Poor man's potatoes

If you have ever read Chris Stewart's mirth-inducing trio of books about his transition from Genesis drummer to Spanish subsistence farmer you will be familiar with the rustic Iberian treat of "patatas al o pobre".  It's a great way to eat potatoes, and really should be more widely appreciated than its better known cousin, "patatas bravas" (which incidentally means "wild potatoes" not "brave").

I struggle to think of anything more appealing (as an Englishman) as potatoes, cooked in olive oil with peppers, onion, garlic and bay leaves.  Ideally you should use a waxy potato, to inhibit the propensity of a more floury potatoes tendency to go mushy, but I can attest that good old Maris pipers work just as well (as long as you temper the heat and cut them nice and thick).

Patatas al o pobre

It is stupefyingly simple to concoct - here's how you do it:

•   Add approximately 4 generous tablespoons of good olive oil to a thick bottomed pan and heat under a medium heat.
•   Peel and thinly slice 3 medium onions.  Add them to the pan and cook slowly for 15 or so minutes until they become golden, sticky and sweetly perfumed.
•   Meanwhile chop 2 peppers - doesn't matter which colour you use - I used orange and red in mine tonight.  Roughly chopped is fine.  Add them to the pan.
•   Peel and thinly slice 4 garlic cloves.  Add them to the pan.
•   Add 2 bay leaves.
•   Peel 4-5 medium sized potatoes or a bag of 500g waxy potatoes.  Cut into chunks (see my picture above).  Add them to the pan.
•   Season well with salt and black pepper.
•   Top up with oil if you think it needs it (this is an oily dish).
•   Cook until the potatoes are soft but not disintegrating.