Patatas Bravas

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This past week has included yet another food celebration with the national French fry week, which I prefer to call Pommes Frites. But for a more flavorful spud I offer a dish called Patatas Bravas. 

Patatas Bravas

Legend has it that patatas bravas came about at Barcelona’s Bar Tomás. Native to Spain also called patatas a la brava or papas bravas. Simply served topped with a sauce mixed with a little flour and chile and paprika. That mix was the original salsa brava; an easy dish and cheap sauce.

As a low cost high appeal tapas dish the boiled then fried potatoes can be found today served in an infinite number of ways. My favorite is with a sauce of tomato based chicken broth, vinegar, red pepper, paprika and chili pepper sauce. Topped with a good garlic aioli, frizzled onions (french fried onions), and fresh chopped spring chives.

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Castraure

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The isles of the Lagoon of Venice, and the Venetian coastal area is famous for its high quality castraure (baby artichokes). They are much smaller than Globe or Roman artichokes, and because of their size, they are very tender and flavorful.

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The castraure are the first buds to come from the plant each year. A single artichoke plant produces more than one hundred hearts of artichokes. The most famous island for castraure production is the isle of Isola di Sant'Erasmo.

St. Erasmus is the largest island in the Venetian lagoon, only sparsely populated. In Venice's countryside, this agricultural area produces the renowned castraure. Unlike all of Venice’s canals and buildings, St. Erasmus’s landscape is flatlands with rural farms and homes; a pleasant change from the St. Marks Square crowds. 

Although castraure are only a spring time delight and hard to get outside the markets of Venice, there is an ample supply of Globe Artichokes in the U.S. from Castroville, Monterey County CA. Including soon to be available frost-kissed. Yes just as good, but somehow not quite the same as when I eat them canal side in Italy!

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Buying Tip:

Select plump and heavy artichokes for the size with thick, green, tightly clinging leaves. 

It's ideal if you can get “frost-kissed artichokes". Fall and winter artichokes are usually darker or bronze-tipped with a whitish, blistered appearance because of frost, so-called "winter-kissed." These are the most tender with intense flavor. Look for tender green on the inside of petals. Frost-kissed artichokes are available only when temperatures in the growing area falls below 32 degrees.

Carciofi Fritto

Cut baby artichokes lengthwise into two parts, then split into wedges. Toss artichokes in paper bag with flour, remove from bag and dip in gently beaten egg whites. Then dip in beaten egg yolks seasoned with pinch of fresh thyme, sea salt and black pepper. Put the yolk covered artichokes back in paper bag with more flour. Shake off excess flour and gently lay the pieces one by one in a pan with hot oil. When they are golden color remove.

Serve immediately with fresh lemon wedges and lemon aioli. 

My Classic Aïoli Recipe

chefgeorgehirsch.com | from George Hirsch Living it UP! cookbook 

*8 large garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
Coarse sea salt
1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
3 large egg yolks, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 1/2 fresh lemon
A couple drops of water
Fresh ground black pepper

Always use caution with raw eggs. And this sauce must be kept chilled after it is prepared. 

In a food processor or preferably a mortar pound the garlic cloves with pinch of sea salt and Dijon mustard until a thick paste forms. Add in the egg yolks and begin adding in the olive oil a few drops at a time with a fork or whisk. Continue to add the olive oil in a steady stream as the aïoli begins to thicken. Stop and add a few drops of lemon juice, gradually add remaining olive oil and a few drops of water if the sauce becomes too thick. When all of the oil has been incorporated, season the aïoli with additional lemon juice, sea salt and pepper to taste.

Serve chilled. The aïolii can be tightly covered and refrigerated overnight. 

*A classic aïoli is made with raw garlic but again I prefer using caramelized garlic in place of raw garlic which offers a much sweeter and nuttier taste.

Holiday Breakfast: Popovers & Scrambled Eggs

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Wishing you all a very happy + safe Easter Week! Enjoy, George

It is said the American style popover originated in Portland Oregon derived from the Yorkshire Pudding origins of Yorkshire county in Northern England. Whether true or not the principle of a good Yorkshire Pudding or Popover derives from using a crepe-like batter dough. To make a popover, change the beef fat drippings (from the roast) to butter- for a more updated flavorful batter. Whatever style you prefer to make, just remember don’t open the oven door and peek in the oven- if you want a tall pop-over from this crepe-like muffin. 

Yorkshire Pudding or Popovers are usually served with roasted meats. A dear friend recently shared with me that he serves popovers with scrambled eggs for breakfast or brunch. Great idea!

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Popovers & Yorkshire Pudding  

Makes 12 popovers

Adapted From Adventures in Grilling Cookbook, by George Hirsch with Marie Bianco

5 Tablespoons butter, melted

2 eggs, beaten 

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce

1 cup all-purpose flour

pinch of fresh grated nutmeg and black pepper

Optional: 1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme, rosemary or chives

Grease and flour a 12 cup muffin or popover pan. Add a teaspoon of melted butter to each cup of a 12-cup muffin pan.

Mix flour, eggs, milk, 1 Tablespoon melted butter, sugar and salt. Beat in the flour a little bit at a time and add herbs if using; mixture should be smooth. Do not over mix the batter or the gluten will overdevelop and the popovers will be tough. Let batter rest for fifteen minutes. 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Place empty/ unfilled muffin pan in hot oven to preheat pan for two minutes or until smoking hot. 

Carefully remove hot muffin pan from oven and fill each cup halfway. Bake for 15-20 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees, and continue baking for 15-20 minutes more, or until popovers are puffed and browned.  

Remove Popovers from pan immediately and serve hot.

Tips:

If serving scrambled eggs with popovers, begin to cook eggs 5 minutes before removing popovers from oven.

Do not open oven to check popovers until they have baked for at least 30 minutes. 

To test for doneness, tap the outside of Popover; it should sound hollow. 

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