Hairy Bikers Poor Man’s Potatoes

In Hairy Bikers poor man’s potatoes, unpeeled Charlottes and shredded fennel fry until crisp at the edges, then take on garlic and sherry vinegar. From Mediterranean Adventure, where it’s called patatas a lo pobre, it feeds 4 in about 35 minutes at roughly 290 calories, my estimate.

There’s nothing poor about it for Si and Dave, who serve it as a tapa or say it’s “great as a side dish with fish”. And “a comforting little one-pot” is the right description, since everything cooks in a single heavy-based pan.

The vinegar waits until the potatoes are almost done, then cooks for another 5 to 10 minutes until it has been absorbed. Before that, keep turning the slices very regularly and shaking the pan, so everything falls into an even layer.

Hairy Bikers Poor Man’s Potatoes

Author: Alex Saidani Cooking Method:Frying Cuisine:British Spanish Courses:Side

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 10 minutesCook time: 25 minutesRest time: minutesTotal time: 35 minutesServings:4 servingsCalories:290 kcal Best Season:Summer

Description

Thin rounds of potato and slices of fennel cook in a heavy pan of olive oil, turned often, for 10 to 15 minutes. Then garlic and sherry vinegar are cooked in until absorbed, and capers and fresh oregano go in at the very end.

Ingredients

For the potatoes

• 600g waxy potatoes, such as Charlottes
• 1 fennel bulb
• 75ml olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
• 2 tbsp capers, rinsed
• a few sprigs of fresh oregano
• salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. Slice the vegetables: Slice the potatoes into 5mm rounds without peeling them. Then trim the fennel, quarter it lengthways and shred it into 5mm slices.
2. Fry the potatoes and fennel: Heat the oil in a large heavy-based pan, add the potatoes and fennel and cook over a medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes. And keep going until they’re tender and starting to crisp at the edges. Keep turning them and shaking the pan so everything falls into an even layer, testing the potatoes with a knife tip after 10 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and vinegar: When the potatoes are almost ready, add the garlic and sherry vinegar. Then cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the liquid has been absorbed and the potatoes are cooked through.
4. Finish: Stir in the capers and oregano leaves and season with salt and pepper. Then serve straight away.

FAQs

Do you peel the potatoes for poor man’s potatoes?

No, they say not to bother, because the skins add to the charm of the dish and the flavour will be better. And they ask for waxy potatoes like Charlottes, and their tumbet in the same book uses Charlottes too, because waxy ones don’t go soggy.

Can you make poor man’s potatoes with peppers?

Yes, they say it’s often made with peppers, but they prefer this version with fennel. So with no pepper quantities given, I’d try one sliced red pepper in place of the fennel, though I haven’t tested it.

How is it different from patatas bravas?

Their Mediterranean Adventure patatas bravas uses 800g of peeled floury potatoes in 3 to 4cm chunks, parboiled, then fried in 200ml of oil or roasted. Then a garlic, sherry vinegar and paprika sauce goes over, whereas these waxy slices fry from raw and the vinegar cooks straight in.

What do you serve with poor man’s potatoes?

Beyond fish, their grilled chicken in the same book, marinated in fino sherry, lists them as a side. For fish, I’d put them next to their Saturday Kitchen monkfish kebabs, flavoured with lemon, thyme and cumin.

Can you make them ahead?

They say to serve them immediately, which I’d stick to, since I find the crisp edges soften as they sit. But for leftovers I’d fold them into eggs, as their Chicken and Egg Spanish tortilla does with 300g of potato and 6 eggs.