Loaded Idaho® Potato Kimchi Fries

Ingredients:

• 1 pound thinly sliced beef ribeye
• 1 small yellow onion, finely minced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon minced ginger
• 7 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

• 2 medium carrots, julienned
• 1 medium daikon radish, julienned
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

• 1 pound Idaho® russet potatoes, rinsed
• vegetable or canola oil, for frying

• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• ½ cup sriracha mayo
• 1 cup store-bought kimchi, chopped
• ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
• ¼ cup sliced scallions
• ¼ cup pickled jalapeños

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the beef ribeye with the onion, garlic, sugar, ginger, soy sauce, white vinegar and sesame oil. Let marinate in fridge for about 1 hour or overnight.
2. In a medium bowl, toss together the carrots, daikon, sugar, salt and vinegar. Let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
3. Set a large skillet, or grill pan, over high heat. Once hot, add the marinaded beef and cook until crispy and charred, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. Heat a large pot (Dutch oven will work great here) over medium-high heat. Fill it a little bit less than half of the way up with vegetable oil. Attach a deep fryer thermometer and heat the oil to about 350° F.
5. Peel the potatoes and cut into thin fries. Immediately place the fries into a bowl of cold water to prevent them from turning brown and to rinse away the excess starch. Drain the potatoes and dry them thoroughly with a clean kitchen towel. Make sure they’re completely dry; you don’t want any moisture in the oil.
6. Fry the potatoes in batches until light golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir with a slotted spoon and transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Continue frying the rest of the fries. Heat the oil to 375° F and fry the potatoes a second time (in batches as well) until deep golden brown and crispy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer back to wire rack and sprinkle with salt to taste.
7. Preheat oven to 350° F.
8. To assemble the fries, arrange the potatoes on a baking pan. Sprinkle with cheese and bake until melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with the bulgogi, kimchi, sriracha mayo, pickled carrots and daikon, cilantro, scallions, and jalapeños. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Notes:

Note: If you want to keep these fries vegetarian, just omit the bulgogi beef steps and proceed without it!