Patatas Bravas

Today's dish is inspired by another Serious Eats post made earlier this week. Patatas bravas - meaning "angry potatoes" - are a typical Spanish bar snack. The "brava" part of their name refers to the slightly-spicy and tangy sauce that is served over them, which tends to vary depending on where in the country you are. On the coast near Valencia, the sauce is mixed with an aioli and thus has a garlicky flavor; in Madrid, the sauce's tomato base and addition of paprika are what stand out most. This is a crowd-pleasing dish that pretty much everyone will enjoy, so try this at your next party or as a side with dinner.

Ingredients:
2 pounds potatoes*
1 cup tomato sauce
1 tablespoon dijon mustard OR 2 tablespoons mayonaise
1 tablespoon vinegar
Salt and pepper
3 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons garlic powder
Cayenne pepper or hot sauce, to taste
Olive oil
Scallions or parsley, for garnish

*Any kind of white potatoes will work here. Russet, fingerling, etc. are all fine to use.

Procedure:
(1) Boil potatoes for about 5-7 minutes until they are still firm but a fork can pierce them.
(2) Remove them from water and allow them to cool while you prepare their sauce.
(3) Combine tomato sauce, mustard or mayonaise, paprika, cumin, vinegar, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper or hot sauce and mix well. Regarding the cayenne pepper or hot sauce, put in as much as you'd like. I suggest adding a little at first and then adding more to increase the level of desired spiciness, as it is easy to add spiciness but difficult to reduce spiciness unless you increase the quantity of the rest of the ingredients. Traditionally, salsa brava is mildly spicy.
(4) Put a cast iron skillet (if you don't have one, just use a regular skillet) over medium-high heat.
(5) Cube potatoes or cut them into small wedges and toss in olive oil, salt, and pepper.
(6) Add potatoes to skillet and toss occasionally to make sure that they become crisp on their exterior.
(7) When potatoes are done, serve them on a plate or in a large bowl, covered in sauce and garnished with scallions or parsley.

Salsa Verde

Salsa verde is usually slightly sweet and quite mild on the salsa spectrum. Since I tend to prefer my salsas a bit more aggressive in terms of flavor, I turned up the heat a bit on my version, omitted the sugar that's often added, and increased the amount of citrus usually used. The result is a medium-spicy, tart but balanced sauce that's great as a dip or served with chicken or eggs.

Ingredients:
Six tomatillos
Two poblano peppers
One large serrano chile
Three cloves garlic
Half of a large onion
Juice of one lime
Pinch of salt

Procedure:
(1) Remove husks from tomatillos, then boil them for 5-10 minutes until the skin on all has started to split.
(2) Remove tomatillos with a slotted spoon and peel skin. Cut into chunks.
(3) If you have a gas stove, roast each of the poblanos over a burner until skin is thouroughly charred. If you don't have a gas stove, do this in the broiler.
(4) When roasting is complete, put the poblanos in a closed plastic bag and allow them to sit in their own steam for about 10 minutes. This will make it easier for you to remove their skins. When skins are removed, slice poblanos into strips.
(5) Cut the serrano, garlic, and onions into chunks.
(6) Add all ingredients into a blender or food processor with the lime juice and a pinch of salt. Blend to desired consistency.

Coconut-Breaded Tilapia with Pineapple Salsa and Cuban Black Beans

Sometimes during the cold winter, I just want to eat something that reminds me of the warm waters of the Caribbean. If you desire to be reminded of the same, try this quick, easy meal. I bread the tilapia in the same way I bread coconut shrimp, but instead of serving it with a dipping sauce, I prepare a chunky pineapple salsa to go over it. To complete the plate, I serve Cuban black beans that have been adorned with fresh cilantro and crumbled cotija cheese.


COCONUT-BREADED TILAPIA

Ingredients:
Tilapia filets (here I used four)
Flour
1/4-can coconut milk
Dried or shredded coconut
One egg
Oil for light frying

Procedure:
(1) At least 30 minutes before you wish to serve the tilapia, it will need to be breaded and the breading will need to set. Breading ahead of time and placing the breaded fish in the fridge will help the breading to stick so that it won't come apart during the cooking process. Set up a breading station with three large bowls; one for the flour, another for the coconut milk mixed with the egg, and another for the dried or shredded coconut. If you use long, sweet coconut shreds, it is best to combine these with panko breadcrumbs. Dried coconut is already very similar in texture to breadcrumbs and can be used on its own.
(2) Rub flour on both sides of each filet. Transfer each filet to the coconut milk and egg mixture and coat thoroughly, shaking off any excess. Finally, thoroughly coat each filet with coconut.
(3) When breading is complete, transfer filets immediately to the fridge. Allow them to sit for at least 30 minutes so that the breading hardens somewhat; it sticks better this way.
(4) Cover the bottom of a large skillet with oil for cooking. There is no need to submerge the filets entirely, as they will be flipped halfway through cooking. Set the burner to medium heat.
(5) When oil is ready, introduce the filets to the skillet but do not overcrowd it. If you can only comfortably fit two filets in the skillet, that is fine; just do a second batch. Fry each filet until it is golden brown on the bottom, and then do the same to the reverse side.
(6) Remove fish to a double-folded paper towel to collect any excess oil.

PINEAPPLE SALSA

Ingredients:
Two cups pineapple, cut into small cubes
1/2-red onion, diced
1/2-jalapeño, diced
Handful of cilantro, chopped
Juice of one lime

Procedure: Combine all ingredients and allow to sit in the fridge while the fish's breading sets. This allows all flavors of the ingredients to meld and produces a more cohesive salsa.

CUBAN BLACK BEANS

Ingredients:
Can of black beans
1/2-red onion, minced
Four cloves garlic, minced
Juice of one lime
Oregano
Salt and pepper
Cumin
Handful of cilantro (for garnish)
Crumbled cotija cheese (for garnish)
Olive oil

Procedure:
(1) Drizzle olive oil into a saucepan. Saute onions for a few minutes and then add garlic. Stir well and allow to cook for a couple more minutes.
(2) Add lime juice and season with salt, pepper, oregano, and cumin.
(3) Add beans and stir well. Allow beans to cook until the sauce is at the thickness you desire.
(4) Garnish beans with crumbled cotija cheese and plenty of chopped cilantro.