for 1–2 hours in the refrigerator to remove impurities and mellow flavor. Drain and pat dry well.

Bring 1 liter cold water with 1 tsp salt to a gentle simmer. Add sweetbreads and poach at a bare simmer (not a rolling boil) for 10–12 minutes until just cooked through. Remove and immediately plunge into an ice bath to stop cooking. Drain and press gently between paper towels to remove excess moisture. Chill briefly if needed to firm.

Lightly dust sweetbreads with the 3 tbs flour, shaking off excess. In a skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 tbs olive oil and 1 tbs butter until hot and foaming. Add sweetbreads in a single layer and sauté 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown and crisp on the exterior. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.

In the same skillet used for sweetbreads (wipe if burnt), add 1 tbs olive oil over medium heat. Add minced shallots and sauté 2–3 minutes until softened. Add 1 minced garlic clove and cook 30 seconds more until fragrant.

Add sliced mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they release their liquid and begin to brown, about 6–8 minutes. Season with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper while cooking.

Pour in 150 ml dry red wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits. Reduce by roughly two-thirds (about 4–6 minutes) so alcohol cooks off and mixture concentrates.

Stir in 250 ml beef or veal stock and 1 tsp tomato paste. Add fresh thyme. Simmer gently until sauce thickens to a glossy consistency, 6–8 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Off the heat, swirl in 1 tbs cold unsalted butter to finish the sauce and give it a silky sheen.

Add the browned sweetbreads to the sauce for 1 minute just to warm and coat them lightly before plating.

Divide garlic fries among 4 plates (or a sharing platter). Pile fries slightly to create a bed for the sweetbreads.

Spoon sweetbreads and generous amounts of the red wine mushroom sauce over the fries so sauce can soak into crisps in places but not make them soggy.

Scatter crumbled goat cheese evenly over the top, sprinkle the additional chopped parsley and a light dusting of lemon zest if using. Finish with a small pinch more salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Serve immediately while fries are hot and sweetbreads are tender. Provide extra sauce on the side if desired.