Iconic Potato Pom Poms

Peel the potatoes and place them in a bowl of room temperature water, so they don’t oxidize. Going lengthwise, cut the ends off of each peeled potato so that they will lie flat. One at a time, place each potato between a pair of chopsticks. Cut down the potato, centimeter by centimeter, but not going all the way through (the chopsticks should stop your knife at the right depth). Spin the potato 90 degrees, and repeat the same cuts going the other way. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Place the cut potatoes in to blanch for about 3 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool. In a large bowl or baking dish, combine flour, 2 tsp kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, and onion powder. Stir to mix. Place each cut potato into the flour mixture and evenly coat, making sure to get the mixture into all the crannies of the potatoes. Fill a large skillet about ½ way with vegetable oil. Heat the oil over medium-high, and once the oil is hot (350°F), carefully place the potatoes in, being sure to not overcrowd. Cook for about 5 minutes, then flip and cook the other side for about 3 minutes. Once the potatoes are deep golden brown, remove and place on a paper towel-lined plate. Immediately sprinkle on a bit of extra kosher salt. Plate the potatoes and garnish with parsley and chives. Enjoy!