Spicy oven fries? Yes please! This dish is seriously one of my favorite things to make. It’s easy and can be eaten any time of day. I love being able to make easy finger foods in the summer. These spicy fries with roasted garlic aioli are better than any bar fries I’ve had in a long time. The roasted garlic aioli is so rich and creamy, and adding all the toppings just makes these fries worthy of a good beer on a hot summer day. Are you with me so far?

This recipe can be made in a large cast iron skillet or on a baking sheet. If you need to cut your baking time down by almost half, a baking sheet is the way to go. However, I prefer the skillet, even if the fries take a bit longer to crisp up. The heads of garlic roast so well in the cast iron pan. There is no right or wrong for this recipe. It’s as simple as cutting the potatoes, seasoning them right in the skillet, and letting the oven do the rest of the work.  

I suggest you remove the heads of garlic at the 30 minute mark, and make the aioli as the fries continue to cook. The bacon can also be done ahead of time, while the eggs will be the last item you should make. You’ll have plenty of time to chop and cook all the other components. But trust me when I say, once those fries are crispy and done, you’ll want to eat it all up fresh from the oven. Be careful, that skillet will be hot! Let’s eat.

Here is the recipe:

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Servings: 3-4

Ingredients:

• 5 medium sized russet potatoes, washed/dried & julienned
• 1 tsp of Kosher salt, plus more for aioli
• 1 tsp of cracked black pepper, plus more for aioli
• 1 tsp of garlic powder
• 1 tsp of onion powder
• 1 tsp of smoked paprika (sweet paprika is ok too)
• 1 tsp of ground cumin
• 1 Tbsp of red pepper flakes
• 3 stalks of green onions, chopped
• 3 Tbsp of canola oil
• ¾ cup of mayonnaise 
• 1 whole lime, juiced
• 2 whole heads of garlic
• 3-4 medium fried eggs (cook your eggs any style–I prefer over easy) 
• 5 bacon strips, cooked/drained & chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. In a well seasoned cast iron skillet, add the canola oil and the julienned potatoes. Mix them together to coat evenly.
3. Sprinkle the potatoes with Kosher salt, cracked black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and ground cumin. Gently toss it all together to evenly coat with spices.
4. Place the two heads of garlic in the skillet on either side. If you want, add a tiny drizzle of olive oil to each head.
5. Roast uncovered for 30 minutes.
6. After 30 minutes, remove the heads of garlic from the skillet. Set aside, allowing them to cool for 5 minutes. 
7. Carefully give the fries a turn to ensure even cooking and crispiness. Roast for another 10-15 minutes. The fries should be a golden color. 
8. In a small bowl add the mayonnaise, lime juice, a sprinkle of Kosher salt, black ground pepper and whisk together.
9. Using your fingers, squeeze out the roasted garlic cloves into the mayonnaise. The cloves should slide right out of the bulb.
10. Use a fork to gently mash the bulbs and mix them into the mayo. Cover and set aside.
11. Prepare your eggs as you prefer. I decided to fry mine over-easy, but a poached egg would be great on this dish, too!
12. Carefully remove your fries out of the oven, and top with bacon and eggs. 
13. Finally, add the red pepper flakes, green onions, and spoon the roasted garlic aioli over everything. Enjoy!