2021 Vuelta - Stage 15: Navalmoral de la Mata to El Barraco
Another day in the mountains! Today, the riders are faced with 4 different ascents, including two category 1 climbs. They also move back up into Castilla y Leon, and specifically the region of Avila, the home of today’s dish. Sunday is a bit of a wistful day for me. It’s mainly a day of relaxation. I watch my EPL favorite Tottenham Hotspurs or NFL favorite WFT, wrap up any loose ends that I haven’t addressed. Plan out a week of meals, do some grocery shopping and hit the farmer’s market and grocery store. I relax for a few hours and then start getting annoyed work will face me when I wake up the next day. Such is life, I guess. One main thing though is that I also try to not go too crazy in the kitchen on Sunday. Today is no different. This side dish is a super easy side: garlicky, paprika mashed potatoes topped with some rendered bacon. I left the potatoes a little chunky in honor of today’s mountainous and undulating terrain. If you’d like yours a little creamier, add in some milk or cream when you mash them up.
Patatas Revolconas
I found a really good looking recipe for crispy fried lardons. I couldn’t believe the way they looked, a mix between pocky pork rinds and perfectly rendered pork belly. I followed the day long recipe and it failed. So, I simply rendered off some bacon in a very short amount of time and it was just as tasty.
~3 lbs russet potatoes
3/4 lb hunk of slab bacon (not pre-sliced - request from deli counter)
1/4 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp paprika
1/2 cup of white wine
Butter
Milk or heavy cream
Peel and quarter the potatoes. Cover with salted water and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce to a simmer and cook until soft. Drain and reserve, as well as reserve 1/2 cup of potato cooking water.
Meanwhile, Slice the bacon into ½-inch thick pieces and combine with the oil in a skillet over medium heat until the fat starts to sizzle. Reduce to medium-low and cook until fully rendered. Reserve.
When the potatoes are ready, pour the bacon fat into the empty pot you boiled the potatoes and sauté the garlic over medium heat until golden brown. Stir in the paprika until fragrant. Add in the wine and bring to a boil. Add in the potatoes and some butter, along with the reserved potato water and mash together until smooth. Add in milk or cream if desired.
Season with salt and pepper and serve, topping with the reserved, rendered bacon.
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Copyright 2021, Brendan McCann, All Rights Reserved.
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