Sherry Infused Baked Sliced Potatoes Patatas Al Jerez Food

PATATAS BRAVAS

Steps:

• Place garlic on a cutting board; sprinkle with salt. Mash garlic with flat side of knife blade, forming a smooth paste. Transfer to a small bowl. Whisk in mayonnaise, lemon juice and oil until smooth. Cover; refrigerate until serving. , For bravas sauce, in a small saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until tender, 2-3 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in flour and paprika until smooth; gradually stir in broth. Add bay leaf. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir until thickened, 6-8 minutes. , Remove from heat; cool slightly. Remove and discard bay leaf. Puree sauce using an immersion blender. Or, cool slightly and puree sauce in a blender; return to pan and heat through. Keep warm., Cut potatoes into 1-1/2-in. cubes; soak in cold water for 30 minutes. Drain potatoes; pat dry with paper towels. In an electric skillet or deep-fat fryer, heat oil to 250°. Fry potatoes until tender, 8-10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels and cool completely., Increase heat of oil to 375°. Fry potatoes again until crisp and golden brown, 3-4 minutes, turning frequently. Drain on paper towels; sprinkle with salt. Serve with bravas sauce and aioli.

SHERRY-INFUSED BAKED SLICED POTATOES (PATATAS AL JEREZ)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°; grease a 12 x 8 inch baking dish (preferably nonstick or Pyrex) with 1/2 tablespoon oil.
• Arrange half the potatoes in a slightly overlapping layer in the bottom of the dish; then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Scatter the onion and bay leaves over the potatoes; arrange the remaining potatoes over the onion, sprinkling again with salt and pepper.
• Drizzle the remaining oil over the potatoes.
• Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes; turn the potatoes with a spatula; cover the dish loosely with foil and cook 20 minutes until the potatoes are almost tender.
• Increase oven temperature to 450°; sprinkle the sherry over the potatoes; cover again loosely with foil, and bake until the sherry is absorbed and the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
• Sprinkle with parsley before serving.

OVEN-FRIED PATATAS BRAVAS (CRISPY POTATOES WITH TWO SAUCES)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450 degrees. Put potato chunks in a large bowl, season generously with salt and toss to coat. Leave for a few minutes to let potatoes absorb salt. Add olive oil and unpeeled garlic cloves and toss to coat well. (Don't skimp on the oil; it can be strained and saved after cooking for future use.)
• Transfer potatoes (and garlic cloves) and oil to a large cast-iron skillet or heavy roasting pan. Make sure to have potatoes in a single layer without crowding. (If necessary, use two pans.) There should be a good 1/2-inch oil in the bottom of the pan. Add more if required.
• Place pan in oven and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until potato chunks are well browned on the bottom. With a metal spatula, carefully turn chunks over. Reduce heat to 400 degrees, and continue roasting until potatoes are well browned and crisp, about another 15 to 20 minutes.
• While potatoes are roasting, make the two sauces: For the salsa brava, put 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and let sizzle without browning, then stir in flour and let mixture sizzle. Stir in tomato paste, pimentón dulce and pimentón picante, then add chicken broth gradually, stirring well as the sauce thickens. Bring to a gentle simmer, add vinegar and cook for 5 minutes until the sauce has a gravylike consistency, but isn't too thick. Thin with a little more broth or water, if necessary. Season with salt to taste.
• For the allioli, put egg yolks and garlic in a mortar or small bowl and whisk together. (Alternatively, use a mini food processor or stick blender, see note.) Add oil a few drops at a time, whisking vigorously with each addition. As the sauce thickens, add olive oil a teaspoon at a time. If the aioli gets too thick, whisk in 1 tablespoon water, then continue to whisk in remaining oil. The finished sauce should have the consistency of softly whipped cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• When potatoes are ready, use spatula to transfer to a pan lined with paper towels to blot, then to a warm serving dish. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Serve warm with the two sauces.

PATATAS BRAVAS

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion for about 5 mins until softened. Add the garlic, chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, sweet paprika, chilli powder, sugar and a pinch of salt, then bring to the boil, stirring occasionally. Lower to a simmer and cook for 10 mins until pulpy. Can be kept chilled for up to 24 hrs.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Pat the potatoes dry with kitchen paper, then tip into a roasting tin and toss in the olive oil and some seasoning. Roast for 40-50 mins until crisp and golden. Tip the potatoes into serving dishes and spoon over the tomato sauce. Sprinkle with some fresh parsley to serve.

SLICED BAKED POTATOES

Steps:

• Peel potatoes if the skin is tough, otherwise, just rinse and pat dry.
• Cut potatoes into thin slices, but not all the way through. (A clever trick for doing this is to place your potato between two table knives--the knives will stop your cutting blade at an even level across potato).
• Place potatoes in a microwave safe dish or pan.
• Sprinkle with melted butter and chopped herbs--getting it down between slices.
• Microwave for 10 minutes, rearranging potatoes after 5 minutes.
• Check doneness and cook a bit more if necessary until potatoes are nearly done.
• Sprinkle with grated cheese and Parmesan cheese.
• Microwave for another 4 to 6 minutes until cheeses are melted and potatoes are soft.