PATATAS BRAVAS

The Greek and I are planning a Europe trip this year...first stop Spain, then to Greece (of course!) So we are whetting our appetites in advance and trying Spanish recipes. These crispy fried potatoes are delicious served with Salsa Brava, a spicy tomato sauce. Great enjoyed as a tapa with a cold drink, or as a side dish along with a salad accompanying Spanish pork skewers (Pinchos Marunos)

Buen provecho!!!

Ingredients:

1kg floury potatoes (Agria variety is perfect)
extra virgin olive oil

Peel, then cut the potatoes roughly into even sized chunks. Place into a pot of salted water and boil for about 6 minutes. Drain into a colander, but no need to run under cold water. Shake the colander back and forth so the potatoes roughen up a little around the edges. Leave to cool.

Heat about 200ml of olive oil on medium high heat then add potatoes. Fry until crispy and golden, turning from time to time. Serve straight away with Salsa Brava.

Salsa Brava

3 x tblspn extra virgin olive oil
1 x tsp smoked paprika
1 x tspn chilli flakes
1 x tblspn red wine vinegar
125 ml Spanish tomato sauce

Heat olive oil in a pan to medium high, add paprika, chilli flakes and vinegar, stirring until a smooth paste. Stir in the tomato sauce and season to taste. Thin the sauce with a little water if necessary.

SPANISH TOMATO SAUCE

This sauce can be used in so many ways...as a base for other sauces, serve with pasta or rice, as a bed for baked fish or chicken, or even as a pizza sauce...make a big batch and freeze in serving size portions so you always have some on hand!

100ml extra virgin olive oil
1 x medium red onion, finely chopped
2 medium crushed garlic cloves
1 x 400g tin diced tomatoes
1/2 cup water
2 x bay leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar

 
Place olive oil, onions and garlic in a shallow pan and heat on medium high heat for 10 - 12 minutes, stirring from time to time, until lightly golden and soft.
Add the tomatoes, water, bay leaves, salt and sugar, stir well and bring to the boil. Lower heat and simmer uncovered for 30 - 45 minutes until reduced and thickened almost to a puree.
Remove from heat, take out bay leaves and leave sauce to cool. You can then blend in a food processor if you want a smoother sauce, but this is entirely up to you!
Refrigerate for a few days covered, or freeze.

KEFTEDAKIA (little meat balls)

The Greek guy makes these often - lovely as part of a meze platter with tzatziki, or with my Red Roast Pepper sauce. We made hundreds (well it felt like hundreds!) of them for my daughters 21st at her request and served them on large platters with toothpicks and a selection of sauces. Needless to say they disappeared very quickly!
I am loving fresh mint at the moment and I use all fresh mint (with no parsley)

• 500g beef mince
• 1 red onion finely chopped
• 4 TBLSPN bread crumbs
• 4 TBLSPN extra virgin olive oil
• 3 TBLSPN chopped parsley and mint
• 1 TBLSPN red wine vinegar
• 1 TBLSPN oregano
• salt and pepper

Place all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix together with your hands for 3-5 minutes.

Shape into balls the size of a walnut, put on a plate, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Heat a small pool (.25 cm deep) of extra virgin olive oil, to medium/high heat in a heavy based frying pan and fry the keftedakia in batches, draining on paper towels before serving warm

Kali Orexi!!!

BRIE'S CHILLI WITH CHOCOLATE & CHORIZO

This is my daughters recipe - it is the best chilli I have ever had (maybe it's the chocolate in it that makes it so fab!) And even better the next day. Don't be put off by the long list of ingredients - it is definitely worth making. Freeze any leftovers (if any!)

500g beef mince
300g pork cut into 1 - 2 cm pieces
100g chorizo cut into 1 cm slices
ILIADA Extra Virgin olive oil
1 x red onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic crushed
30g dark chocolate (70%)
1 x 400g can diced tomatoes
250ml beef stock or water
2 tspn oregano
1 tspn chilli flakes
1 tspn cumin
1 tspn coriander
dash cayenne
salt and pepper
2 tblspn Messino red wine vinegar
1 x 400g can red kidney beans

Place drained kidney beans in a small pot and cover with cold water. Put to one side.

Heat a good splash of olive oil to medium high in a large heavy based pan and brown mince. Once cooked, tip the mince out into a large bowl and set aside. Heat some more olive oil in the same pan and brown the pork, and once cooked, add to the mince. Add the chorizo to the warm pan and fry until browned. Add to the other meat.

Heat 1 - 2 tblspns more olive oil in the same pan and fry the onion and garlic until soft. Return all the meat to the pan along with all the juices plus the chocolate, diced tomatoes, stock or water, oregano, chilli flakes, cumin, coriander, cayenne, S & P and vinegar.
Stir well, bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer on low for 1 - 1 1/2 hours stirring occasionally and adding more water if necessary.

While the chilli is cooking, place the pot of beans on medium high heat and simmer for 20 minutes. 15 minutes before the chilli is ready, drain the beans and mash them slightly with a wooden spoon then add to chilli, stirring well.

Serve with tortillas, fresh coriander, thinly sliced red onion, cucumber, avocado, tomato and feta. Or equally good with corn chips, grated cheese and guacamole!

Delicious...