Wicked Patatas Bravas

Patatas Bravas, one of my favourite vegetarian tapas dishes. It is made with humble ingredients, but together they pack a punch! I swapped some of the potatoes for Brazil nuts and it added a fantastic bit of crunch to it - yum!

Wicked Patatas Bravas
(Serves 3-4 for tapas or 2 as a light lunch)

1 large baking potato, diced
2 tbsp olive oil

For the sauce:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 tsp thyme
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (I used green - red is too hot for me!)
400g chopped tomatoes
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp honey (or brown sugar/syrup etc)
Salt and pepper

1/2 cup whole Brazil nuts
Parsley or chives

- Start by making the sauce: Heat two tbsp olive oil in a medium sized pot and add the onions, sautê for about ten minutes until glistening, add a little more oil if needed.

- Boil up some water and add a good drizzle of salt, add potatoes and boil for about 10 minutes until just tender.

- Add garlic and chilli to the onions, and let it simmer for a minute. Now, add the paprika, honey, salt and pepper along with the chopped tomatoes, turn down the heat and let it bubble for about 10 minutes until you have a thick sauce.

- Drain the potatoes and heat up 2 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan, add your potatoes and fry on medium heat for about 10-20 minutes (depending), turn occasionally and make sure they are nice, golden and slightly crisp.

- Heat up the sauce and swirl through Brazil nuts. In a bowl, scoop half of the potatoes in, pour over the sauce and top with the remaining potatoes. And it is ready to serve!

Despite working yesterday (on a SATURDAY!) I managed to make the most of it and actually have a fantastic weekend! A bottle of wine, amazing company, easting way too much hummous and crackers, watching (500) Days of Summer, adventures to a loch, laughing at the strange noises that sea gulls sometimes make, look at the majestic heron, enjoyed a full vegetarian breakfast out, more hummous and crackers, Sherlock, and Trollhunters... What a bizarre movie that is! But I enjoyed it actually, and it was nice to watch a movie in my mother tongue - it has been a while. I guess I have to practise again for when I go over for christmas, I am a little rusty!

I hope you have had a good weekend? *smiles* It was really sunny today, but almost frosty too - but I suppose for November that is nothing! We could have had snow here! Brrrrr.... I should put the kettle on!


Original source:
River Cottage, Veg Everyday, p. 322


- Jules