Patatas bravas, Spain
In Spain, Christmas Eve—or La Noche Buena ("The Good Night")—is all about family and feasting. Loved ones gather around tables laden with food and celebrate for hours, typically late into the night. Many attend midnight mass, but often meals stretch past midnight and creep into Christmas day.
A typical Spanish Christmas Eve menu features several courses beginning with tapas (appetizers), a first course, main course, and dessert with coffee or after-dinner cocktails. When planning your meal, don't forget about drinks: cava, a Spanish sparkling wine, is perfect for toasting and you can't have dessert without espresso.
Patatas bravas is one of the most popular and classic Spanish tapas dishes that is served in bars all over Spain. Supposedly, the dish was invented at a bar called Las Bravas in Madrid, though there are many people who beg to differ.
The recipes vary throughout the country and even from one tapas bar to another. With all of them, though, the bravas sauce should be a bit spicy—hence the name bravas, which means "fierce" or "courageous" in Spanish.
This version of the sauce has a slight bite from Tabasco, which makes it easy to prepare. It's served alongside freshly fried, bite-sized potato chunks that are easy to skewer with a toothpick.
In Spain, Christmas Eve—or La Noche Buena ("The Good Night")—is all about family and feasting. Loved ones gather around tables laden with food and celebrate for hours, typically late into the night. Many attend midnight mass, but often meals stretch past midnight and creep into Christmas day.
A typical Spanish Christmas Eve menu features several courses beginning with tapas (appetizers), a first course, main course, and dessert with coffee or after-dinner cocktails. When planning your meal, don't forget about drinks: cava, a Spanish sparkling wine, is perfect for toasting and you can't have dessert without espresso.
Patatas bravas is one of the most popular and classic Spanish tapas dishes that is served in bars all over Spain. Supposedly, the dish was invented at a bar called Las Bravas in Madrid, though there are many people who beg to differ.
The recipes vary throughout the country and even from one tapas bar to another. With all of them, though, the bravas sauce should be a bit spicy—hence the name bravas, which means "fierce" or "courageous" in Spanish.
This version of the sauce has a slight bite from Tabasco, which makes it easy to prepare. It's served alongside freshly fried, bite-sized potato chunks that are easy to skewer with a toothpick.
Patatas Bravas
METHOD:
- Peel the potatoes. Cut each potato lengthwise, then cut it lengthwise again. Cut each of those 4 long pieces crosswise, leaving you with chunks that are about 1/3”/1cm each.
- Sprinkle the potatoes with salt.
- In a wide, deep, frying pan with a heavy bottom, pour olive oil so it is about 1-inch/2.5cm deep. Heat the oil on medium-high until hot. To test it, carefully place one piece of potato in the oil. It is hot enough if the potato immediately begins to fry. If there is no bubbling or frying, the oil is not hot enough and the potato will absorb too much oil.
- Fry the potatoes for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown or browning on the edges (depending on your preference).
- Use a slotted spoon or a spatula to remove them from the oil and set them aside on paper towels to drain.
- In a small frying pan, pour in 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil. Heat over medium heat.
- Pour tomato sauce into the pan and sauté for 5 minutes.
- Turn the heat down and add the mustard, stirring well.
- Add the Tabasco, paprika, and vinegar, and mix well.
- Taste the sauce and adjust as necessary with salt, more Tabasco, etc.
- Place the potatoes on a plate or in a wide, open dish and pour the sauce over the potatoes.
- Serve warm with toothpicks and enjoy!