PATATAS A LO POBRE (MODIFICATION ON A TRADITIONAL SPANISH DISH,

Patatas a Lo Pobre (Modification on a Traditional Spanish Dish, image

My Brother in law and his girlfriend, love these--as does my BF, and everyone else that's tried them. It's not really patatas a lo pobre, they have chorizo sausage and things in them. I use more spices!

Provided by Samuel Holden

Time 45m

Yield 2-3 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 19

Ingredients

3 green peppers, in small pieces
1 (7 1/4 ounce) jar red peppers (in oil with garlic ( if you can't get these please see my recipe)
2 medium tomatoes (peeled... make a cross at the top and the bottom, toss into boiling water for 2 minutes and plunge i)
1 cup water
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
4 medium potatoes, medium chunks
2 large onions, in small chunks
1 head garlic (the whole bulb, yes...the whole thing!)
1 red chili pepper (usually dry, use more if you have a cold, or like it hot!... I use 2 if its for me and 0 if my BF is)
cayenne pepper
Tabasco sauce
pepper
salt
1/4 cup olive oil
oil (for deep frying)
water, for boiling (stock is best, but water will do)
crunchy bread (for mopping up)

Steps:

Cut potatoes into smallish chunks and boil them for 4 or 5 minutes in salted water, they should be very firm and only slightly cooked.
Drain the potatoes and rinse with COLD water.
Heat frying oil to 160ºC and fry for 5-6 minutes, or until they are cooked, not crispy.
Turn heat up to 190ºC and fry until golden and crunchy.
In a deep skillet with a good lid (I use a wok) heat the olive oil.
Fry onions until they have wilted on a high heat, then turn down the heat and cover.
Peel your garlic (bash it with the flat of a good kitchen knife and "top 'n' tail") and chop into smallish pieces (if you're going to serve this to kids put it through a food processor, if you like garlic just cut it into rounds).
Add to the onions and turn the heat up again.
Chop your red chili pepper very, very carefully into really tiny pieces; add to the pan and WASH YOUR HANDS!
I mean it!
Go wash 'em and then come back!
Throw in your peppers and your spices, you'll have to experiment with this, because I love my papas to be real spicy, I add about 2 tsp Tabasco, a good Tbsp pepper and then a liberal amount of cayenne to give that extra colour and flavour.
Mix the water, soy sauce, vinegar and sugar and stir into the pan.
Reduce for a bit, you should end up with something thick and gooey that looks unappetizing, sort of chutney consistency.
Cut up your tomatoes into eighths and put into the mixture.
They WILL disintegrate.
Just before serving, and I do mean just, toss the potatoes in this jam/chutney you have just made.
It looks, ummm, not too pleasant, but it tastes great.
If you have left overs, refrigerate and then when you want to use it shape them into a sort of "patty" by mashing the potatoes a bit, then either fry in oil or "dry-fry" them in a large pan.