Patatas Bravas Recipe

Prep and par-cook potatoes

Peel (optional) and cut the potatoes into 2–3 cm cubes. Place them in a large pot, cover with cold water and add 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a gentle boil and simmer for 8–10 minutes until the edges are tender but the centers still firm. Drain thoroughly and let steam-dry for 5 minutes in the colander.

Rough the edges

Return the drained potatoes to the pot and shake gently over low heat for 1–2 minutes to roughen the edges — this helps get a crisp exterior when frying/roasting.

Roast or shallow-fry first (optional)

Preheat oven to 220°C (430°F). Toss the potatoes with 3 tbsp olive oil and 1 tsp salt. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer and roast 20–25 minutes, turning once, until golden and crisp. Alternatively, shallow-fry in a large skillet with 2 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat until golden, then transfer to paper towel to remove excess oil.

Make the bravas sauce

In a medium skillet, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced white onion and cook 4–5 minutes until translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste, smoked paprika and hot paprika/cayenne and cook 1 minute to bloom the spices. Deglaze with 60 ml dry sherry (or white wine), scraping up any browned bits. Add the stock, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1/2 tsp black pepper and 1/2 tsp salt (adjust). Simmer gently 8–10 minutes until slightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Finish sauce

If you prefer a silky sauce, blend briefly with an immersion blender or in a blender until smooth, then return to pan and keep warm. Keep sauce at a low simmer while you finish the potatoes.

Crisp the potatoes (final fry/finish)

Heat 500 ml vegetable oil in a heavy pot or deep fryer to 175°C (350°F). Fry par-cooked/roasted potatoes in batches 2–3 minutes until deeply golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels and season immediately with a pinch of salt and a dusting of smoked paprika (optional).

Tenderize and simmer the octopus

Rinse the octopus under cold water. In a large wide pot, bring 2 L water to a simmer with 2 bay leaves and 1 tsp black peppercorns. (Optional: add a halved onion or carrot for extra flavor.) When simmering, grab the octopus by the head and dip the tentacles into the simmering water three times to curl them, then fully submerge. Add 120 ml dry white wine. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 40–60 minutes depending on size — check tenderness by inserting a knife into the thickest part of a tentacle; it should meet little resistance. Do not boil vigorously — keep a gentle simmer to prevent toughening.

Cool and reserve cooking liquid

When tender, remove the octopus to a tray and let cool to warm. Reserve 100 ml of the cooking liquid for the marinade/sauce if desired. Once cooled enough to handle, cut the head open and remove the beak if present; slice into portions (whole tentacles or 3–4 large pieces).

Marinate with huacatay

Combine 3 tbsp huacatay paste, 2 tbsp lime juice, 3 tbsp olive oil, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1.5 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper in a bowl. Add the octopus pieces and toss to coat. Let marinate at room temperature 20–30 minutes (or refrigerate up to 2 hours). If using reserved cooking liquid, add 1–2 tbsp to loosen the marinade and increase flavor.

Grill the octopus

Preheat a grill or grill pan to high. Brush the grill with oil. Remove octopus from marinade (reserve marinade to brush while grilling if you like), pat dry lightly. Grill the octopus 2–3 minutes per side until charred at edges and warmed through. Baste once with marinade or a little olive oil during grilling. Remove and rest 2 minutes. Finish with a light drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lime.

In a small bowl combine 3 tbsp mayonnaise, 1 tbsp sriracha, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 grated garlic clove, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Whisk until smooth. Taste and adjust heat or acidity by adding more sriracha or lemon. Chill until ready to serve.

To serve 4, mound a portion of hot crispy patatas bravas in the center of each plate. Spoon a generous ladle (about 2–3 tbsp) of warm bravas sauce over the potatoes. Arrange grilled octopus pieces around or on top of the potatoes. Dot or drizzle sriracha aioli over the potatoes and octopus (use a squeeze bottle or spoon). Sprinkle 2 tsp chopped parsley over each plate, drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil, and serve with lemon or lime wedges on the side for squeezing.

Serve immediately while potatoes are crisp and octopus is warm.