By Mama is dating somebody. His name is Roy Dawson. He drives a bread truck for the Wonder Bread distribution center in Tulsa. He has been bringing day-old bread to Mrs. Henderson for two years through the route, and Mrs. Henderson at her seventy-fifth birthday party last year set them up, and they have been going to coffee at the Owasso diner for a few months, and last Wednesday at dinner Mama told me they were officially a thing.
Roy came over Saturday for the porch dinner. He is sixty-six. Widowed. Owns a small house off Pine Avenue with a vegetable garden. The kind of man who drinks one beer with dinner and brings a bag of his own day-old bread when he comes over because he has decided that giving people bread is the love language he has. Mama looked twenty years younger across the porch from him. The recipe was animal style fries because I had asked Mama what Roy liked to eat and she said baby, the man loves fries. So I made him In-N-Out style animal style fries — french fries topped with cheese, grilled onions, and a special sauce.
The recipe is below.
Animal Style Fries
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 30 min | Total Time: 45 min | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 (32 oz) bag frozen crinkle-cut or shoestring fries
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Salt to taste
- 1 1/2 cups shredded American cheese (or Velveeta-style, melted)
- For the special sauce:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- Salt and pepper to taste
- For the grilled onions:
- 2 large yellow onions, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Make the special sauce. Whisk together mayonnaise, ketchup, relish, white vinegar, and sugar in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Caramelize the onions. Heat butter and oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add diced onions and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for 20—25 minutes until deeply golden and soft. Do not rush this step — low and slow is the move.
- Cook the fries. Bake frozen fries according to package directions (or fry in oil at 375°F for 4—5 minutes) until golden and crispy. Season with salt immediately out of the oven.
- Melt the cheese. While fries are hot, pile them onto an oven-safe platter or baking sheet. Layer shredded cheese over the top and place under the broiler for 1—2 minutes until melted and bubbly. Watch closely.
- Assemble. Spoon the caramelized onions generously over the cheesy fries. Drizzle the special sauce liberally on top. Serve immediately while everything is hot and saucy.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 520 | Protein: 11g | Fat: 31g | Carbs: 51g | Fiber: 4g | Sodium: 890mg