Patatas Bravas with Spicy Tomato Sauce and Allioli

Instructions

Heat an oven to 400 F. Toss the potatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil and spread them out on a baking sheet. Roast, turning the potatoes a few times, until they are evenly golden brown on all sides, 40 to 50 minutes or until tender when pierced with the tip of a knife. Season well with salt.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat in a frying pan and cook the onion and garlic until soft, 7 minutes. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, 1 cup water, red pepper flakes, Tabasco, bay leaf, parsley, thyme, sugar, salt, and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and simmer 20 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and puree in a blender until smooth. Season with salt, pepper and vinegar.

Place the potatoes on a serving platter. Top with the tomato sauce and drizzle the aioli onto the top. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.

ALIOLI OR GARLIC MAYONNAISE

½ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup unflavored oil, sunflower, safflower, canola, vegetable
1 egg yolk
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a liquid measuring cup with a spout, combine the olive and unflavored oils. In a medium size bowl, whisk the egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of the combined oil together until an emulsion is formed. Drop by drop, add the olive oil to the emulsion, whisking constantly. Continue to do this, drop by drop, in a steady stream, whisking, until all of the oil has been added. Do not add the oil too quickly and be sure that the emulsion is homogeneous before adding more oil. Add the garlic and lemon juice to taste. Season with salt and pepper. Add 2 to 4 tablespoons warm water to the mayonnaise, whisking constantly. This should be used the same day that it is made.

Makes about 1 ¼ cup