I planted my little raised bed garden this week with cool weather vegetables, mostly greens and herbs. These will grow nicely with the cooler temps of a desert southwest autumn. But on the farm, the garden would be winding up now for the season. Daddy would dig up the rows and rows of root vegetables that would overwinter in the “basement,” really more of a root cellar. Plentiful amounts of onions, a few carrots and a boatload of potatoes were hauled down and stored with straw in baskets. Those potatoes would be baked, roasted, braised, mashed and escalloped throughout the fall and winter.
I don’t eat as many potatoes as we did on the farm, not because I doubt their health benefits; there are just too many other root vegetable and grain options. Potatoes have reasonable calories and are high in vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium and manganese. However, they get into serious trouble when they are peeled and hang out with fatty friends, like deep hot oil and copious amounts of butter. Which is why I eat true patatas bravas only when I am at a fine tapas restaurant. (I’m looking at you, Bolero.)
Patatas Bravas is a tapas potato dish redolent of Spain, fried in olive oil and drizzled with Bravas sauce. The sauce includes yes, more olive oil along with tomato, smoked paprika, crushed pepper and sherry vinegar. The rich smoky sauce is accented by the slight acidity of the sherry vinegar, and it is to die for. But I don’t need that much rich fatty trouble with my potatoes on a regular basis at home… hence, my cheat.
First, the potatoes are scrubbed but left unpeeled and cut into chunks. I coat these very lightly in olive oil and season liberally with herbs, chili flakes and smoked paprika. Into the air fryer they go, until they are crisply golden. As they emerge from the oven, they get a quick toss with oil packed sun-dried tomato bits and sherry vinegar. And that’s it. Serve ‘em up beside roasted veggies, mushrooms or perhaps a filet of grilled fish. Or whatever else you nestle your potatoes up to!
Are they the real thing? Heavens, no! But the crisp texture and rich flavors are there, which is all I need- until I hit up another tapas restaurant.
Cheater’s Patatas Braves
Ingredients
- 1 lb potatoes Yukon golds are great
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp rosemary
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/8 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp chili flake
- 1/4 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 2 tsp sherry vinegar
Instructions
- Cut the potatoes, unpeeled, into 1/2-inch cubes, and toss with the olive oil to coat. Mix the dried herbs and seasonings together, then toss into the potatoes, stirring to distribute evenly.
- Spread the potatoes out in the air fryer basket. Air fry the potatoes for 20-25 minutes, checking for doneness after 20 minutes. When crisply tender, remove from the air fryer and pour into a bowl. Mix the tomato bits and vinegar together, then pour over the potatoes and toss to distribute the flavor. Serve hot.
Notes
