ChiTown Dogs And Homemade Fries

One of the meals Lydia and I were 'in charge' of was Chicago style hot dogs and home made french fries. The Chicagoan natives are very specific with their dogs. A hot dog must have mustard, onion, tomato, relish, pickle, and celery salt on it, and absolutely no ketchup in order to be Chicagoan. While unsure when making it, I absolutely loved these dogs, and the fries Lydia and I made to go along were just outstanding. And yes, I eat my fries with mayonnaise, (okay, okay, my chips with mayonnaise) because they are better that way. Seriously, try it. 

Ingredients

• 6 or 7 Idaho potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/3-inch-thick French fry-style strips, soaked in cold water
• 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs or some combo of dried oregano, thyme, marjoram, and basil
• 2 cups freshly grated Romano cheese
• 1/4 cup parsley leaves, finely chopped
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) salted butter, cut into 6 cubes
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
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Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Drain the potatoes and pat dry with paper towels. Spread 1 tablespoon of the olive oil on each of 2 rimmed baking sheets and spread out the potatoes. Overlapping is fine.

3. Sprinkle the dried herbs evenly over the potatoes. Liberally spread the cheese and parsley on top. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the cheese. Scatter the cubed butter around the pans. 

4. Bake until the potatoes are golden brown, rotating the pans after 30 minutes, for 45 to 50 minutes total. Use a spatula to lift off the potatoes with all the crusty cheese adhered to them. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.