Patatas Bravas


Serves 10

Ingredients

For the potatoes

4 large Russet potatoes
Salt, to taste

For the salsa brava

â…“ cup tomate frito, recipe follows
½ tablespoon white vinegar
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
Cayenne pepper or Tabasco sauce to taste
2 cups olive oil or canola oil

Directions

Parboil the potatoes with their skins still intact on the stove. The potatoes are finished boiling when you put a knife in them, and they are still slightly firm. Set the potatoes aside, so they can cool.

In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients for the salsa brava, adding white vinegar and cayenne pepper until the sauce tastes tangy and spicy. Set the sauce aside.

Drain, peel and cut the potatoes into 3 cm (1 inch) cubes. In a deep sauté pan over medium heat add oil. Deep-fry potatoes in batches. Remove the potatoes from the oil and pat them dry with a paper towel to remove excess oil.

Put the potatoes on a serving plate, sprinkle them with salt and drizzle them with the bravas sauce. Some prefer to serve the sauce on the side, but traditionally the sauce is drizzled over top.

Tomate Frito

Makes approximately 2 cups

Ingredients

1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
½ medium yellow onion, chopped small 1 clove garlic
1 pound very ripe tomatoes (plum or other variety), chopped
Salt
½ teaspoon sugar
½ tablespoon sherry vinegar

Directions

In a saucepan over medium heat add olive oil. Cook onions until soft and translucent, about 7 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add tomatoes and increase heat to medium high and let cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until tomatoes start to break down and release their juices. Season with salt and sugar and cook 5 minutes more. Finish with sherry vinegar.