Nordstrom's Kalamata Aioli with Herb Fries

Kalamata Aioli
1 clove garlic

½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted
(Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut the top off of a whole head of garlic; drizzle with olive oil and wrap in foil. Roast for an hour. May be done ahead of time.)

2 tablespoons roasted garlic

2 cups mayonnaise

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

1. To make the dip, in a food processor fitted with the metal blade, process the garlic, olives and roasted garlic and pulse until finely chopped.

2. Add the mayonnaise and lemon juice and process until the mixture is well blended and light purple. Transfer to a serving dish, cover and refrigerate.

Herb Fries

6 cups canola oil for deep frying

Ice water

4 to 6 large Idaho potatoes, unpeeled and well scrubbed

1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary

1 tsp chopped fresh thyme

1 tsp chopped fresh flat-leave parsley

1 tsp chopped fresh chives

Directions

1. To make the fries, pour the oil to a depth of at least 3 inches in a large, deep saucepan. Heat the oil to 300. Have ready a rimmed baking sheet covered with a double thickness of paper towels.

2. While the oil is heating, fill a large bowl with ice water. Cut potatoes lengthwise into strips about ⅜ inches and place them into the ice water to prevent discoloring. When the oil is hot, drain the potatoes and dry them well. Add the potatoes to the hot oil in small batches, and fry until they float and begin to turn a pale gold, 10 to 12 minutes per batch. Using a slotted utensil, transfer the potatoes to the prepared baking sheet to drain. Skim the oil, removing small particles of potato, and set aside until ready to reheat.

3. Prepare the herbs. In a small bowl, stir together the rosemary, thyme, parsley, and chives.

4. About 15 minutes before serving, reheat the oil to 375. In small batches, fry the potatoes until they are light brown and crisp, 4 to 5 minutes per batch. Remove from the oil, drain on paper towels, and place in a bowl. Toss with the herb mixture. Season with salt and pepper.