Patatas bravas

Or, in other words, roast potatoes with spicy tomato sauce and a spiky garlic mayo. What’s not to like? This recipe feeds 2-6, depending what else you serve with it.

• 500g potatoes
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 red chilli, finely chopped
• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
• ½ tsp sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
• 5 tbsp decent mayonnaise
• 1 small clove garlic, minced

1. Pre-heat oven to 180C fan (200C)
2. Put 3 tbsp oil into the roasting tin and heat for 5-10 mins
3. Cut the potatoes into roughly 2cm chunks
4. Take the roasting tin out of the oven and toss the potatoes in the hot oil
5. Bake for 30-45 mins until crisp and golden

Meanwhile, make the sauce

1. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a saucepan on a low/medium heat
2. Cook the onion for 7-10 mins until completely soft and starting to turn golden
3. Add the chilli and stir in, cooking for another minute
4. Then add the tomatoes, sugar, salt and smoked paprika, stir together well
5. Bring to a bubble, then turn the heat down and simmer for about 20 mins until thick
6. Take off the heat, add the sherry vinegar and check the seasoning
7. To make the garlic mayo (aka Cheat’s Alioli), just stir together the mayonnaise and the garlic

Serve all the elements separately or together. I prefer to combine them in a way that makes sure the potatoes don’t go soggy, with tomato sauce on the bottom, then a pile of potatoes and a dollop of garlic mayonnaise on top. With a sprinkle of fresh chives if you want to get fancy. Eat immediately.