Introduction: Balsamic Chilli Sweet Potato Fries

About: A Northern Ireland based maker with a propensity to cause trouble and freshly constructed family.

These are tasty, excessively so...

I've been using the same treatment for normal chips for some time now and it works really nicely. However I've been trying to get sweet potato fries right. I hadn't had a go at my standard, I should have.

Preheat the oven for 200c

The ingredients:

Sweet potatoes (as many as you need - they vary in size too much here to make a determination)
Chilli flakes/mix
Paprika, smoked
Cayenne Pepper
Salt, coarse is better
Oil, I used coconut since Christy's using it but olive oil works too. I will update with butter results the next time I'm sad. For potato chips, use vegetable oil for better crisping
Balsamic Glaze or Balsamic vinegar and a sprinkling of brown sugar

You'll need a big baking tray and a knife.

Step 1: Peel and Cut

You don't have to peel them but I do.

Cut them in to big chunky chips, like oversized pub chips. Cut more about a quarter more than you plan to eat (I can't confirm they shrink or if I get hungrier while waiting but just do it.)

Step 2: Seasoning

Throw them in a baking tray and add everything, don't bother with evening sprinkles or anything, there's a foolishly simple quick tip next.

Don't go bananas with the oil, it'll make them soggy, as will too little, sweet potatoes are stupid.

So the ratio of vinegar to dry stuff needs to be kept under control, I used this glaze and it meant I got a nice crisp coating with no sugar added (the glaze being sugar and balsamic vinegar)

I'd suggest more chilli and cayenne pepper than usual, the sweetness tones it down a lot. I generally go mad with cayenne pepper because, well why not?

Step 3: Shake and Bake!

Cover the baking tray with a cutting board or, as in my case, one of the stupid, useless, ugly glass worktop protectors/knife wreckers.

Hold it on tight by sort of pinching the baking tray lip and the board then shake the bejeesus out of it.

Behold your evenly coated fries.

Now, listen.

Spread them out evenly, put in them in the oven (200C) and walk away. Don't come back for half an hour. My oven often but not always takes longer, letting the oven be is hard, stare in the door if you must but just leave them be.

The balsamic vinegar will cause them to darken more than usual, so watch out for burnt black edges when co

Enjoy them on their own or with burgers... I like dipping them in mayo or sour cream but each to their own there.

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