Perfect Double-Fried French Fries

Ingredients:

• 4 large Russet Burbank potatoes (about 1 kg)
• Vegetable oil, for deep-frying (about 2 l)
• Fine sea salt and ground black pepper

Preparation:

1. Fill a large bowl with cold water. Peel the potatoes. Slice them into 0.8 cm thick slices, then stack the slices and cut them into 0.8 cm thick sticks, dropping them into the bowl of water. Soak for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. This will help remove excess starch from the potatoes and prevent them from oxidizing.
2. Pour 4 cm of canola oil into a heavy-bottomed saucepan; insert a deep-frying thermometer and heat the oil over medium heat to 160°C (320°F). Drain the potatoes and pat them dry to remove excess moisture.
3. Drop 2 handfuls of potatoes into the hot oil. Make sure there's at least 2 cm of oil above the potatoes. Fry until light golden brown, 5-7 minutes. Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon, carefully shaking off any excess oil, and transfer to the grill. Repeat until all the potatoes are fried.
4. Increase the oil temperature to 175°C (355°F). Fry the potatoes again, 2 handfuls at a time, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon, gently shaking off any excess oil, and sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Repeat until all the potatoes are fried.