Duck-Fat French Fries

Ingredients:
2 cups warm water
1/2 cup raw sugar
2 russets, cut into 1/4-inch fries
3 cups duck fat
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
freshly cracked black pepper
sea salt

Preparing the french fries:
Add the raw sugar to the water and whisk. Soak the fries in the sugar water for 1 hour, or up to overnight. Strain and dry off in a salad spinner.

In a large pot, heat the duck fat to 325 degrees F. Blanch 1 cup of fries at a time until cooked but not crispy, about 5 minutes. Once all batches have been blanched, raise the temperature of the oil to 375 degrees F. Fry in batches again until golden and crispy, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with cayenne, black pepper and sea salt.

Serves 2