Fried Potatoes with Aïoli (Spanish Patatas Bravas)

Patatas bravas have to be one of Spain's most popular tapas dishes. You will find them at nearly every restaurant and bar across the Iberian Peninsula. What most people don't know is that patatas bravas hail from Madrid not Barcelona. These fried potatoes are fiercely textured, fiercely flavoured, fiercely presented, and fiercely enjoyed. How fierce is really up to you and your inner Spaniard. In the authentic brava sauce there is no tomato, no garlic and certainly no aïoli. In Madrid this is how they do patatas bravas. The secret to making brava sauce is to use sweet smoked paprika and hot smoked paprika. This is what gives the sauce it's colour plus its flavour.

Brava Sauce:
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp. sweet smoked paprika
1 tsp. hot smoked paprika
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 cup veggie broth
½ tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. white wine vinegar

Potatoes:
2 Yukon gold potatoes
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
pinch sea salt

Peel 2 large Yukon gold potatoes, rinse them under cold running water and pat them dry, cut each potato in half, cut each half in half to end up with 4 quarters, then cut each quarter into 3 evenly sized pieces, holding them together cut each quarter into squares, you should end up with 6-9 evenly sized pieces from each quarter, add the cut potatoes into a large bowl and fill with cold water and set aside.

To make the brava sauce heat a fry pan with a medium heat and add a ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil, after heating the oil for 3 minutes transfer the oil to a bowl, add 2 tsp. of sweet smoked paprika, 1 tsp. of hot smoked paprika and 1 Tbsp. of corn starch, whisk it all together until well combined.

Add the oil mixture back into the pan and heat it again with a medium heat, start whisking everything together, at the same time start slowly pouring in 1 cup of vegetable broth, the secret is to continuously whisk as you add the broth so the sauce comes together, once all the broth is incorporated, season with ½ tsp. of sea salt and ½ tsp. of white wine vinegar, continue to whisk until everything is well combined and you end up with a creamy sauce, turn off the heat and set aside.

Drain the potatoes and pat completely dry with a dish cloth, heat a sauté pan with a medium-high heat and add ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil, after 2 minutes add the potatoes and mix with the oil, making sure each piece of potato is bathed in the olive oil, mix occasionally and cook until the potatoes are golden, about 20 minutes, once cooked transfer to a plate with paper towels, season the potatoes with sea salt and add to a shallow bowl.

Heat the pan with the brava sauce with a low heat and whisk together for 2 minutes so the sauce can come back together, then pour a generous amount of the brava sauce over the potatoes and serve at once.

Makes 4 servings.