Earlier this year I was in Barcelona, and as any good tourist should do, I spent the vast majority of my time enjoying the tapas and wine Spain is known for. My standard order tended toward a few of the restaurant’s specialties recommended by the waiter, some charcuterie and cheese, and, of course, patatas bravas. I adore these crispy, double-fried potatoes. Making the traditional version requires nothing more than potatoes, olive oil, salt, and pepper. But in my world everything tastes better with garlic, onion, and peppers, so I added those to my version. Patatas bravas are normally served with a garlic aioli or spicy pepper sauce, but I added a slightly Mexican flair by making a chipotle aioli to serve on the side. Invite friends over, make this simple dish, put together some cured meats and cheeses, some mixed olives, and a few bottles of Rioja, and you’ll impress everyone with the easiest dinner party you’ve ever thrown.
Method: Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and peppers and cook, stirring often, until translucent. Attach a deep-fry thermometer to the side of a large heavy pot and add the olive oil until it is two inches high. Heat over medium heat until the temperature reaches 225°. Add the potatoes and cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Using a slotted spoon, transfer potatoes to a platter and let cool completely. Heat the oil to 350°. Working in batches, add cooled potatoes and cook until golden brown and crisp, about seven minutes. Transfer to paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Gently mix in the onions, garlic, and peppers. Combine the mayonnaise, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, lemon juice, and zest. Season to taste and serve alongside or on top of the potatoes. // Shannon Sharpe
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for frying
1 large Spanish onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, chopped
2 red peppers
2 pounds small golden potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup of mayonnaise
1 – 3 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (depending on how spicy you like your sauce), chopped
1 teaspoon of adobo sauce
juice and zest of one lemon
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
