By Summer is coming and Detroit knows it. The trees on the block have gone from tentative green to full, ridiculous green Γçö the kind of green that makes you forget what February looked like, which is the whole point. Aiden and Zaria are with me this week. The apartment is loud and small and perfect.
I made catfish on Friday. Not fried Γçö blackened. I've been watching videos about cast iron cooking at high heat, the skillet smoking before the fish hits the pan, and I wanted to try it. Catfish fillets patted dry, rubbed with paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, thyme, oregano, a little white pepper. Butter in the cast iron until it just starts to brown, fish down, three minutes a side. The smoke alarm went off. Zaria covered her ears. Aiden opened the window without being asked, which means this has happened enough times that my seven-year-old has developed a protocol. The catfish was perfect Γçö black crust, flaky inside, the spices bitter and bright against the sweetness of the fish. I served it with rice and a quick slaw Γçö cabbage, carrots, apple cider vinegar, a pinch of sugar. Zaria ate the slaw and ignored the fish. Aiden ate the fish and ignored the slaw. Between the two of them, one complete meal was consumed. I'll take it.
Basketball season is over until fall, and I miss it already. The gym is locked on Saturdays now and the mornings feel loose without practice to anchor them. I took Aiden to the park instead Γçö the one on Outer Drive with the courts that are cracked but playable. We shot around for an hour. He's getting his form right, the elbow tucked, the follow-through, the arc. He's not me. I don't want him to be me. But he loves the ball the way I loved the ball, and that's a complicated thing to watch Γçö beautiful and sharp, like holding something you broke once and someone else rebuilt.
Called Mama Sunday. She said Dad's feet were bad this week Γçö couldn't feel them at all on Thursday. She said it matter-of-factly, the way she reports weather. I asked if he needed anything. She said he needs to stop eating the butter pecan ice cream Keisha keeps bringing him. I said I'd talk to Keisha. She said don't bother, Keisha doesn't listen. Nobody listens. That's why she has the wooden spoon.
That Friday night proved something I already knew: once the cast iron is hot and the spice rub is on the counter, the whole meal finds its direction. The Cajun seasoning I used on the catfish — the paprika, the cayenne, the garlic — is the same spirit that drives these fries, and the malt vinegar dipping sauce lands in the same bright, tangy register as the apple cider vinegar slaw I threw together on the side. Next time the smoke alarm goes off and Aiden opens the window without being asked, I want these on the table too.
Cajun Fries with Malt Vinegar Sauce
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 30 min | Total Time: 45 min | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 2 lbs russet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/4-inch sticks
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Malt Vinegar Sauce:
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons malt vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Soak the potatoes. Place cut fries in a large bowl of cold water and soak for at least 10 minutes. This draws out excess starch and helps them crisp up in the oven. Drain and pat thoroughly dry with paper towels.
- Season. In a large bowl, toss the dried fries with olive oil. In a small bowl, combine paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle the spice blend over the fries and toss until evenly coated.
- Arrange and bake. Preheat oven to 425°F. Spread fries in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet, making sure they don’t overlap. Bake for 15 minutes, then flip and bake another 12–15 minutes until golden brown and crisp at the edges.
- Make the sauce. While the fries bake, whisk together mayonnaise, malt vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, and smoked paprika in a small bowl. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Serve. Pull the fries from the oven and serve immediately alongside the malt vinegar dipping sauce.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 310 | Protein: 4g | Fat: 14g | Carbs: 42g | Fiber: 4g | Sodium: 480mg