Village People in the Village! Boogie Down Disco Fries!
As you know by now, I’m a born and bred Bronx chick. Although I was much too young to be out in discotheques, I got into disco of the day (little girls singing Donna Summer’s “Love to Love You Baby” must have been so disturbing – haha).
Figures like those seen in “Saturday Night Fever” were alive and well in Morris Park. My cousins, who lived next door, would be getting ready to go “downtown” (as any self-respecting Northern New Yorker called Manhattan) with the music blaring and the mood exciting! Boogie-oogie-oogie!
By the time I was old enough to hit the clubs, music had changed and I was a fan of alternative/new wave music on local radio station WLIR! And just like my cousins, we’d go out, have some cocktails, dance ourselves silly, and wind up at the diner in the wee hours of the morning for a snack before heading home. Invariably it would be DISCO FRIES! A somewhat “ugly” concoction of french fries covered with charred American cheese with brown gravy you either requested on the side or had dredged over the top. Ahhhh…
That was a long time ago but just this past weekend, in the little 1 square mile village I live in just north of NYC, we went back in time to disco days thanks to the Generoso Pope Foundation. They host a free music festival in the Tuckahoe Village square every year. This year they outdid themselves with the ladies of Chic, The Sugar Hill Gang, and THE VILLAGE PEOPLE, who I was lucky enough to meet. They all put on FABULOUS performances that rocked the… ummm… village people (of Tuckahoe, that is). And it was followed by a burst of fireworks and confetti!!!
Being a short walk from all the action, I hosted a “pre-moment” happy hour featuring a few snacks, vodka cocktails, and homemade DISCO FRIES!!!
Here’s how:
As I’ve said above, they’re not the prettiest but they are the TASTIEST! They totally hit the spot with a cup of coffee (yes, I can have coffee at 3:00a and go right to sleep) old-school diner style. They’re best enjoyed with people you dig recounting fun tales of late nights out. Or just go have a great night out and have them ready to go on the rebound!
Check out the good works of the Generoso Pope Foundation, dig into your old music collection and get down with the beats, and make these incredible DISCO FRIES!
Annette
Village People in the Village! Boogie Down Disco Fries!
Ingredients
The Fries
- • 3 large Idaho potatoes peeled
- • 1/4 lb American cheese sliced thinly
- • salt & pepper to taste
- • 2 tbsp olive oil
The Gravy
- • 2 tbsp butter
- • 2 tbsp flour
- • 1-1/2 cups beef stock
- • salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Trim potatoes into squared sides. Proceed to slice them into evenly sized fries.
- Make sure the fries are dry. In a large bowl, mix them with oil, salt, & pepper.
- Place in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking dish and bake at 450° for 45 minutes.
- While they bake, prepare the gravy by melting the butter in a saucepan over medium heat then adding the flour. Whisk until smooth, making a roux.
- Pour in stock and whisk until it comes to a boil then simmer.
- Season with salt & pepper and simmer until it reaches your desired thickness.
- When the fries are done, place on a foil-lined pan and layer the cheese over them. Broil for 1-2 minutes.
- Serve the fries with the gravy poured on or on the side for dipping.
Notes
Keep an eye on the fries when melting the cheese in the broiler. A little char is one thing but they can be burnt in a blink of the eye. For the Gravy:
The longer you cook the roux, the darker and richer your gravy will be but keep a watch on it.
