Patatas Bravas Are the Perfect Vegan Pantry-Friendly Side for Any Day
Traditionally a Spanish tapa, this simple dish works as a side or can be tossed with beans for a full meal
No matter what is happening in the world, I like to cook in a pantry-friendly way that does not break the bank but allows for a lot of versatility. That means I rely on a cadre of well-priced, shelf-stable staples that I jazz up according to what has been available at the market, from cans of tomato to coconut milk to oats and rice and flour.
Potatoes, along with onions and garlic, are the one vegetable I always have around, even though they are not grown locally where I live — here we do have yuca, batata (a sweet potato), and other root vegetables, but the long life and versatility of a plain brown, yellow, or red potato cannot be beat. From making oven fries, roasting them up in chunks with rosemary, to blending up hearty soups, the humble potato never fails to be both flavorful, filling, and ready to be dressed according to whatever is around.
And while I have all my staple items not matter what, during these housebound times, I have been finding new ways to use them: I made my own ketchup, because of my big stock of canned San Marzano whole tomatoes and tomato paste. I create dips from the big…
