My love affair with sweet potatoes began in my early twenties. It started innocently enough with a simple, undressed sweet potato that was simmered and only slightly salted. The sweet potato was an accompaniment to a spicy ceviche and cut perfectly against the heat of the habañero and soothed my mouth. As my passion for sweet potatoes grew, so did the number of ways I enjoyed this root vegetable. Baked in the oven and topped with sour cream and chives, mashed with cilantro and lime juice, roasted and mixed with peppers, olives, and feta—there are too many ways to list. I began enjoying sweet potatoes on a weekly basis, always in their savory application, staying away from marshmallows, brown sugar, and cinnamon. And then I discovered sweet potato fries!
I must admit, I have never attempted making my own sweet potato fries, but after eating quite a few baskets of these fries in many restaurants, I consider myself somewhat of an expert. Stepping inside the Black Market Bar restaurant located at the Collonade on Highway 280 was a happy accident. My friend Wendy arrived to Birmingham for a weekend visit late on a Friday night, and Black Market Bar was the only restaurant we found that was still open (aside from a fast-food establishment). This late-night visit led to the discovery of the best sweet potato fries I have ever tasted and a great appreciation for Chef Jordan Cox’s cooking.
Served as a hot, glistening, heaping pile, these fries were adorned with a sprinkle of light brown sugar and salt. They were perfectly crunchy on the outside, yet tender on the inside—the definition of a perfect fry in my book. Perfection is much harder to reach when cooking sweet potato fries relative to your typical Idaho fries. Sweet potatoes are higher in sugar and tend to burn easily, often resulting in a fry that is burned on the outside but is still raw inside or a limp, oily fry.
The secret to cooking a proper sweet potato fry (or any other fry for that matter) is a two-step method. The first step is to cook fries at a low temperature for tenderness. In step two, the fries are cooked at a higher temperature to achieve the ultimate crispy outside. Season the fries as soon as they come out of the oil, and place them on paper towels to absorb extra oil.
Next time I have a craving for sweet potato fries, I'll know exactly where to go. And the best part? Black Market Bar is open until 5 a.m. Monday through Friday and 2 a.m. on Saturday. I look forward to my return visit to the restaurant to undoubtedly taste many other creations on the menu.
