I’ve had my fair share of tapas in my day, what with the million summers I spent in Spain, but patatas bravas I’d never had before. Boy didn’t I know what I was missing. I kind of prided myself on being the tapas expert, but really, you’re missing out if you’re not having patatas bravas -with chorizo -with a glass of red wine. Picture them sprinkled with fresh parsley, because of course I forgot to add it before taking the picture. It’s a glorious appetizer.
I know, it doesn’t really look like much, but it’s great on all appetizer levels: it’s very (surprisingly, I’d say) tasty, it’s filling, and it’s cheap. So if you have a crowd coming over for l’apéro as we say in French (meaning: they don’t expect a three-course dinner, but they’re still eager to fill their stomachs somehow), whip up a batch of patatas bravas. Plus you can make them in advance, and reheat them right when you need them. Me gusta. (Oh, and since Spain happened to have won the Euro on Sunday, let’s pretend I give a shit and this is in honor of their victory.)
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Patatas bravas with chorizo
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 or 2 lb potatoes
- 8 oz chorizo
- 1 (14 oz) can chopped tomatoes
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 pinch dried thyme (or to taste)
- 1 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp sherry (or armagnac, or cognac)
- 1 handful fresh flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Peel (if you wish, I didn’t) the potatoes, and cut them into 1 1/4 inch cubes. Place them into a large roasting pan, coat them with 1 tbsp olive oil, salt, pepper, and toss well. Roast for 40 minutes, tossing after 20 minutes.
2. In the meantime, make the sauce. Cut the chorizo into thick slices. In a large frying pan over medium heat, add the chorizo (without any oil) and sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until brown on all sides. Remove from pan and set aside.
3. In the same frying pan over medium-low heat, add remaining olive oil. Add sliced garlic and cook for 1 minute, until tender. Add paprika and thyme, stir and cook for 1 minute. Add sherry (or armagnac or cognac) and chopped tomatoes. Stir and simmer sauce for 5 to 10 minutes, until thickened a bit. Season with salt and pepper.
4. When the potatoes are golden and crisp, add them and the chorizo to the sauce. Stir and let all the ingredients incorporate for a few minutes. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve warm.
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My tips:
- I added armagnac because I didn’t have sherry, and I’m pretty sure it’s what gave this dish its special taste. Other liquors would probably work as well.
- You can serve this appetizer with almonds, olives and white bread on the side.
- This recipe can also be turned into a main dish: serve with a salad.
- For vegetarians, patatas bravas without chorizo are also a classic.
Source: What to cook and how to cook it, by Jane Hornby.
