Papas Bravas

  • November 19, 2015

Servings

4 – 6

Active Time

30 mins

Total Time

45 minutes

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  • Papas Bravas
  • Papas Bravas
Papas Bravas

Traditionally served as a late night tapas treat, Papas Bravas are crispy potatoes generously drizzled with a spicy tomato sauce and a bright lemon aioli. The combination of spice and citrus over the top of hot potatoes is a comforting delight that will warm you from you the inside out – and also make you sweat! These potatoes will go perfectly with grilled chicken and the sauces are great to keep on hand for a variety of dishes.


Ingredients

    For the Spicy Red Sauce
  • 1 medium onion
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 red chile
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon coriander
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • A can of whole, peeled tomatoes
  • For the Lemon Aioli
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • The zest of a lemon
  • The juice of a lemon
  • 1 clove garlic
  • For the Papas
  • 4 potatoes
  • Oil for frying
  • A pinch of paprika

Directions

1. To make Papas Bravas, we will begin by making the two sauces that get drizzled over the potatoes at the very end. Start by dicing an onion and sautéing it over medium heat for 10 minutes in a medium sauce pot. Allow the onions to brown and begin to caramelize.

2. While the onions are cooking, mince the garlic and red chile. Feel free to substitute the hot pepper according to what your grocery store has and/or your spice threshold. You can use a habanero or a jalapeño, or if you want to more accurately control the heat you can use cayenne pepper instead. Add the garlic and chile along with the paprika, coriander and cumin and reduce the heat to low. Cook for another ten minutes to allow the flavors to develop.

3. Next add the can of whole tomatoes and try to break them down a little bit with a spoon. Bring the liquid to a boil and then reduce heat to medium low. Allow the liquid to reduce for 10 minutes uncovered. Add salt and pepper and taste the sauce to see if you need to add additional spices. Using a blender or a hand blender, puree the sauce until smooth and set aside to cool. The spicy red sauce is now finished.

4. Next, we’ll make the lemon aioli. Lightly drag a zester across an entire lemon and then run your knife though the accumulated zest a few times to break down any larger pieces. Add the zest along with the juice of the lemon in a mixing bowl with a cup of mayonnaise. Finely mince a clove of garlic and then add it to the bowl. Stir thoroughly with a spoon or whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper (white pepper if you have it) and then transfer the lemon aioli to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator.

5. Peel the potatoes and then cut them into medium cubes. Store the cut pieces of potato in a mixing bowl filled with water to keep them from turning brown. This will also rinse off excess starch and allow the potatoes to become extra crispy once fried. Heat an inch or two of oil in a medium frying pan over medium high heat until an instant read thermometer registers 350 degrees. While the oil is heating up, thoroughly drain and dry the potatoes with a clean kitchen. It’s important to the dry off the potatoes because any excess water will cause the hot oil to splatter.

6. Once the oil is hot, fry the potatoes in batches for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden brown and crispy. Make sure to stir the potatoes occasionally to promote even browning. Transfer the potatoes to a baking sheet lined with paper towels. As soon as you remove the potatoes from the oil, sprinkle a little bit of salt and paprika on them. Once all of the potatoes are done, arrange on a serving platter and generously drizzle the two sauces over the top of the potatoes. Serve warm.


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