Monika Linton is the owner of the Spanish food company and London tapas bars chain Brindisa. She shares her 30 years of experience in her book, The True Food of Spain
See more of Monika Linton, founder of Brindisa’s recipes
Monika Linton, founder of Brindisa
Monika Linton is the owner of the Spanish food company and London tapas bars chain Brindisa. She shares her 30 years of experience in her book, The True Food of Spain
See more of Monika Linton, founder of Brindisa’s recipes
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Ingredients
750g King Edward potatoes, peeled and cut into 2.5cm cubes
500ml vegetable or sunflower oil, for deep-frying
sea salt
For the sauce
1 red chilli or a pinch of dried chilli flakes (plus extra flakes if required)
2 tbsp olive oil
½ large sweet onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
¼ large leek, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
500g ripe medium tomatoes (or see tip on the right)
1 tbsp tomato purée (optional)
a pinch of sugar, to taste
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Get ahead
The sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead and chilled, or frozen. Reheat gently to serve.
First, make the brava sauce. If using a fresh chilli, preheat the grill, roast the chilli for 2 minutes on each side to bring out the flavour, then leave to cool and remove the stalk.
Heat the olive oil in a pan, add the onion, carrot, leek, garlic and the whole roasted chilli pepper, if using, and cook very slowly for 20-25 minutes, until the vegetables are soft, but not coloured, stirring from time to time to make sure they are not catching.
Either grate the tomatoes or, if you prefer, de-skin and de-seed them. Add the tomatoes to the pan. If your tomatoes aren’t the ripest, you might want to help the colour and flavour with a tablespoon of tomato purée. If you are using chilli flakes instead of a fresh chilli, add them now. Simmer over a very low heat for about 45 minutes, stirring frequently. The sauce should be very thick, and a rich, deep orange colour. Taste and add extra dried chilli if necessary, for more heat.
Tip
If your tomatoes aren’t very ripe, the sauce can be made with a 400g tin of chopped tomatoes, along with 100ml water or stock.
When you are happy with the spiciness, take the pan off the heat and blend the sauce in a food processor until it is as thick as mayonnaise. Taste and, if necessary, season with salt and/or a pinch of sugar.
While the sauce is simmering, cook the potatoes in boiling water for 10 minutes until tender if pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, then drain in a colander and leave to dry really well.
Heat the oil in a deep pan (making sure it comes no further than a third of the way up). It needs to be around 180°C, but if you don’t have a thermometer, put in a small piece of potato – if it sizzles, the oil is hot enough. Gently lower in the potatoes (cook them in 2 or 3 batches) and deep-fry for about 3 minutes or until they are golden and crunchy. Drain on kitchen paper.
Sprinkle with sea salt and serve with the brava sauce. You can spoon this over the top of the potatoes, or do as I prefer and serve it on the side, so people can take as much or as little as they like.
Recipes adapted from Brindisa: The True Food Of Spain by Monika Linton (Fourth Estate, £29.95)
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Bravas sauce (salsa brava) is easy to make with a few simple pantry ingredients like extra virgin olive oil, smoked paprika, and tomato paste! Perfect for drizzling atop hot fried potatoes to make delicious patatas bravas.
The dish dates back to 1542 after Spain concurred with the Inca Empire to bring back their agricultural produce, such as tomatoes. The people of Madrid, Spain, started preparing bite-sized fried potatoes dressed with served with spicy tomato sauce. Apart from Spain, this is also a familiar dish in other regions.
It is hard to believe that someone may not know them, but if that is your case, I will explain. It is a typical Spanish tapa made of potatoes cut into small cubes or pieces (today there are many versions) and cooked in oil, water or baked. They are served bathed in a spicy sauce: the famous Brava Sauce.
Bravo/brava is an adjective with various meanings in Spanish. We use it when we want to say someone is brave or courageous. In some Spanish-speaking countries, however, bravo/brava is also used as a synonym for angry, mad or upset. This adjective can also help us describe the world around us by meaning rough or fierce.
Traditionally tapas are eaten during the hunger-witching hour between a pre-siesta lunch and an 11 PM Spanish dinner, but this meal is sure to satisfy any time of day.
Paella is perhaps the most famous Spanish dish of all, and certainly one of the most abused. Authentic paella originates from the region around Valencia, and comes in two varieties: Paella Valenciana, with rabbit and chicken; and seafood paella.
Pintxos are a Basque-style tapa that Barcelona loves. You can find pintxo bars all over the city, and what's great about these bars is that you need not even order! Just grab a plate and serve yourself, and make sure to keep the sticks so they know how much to charge you!
The “Patatas Bravas” are potatoes accompanied by hot sauce. In fact, its name comes from the spicy cayenne, which is essential in the sauce. Potatoes can be prepared fried, cooked in water, cooked in oil and even in some cases baked. It is a typical dish of Spanish cuisine, although its origin is really from Madrid.
The FAMOUS Patatas Bravas from Barcelona Spain | CLASSIC Tapas Recipe. If you have ever visited the beautiful city of Barcelona, you've surely had the famous patatas bravas (brave potatoes) from Barcelona. With their spicy paprika-based sauce and garlic mayo aioli, make them one of the best in the country.
And so far the food in Spain has not disappointed. Although I do love a good jamón y queso croissant or digging into some paella, I have to say my favorite Catalan food so far without a doubt has to be patatas bravas.
Both tomato puree and tomato paste are essential ingredients, but they differ in how they are made and used. Tomato puree is a blended form of tomatoes offering a milder taste resembling fresh tomatoes, while tomato paste is concentrated tomatoes with a sweeter and richer flavor.
However, the famous Spanish sauce is made entirely from scratch and the aroma and taste are simply irresistible. The combination of roasted peppers, tomatoes, onions, and garlic, with toasted almonds and smoked Spanish paprika, results in a sauce that you'll demand an IV for.
Translated as the 'Spanish' sauce, Espagnole is a rich-bodied brown sauce. The sauce is the base of many other sauces, but perhaps most popularly, the demi-glace. Demi-glace is a time-consuming super-concentrated sauce popular in restaurant dishes.
This Mediterranean-inspired sauce is immensely popular in Spain, mainly used for stews, broths and pasta dishes. This is Spain's version of your typical tomato sauce, and it's glorious when made with local ingredients.
Introduction: My name is Stevie Stamm, I am a colorful, sparkling, splendid, vast, open, hilarious, tender person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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Prep time: 30 mins
