Salsa Brava Potatoes

I normally wouldn’t post something as mundane as eggs and potatoes…but this morning I created perhaps the best breakfast potatoes I’ve ever made. It was 10° in Colonial Beach and I craved a hearty breakfast. Credit goes to my wonderful fiancé, who when heard what I was up to, suggested a NYT’s recipe of Salsa Brava. This is a sauce also prepared by a restaurant in Santa Fe that we ate at a few days ago, La Boca.

The potatoes

I sliced and boiled for 10 minutes two small baking potatoes. In my cast iron skillet, I fried up 4 slices of thick sliced bacon. Drain the grease and caramelize a small sliced onion. At the very end toss in a couple minced garlic cloves. Add a sliced shallot and cook over a low heat for a few minutes. Add the potatoes, season with salt, pepper, fresh thyme and a little cajun seasoning. Dice up the bacon and mix into the potatoes. Add a cup of chicken broth, stir everything and cover on a low heat while you make the sauce. The broth step really helps combine all the flavors.

The Sauce

The Salsa Brava is the star of the show and incredibly easy to make. Heat up a couple tablespoons of olive oil and then toss in a couple minced garlic cloves. Pour in a half a cup or so of chicken broth, and before it heats up put in a teaspoon of corn starch (or flour) and stir to dissolve. To this add a tablespoon of tomato paste, a tablespoon of paprika, a teaspoon  of chipotle powder (or cayenne if you don’t have chipotle powered), a tablespoon of sherry vinegar and salt to taste. Bring this to a gentle boil then simmer for at least 5 minutes. It should be a gravy-like consistency. Serve on the side and spoon on the potatoes with a couple fried eggs.

Pairs well with a watermelon kombucha.