Oven-baked crispy sweet potato fries

Set a large pot of water over medium high heat to boil.

Peel the sweet potatoes and slice them into roughly one third inch sheets, then into roughly one third inch thick fries.

Heat the oven to 475F.

Add a large three finger pinch of salt and a splash of vinegar to the boiling water and stir to dissolve.

Add the fries and boil for 6 minutes; the short hot boil keeps the fries out of the 135F to 170F window where amylase turns starch to sugar.

Stir 50 grams of cornstarch into 80 grams of cold water until completely smooth with no clumps.

Drain the fries in a colander and add them hot to the cornstarch slurry, tossing until it thickens and clings; add more cornstarch if needed and rough up the edges with a fork if you like.

Set a wire rack over a baking sheet and space the coated fries out so none touch.

Drizzle the peanut oil over the fries from a squirt bottle or spoon, coating each one evenly.

Bake 15 minutes, then pull the sheet and flip the fries with a spatula; they should be blistered but not yet very crisp.

Drizzle more peanut oil if they look dry and bake another 10 to 15 minutes, longer if they are not yet crisp.

Slide the fries into a metal bowl, add a pinch of salt and a couple of cranks of pepper and toss to absorb the seasoning; spices or fresh herbs can go on here.

Turn out into a serving bowl and serve with dipping sauces.

Variation, deep fried: 50 seconds in 350F peanut oil, dry off, then about three and a half minutes more.