Dirty Fries

  

The recipe I am sharing today can be as naughty or as nice as you choose to make it. Dirty Fries.  Oven baked chips dressed up with some of your favourite toppings. 

And trust me when I tell you that there is no such thing as "over the top" as far as toppings go. The sky is really the limit here.

 

I use frozen oven chips. You can choose either full fat or lower fat ones or make fries at home.  I prefer the ones with some skin on them, as I like the extra fibre and flavour that the skin adds. I find them to be incredibly moreish!

These get tossed with a Cajun Spice mix and some Worcestershire sauce. You might think that both of those things add too much heat, and yes there is heat there, but it is never too much. Its a part of what makes these so special.

 

I make my own Cajun Spice mixes.  I like making my own herb and spice  blends.  I know exactly what is in them and I think they taste really good.  I keep them stored in little covered pots in one of my kitchen cupboards.  

Making your own Cajun Spice is incredibly easy. How to Make Your Own Cajun Seasoning: Mix together 2 1/2 TBS of salt, 1 TBS dried oregano leaves (Rub to a powder using your fingertips), 1 TBS sweet paprika, 1 TBS cayenne pepper, and 1 TBS ground black pepper. Store in an airtight container out of the light for up to six months.

 

Once you've seasoned your fries you spread them out on a baking sheet and bake them according to the package directions.  You might think that adding Worcestershire sauce would make them soggy, but it truly doesn't.  

What it does do it add an incredible amount of flavour.  Worcestershire sauce has flavour qualities that you just don't find in anything else, except perhaps Mushroom Ketchup which, although very similar,  is very difficult to find.

 

While they are baking, I like to cook my bacon and get the other bits ready. Actually you can have your bacon cooking in the oven while you cook the chips.  Just bang it onto a baking sheet and bake it until you have it as crisp as you like.  

  My husband doesn't like his bacon too crispy, and I don't like it too wimpy, so I always try to do it somewhere in a middle. Keep an eye on it because it can go from perfect to over done in a seeming flash of an instant!!!

 

Grate your cheese and chop up your vegetables. I like to use a combination of bell peppers and spring onions.  

I also try to keep the pieces very much on the small size. A quarter-inch dice does the trick very nicely. It is very easy to do. Cut them into quarter inch slices one way and then again the other way.

 

Once the chips are done take them out of the oven and pile them into a baking dish. You don't want them to be too deep in the dish, but you also want them to have some depth.

Put it this way the larger dish you have to put them in the better.  You end up with a much larger surface area to scatter your toppings on.

 

It's really nice to have them spread out and the toppings spread out.  It makes for a much better finish in my opinion.

Scatter the cheese on top . . . . I have a confession to make. I probably add more cheese than the recipe calls for.  I guestimate it for the most part.

 

Sprinkle on the bacon bits . . . Is there every such a thing as too much bacon bits or cheese?  I think not! 

I am from the school of "Bacon makes everything taste better." And you can add cheese to that as well.  Both get my taste buds tingling.

 

Scatter on the peppers and pop them back into the oven just long enough to melt the cheese and heat things through. 

You want the peppers to maintain a bit of their crunch. This is a large part of their appeal.  Add to that the flavour and the colour and you have a winning combination!

 

And that's it. They are done.  You can use low fat cheese if you want, and bacon medallions (Canadian bacon) to cut down on any fat and calories as well.

It's probably not something you should eat often, but once in a while, everyone deserves a bit of a treat, and this is one very delicious way to go.

 

These make a great side dish for a weeknight supper, or snack to share on game nights.  They are incredibly tasty when served with a dip.

Ranch dressing goes very well!  I also have a great fondness for blue cheese dressing.  Just saying is all!  Try it, you may really like it!

Yield: 4Author: Marie Rayner

Dirty Fries

prep time: 10 minscook time: 25 minstotal time: 35 mins

These can be as naughty or as healthy as you choose them to be. They are delicious either way.  Serve as a side dish or a snack on game nights.

ingredients:

1 (4 serving size) bag of frozen french fries

(To save on fat and calories, use the less than 5% fat ones)

2 tsp Cajun seasoning (or to your taste)

(I make my own, see recipe in side bar)

1 TBS Worcestershire sauce

4 spring onions thinly sliced

1/2 each red and yellow bell pepper, finely chopped

8 slices of streaky bacon, cooked and then crumbled

(for lower fat use bacon medallions)

80g grated cheese (2/3 cup)

(You can use low fat if you wish)

instructions:

Preheat the oven to 220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7.  Line a baking tray
with some foil and spray with low fat cooking spray.  Toss the frozen
chips with the Cajun seasoning and the Worcestershire sauce.  Spread
them out on the baking sheet.  Bake for of the baking time according to
the package directions. Remove from the oven.

Spray a large baking dish, or iron skillet with some low fat cooking spray. 
Pile the baked chips into the dish.  Sprinkle with the grated cheese,
then the chopped peppers, spring onions and bacon bits.  Return to the
oven briefly to melt the cheese and warm things up.

Serve immediately.

Note -
 I don't like things overly spicy so I err on the side of caution when
it comes to using Cajun spice  People can always add more at the table
it they want to blow their socks off!  Ranch dressing is also nice with
these for dipping.

Created using The Recipes Generator 

 

Simple and quick to make and oh-so-delicious.  Your family is sure to love these!  Bon Appetit!  

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