6.005 Patatas Bravas with Bacalao

6.005

10 (Sat) January 2015

Patatas Bravas with Bacalao

1.5

by me

in my apartment

-Ermita, Manila-

solo

Patatas bravas is a Spanish potato dish. Consists of cubed potatoes, deep-fried, served with tomato sauce, often a bit spicy–simple and obvious yet satisfying. Classic tapa.

Wanting to eat more than just potatoes for dinner, I was looking around the supermarket for some kind of seafood to bolster the dish into a stand-alone main course, when I came across frozen bacalao (salted cod), described on the label as a “traditional” Spanish ingredient–I actually pantomimed pulling the one-arm bandit and said “cha-CHING.”

From a cookbook that I’d purchased in Barcelona (see generally 5.202 Sepia Plancha), patatas bravas seemed an easy entry point. Improvised with chats, hoping to emulate the roasted ones I’d experienced in Melbourne (see generally 5.340 Fried Cauliflower, Chilli, Coriander), but didn’t maintain the proper temperature and ended up burning them a bit. The sauce was okay, if predictable, enhanced with some anchovies. The bacalao, whatever. Oh well.

Even though it didn’t turn out so great this time, I’ll keep the idea in the back of my mind for a dinner party appetizer someday.