Brave ketchup
This is my take on a classic Spanish tapas potatas bravas – but I just call it brave ketchup now, as it’s a great healthy substitute to ketchup for little ones. You can cook up a batch then freeze it in an ice cube tray, then just defrost portions as you need them, they can then merrily dip what they choose into it. My little girl loves dipping things, she started pretending to dip at around a year old (if I remember rightly), probably due to me dipping veg into humous for lunch/snacks, and as she has got older has wanted ketchup as daddy often has it with his dinner – so now daddy and her share brave ketchup instead. Potatas bravas is traditionally served warm on chunky potatoes, but it is great cold as a healthy ketchup alternative. Ketchup is originally from China but potatas bravas has been around forever in Madrid.
Enough ketchup for around 15 – 20 ice cubes or 4 grown-ups and little one bravas style.
Ingredients
¼ red onion finely chopped
2 garlic cloves crushed
3 tsp sweet paprika
A pinch of cayenne pepper (or none, if you don’t want any heat)
500g tomatoes (plum tomatoes are best)
1 bay leave
1 tsp sugar (optional)
1tbsp olive oil
Method
1. Seed and peel tomatoes. Score a cross at the bottom of the tomatoes and place in boiling water for around 3-5 mins. Drain and put in cold water to cool down. This should make peeling the tomatoes a lot easier. Cut the tomatoes into quarters and scoop out seeds and discard. Cut the remaining flesh reasonably small.
2. Heat oil over medium heat and cook onion for 5 minutes until soft. Add garlic and spices and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
3. Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, sugar and 80ml of water. Pop a lid semi on the pan and slowly simmer on a low heat, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 mins. It should thicken up considerably.
4. Allow the mixture to cool slightly, remove the bay leaf and blend in food processor.
5. Serve bravas style by part boiling potatoes chunks, tossing in olive oil and then oven cooking for 45 mins at 200C fan to make crispy mini roasts potatoes – pour sauce over the top.
Tips
A great healthy substitute to ketchup for little ones. You can cook up a batch then freeze it in an ice cube tray, then just defrost portions as you need them, they can then merrily dip what they choose into it. My little girl loves dipping things, she started pretending to dip at around a year old (if I remember rightly), probably due to me dipping veg into humous for lunch/snacks, and as she has got older has wanted ketchup as daddy often has it with his dinner so now daddy and her share a grave ketchup cube instead.
Facts
Ketchup is originally from China but potatas bravas has been around forever in Madrid.