Recipe: Air-Fryer French Fries
Total time: 25 minutes, plus soaking and drying
Yield: 2 servings
Being able to cook French fries with a lot less oil is one of the reasons air fryers were invented. While air-fryer fries may not be quite as deeply crunchy as their properly deep-fried cousins, they are nonetheless crisp, golden and satisfying in their own right — and a lot easier and less messy to prepare. Here, they are served with mayonnaise spiked with mustard and smoked paprika, for dunking. But for traditionalists, ketchup works just as well. Note that you can double the recipe, but you may have to cook the fries in batches, depending on the size of your fryer; consult the manual for specific instructions for your model.
Ingredients:
1 large russet potato (about 8 ounces), cut into 1/4-inch-thick sticks
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, more as needed
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sour cream or plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
Steps:
1. Put potatoes in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Soak for at least 30 minutes (or up to overnight, stored in the refrigerator), then drain and pat very dry.
2. Heat the air fryer to 350 degrees, if preheating is necessary. Line a rimmed baking sheet with paper towels.
3. In a dry bowl, toss potatoes with 1 tablespoon oil and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Transfer to air fryer and fry at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, tossing halfway. Transfer the potatoes to the baking sheet, spreading them in an even layer, and let cool to room temperature, at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours. (This step is optional; it gives the fries a slightly crispier exterior. If you want to skip it, keep the potatoes in the fryer and proceed to the next step.)
4. Turn the air fryer heat up to 400 degrees. Arrange potatoes in the fryer if you’ve taken them out, and drizzle with 1/2 tablespoon oil. Cook for until golden and crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes, tossing or stirring halfway through. Transfer immediately to a serving platter and sprinkle with more salt.
5. While the fries are cooking, make the sauce: In a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard and paprika. Serve alongside the fries for dipping.
——Recipe: Air-Fryer Spicy Chicken Wings
Total time: 25 minutes, plus resting
Yield: 3 to 4 servings
Chicken wings turn out perfectly when they are cooked in an air fryer. Here, they are tossed with a bit of baking powder before frying, which yields a particularly crunchy, browned skin with a rough, craggy texture. It’s a technique based on one from Ben Mims’ cookbook, “Air Fry Every Day” (Clarkson Potter, 2018), which he learned from J. Kenji López-Alt from Serious Eats. After frying, the wings are tossed with a honey and chile-based sauce spiked with fresh lemon juice and zest. Sticky, fiery and impossible to stop eating, they are an easier, leaner version of deep-fried chicken wings, made without the mess.
Ingredients:
1 1/4 pound chicken wings, cut in half through the joint into wingettes and drumettes
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon honey, preferably dark
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/4 teaspoon Sriracha or other Asian chile sauce
Steps:
1. In a large bowl, toss chicken with baking powder, salt and pepper until the pieces are thoroughly coated. Spread the pieces out on a rack placed on a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 1 hour and up to overnight. (The longer, the better.)
2. Heat the air fryer to 400 degrees, if preheating is necessary.
3. Arrange chicken on air fryer rack so all of the pieces are standing up against the edges of the basket, with as much space around each one as possible. Fry until golden brown and crispy, about 20 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together butter, lemon zest and juice, honey, Tabasco and Sriracha.
5. Immediately transfer the fried chicken wings to the bowl with the honey-chile sauce and toss well. Serve at once.
——Recipe: Air-Fryer Brussels sprouts With Garlic, Balsamic and Soy
Total time: 20 minutes
Yield: 3 to 4 servings
Brussels sprouts are quite possibly the best vegetable you can make in an air fryer; the leaves turn brittle and delightfully crunchy. Here they are paired with slivers of garlic, which turn into pungent golden chips as they fry. Then the whole thing is dressed with a mix of balsamic vinegar that’s been simmered until thickened, then seasoned with lime juice for freshness and soy sauce for complexity. Serve this as a side dish, or as snack with drinks; just make sure to have plenty of napkins on hand.
Ingredients:
1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved through the stems (cut larger ones in quarters)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice, plus more for serving
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
Steps:
1. Heat air fryer to 400 degrees, if preheating is necessary.
2. Place Brussels sprouts in the air fryer basket; drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil and the salt. Fry for 15 minutes, shaking basket or stirring the sprouts halfway through.
3. Sprinkle sprouts with garlic. Continue to fry until the garlic is golden brown, another 2 to 4 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring balsamic vinegar to a simmer. Continue to simmer until thickened and starting to look syrupy, adjusting heat as necessary to prevent burning, 2 to 3 minutes. (Keep a close eye on it; it will go from reduced to burned very quickly.) Remove from heat and whisk in 2 tablespoons oil, the lime juice and the soy sauce.
5. Transfer Brussels sprouts to a serving platter and drizzle with balsamic dressing. Squeeze more lime juice on top to taste.
