All because the lady loves tapas

Between the devil and the deep green sea

The Lady loves tapas. Who knew? Lady Gaga spent part of last New Year's Eve partying on small Spanish bites at Caliu the then newish New York West Village tapas restaurant.

She sampled traditional tapas-bar standards such as sliced morcilla, chouriço and, patatas bravas  (fried potatoes crusted with spicy paprika and drowned in alioli) and dates wrapped in bacon( more of that story later Kirsty). Is this a bad romance? I dont think so. It got my mojo workin´and my latest addition to the Casa Rosada tapas menu is Patatas con Mojo.

Potatoes:

1/2 Kg of small potatoes
100 gr of sea salt (rock salt)

Mojo Picante (Red)

1 garlic clove
2 Nõra or cayenne peppers (soaked if they are dry and seeds removed)
1/3 of a medium red pepper
1/2 tsp rock salt
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
2 tbsp vinegar
2 tbsp water
6 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp soaked bread, optional (for consistency)

Mojo Cilantro (Green)

1 garlic clove
3 sprigs of coriander
2 tbsp vinegar
1/2 tsp Rock salt
2 tbsp water
6 tbsp olive oil

Preparation

Wash the potatoes throughly and leave the skin on. Put them in a saucepan with water that just covers the potatoes and the sea salt – lots of salt is needed to help the potato skins to get wrinkled in the final stage of cooking.Traditionally they were cooked in sea water. Boil them until they are tender – 15 mins approx. (check if the point of a sharp knife passes easily into them). Drain, put the saucepan back on the hob at very low heat and shake it every now and again till the potatoes dry and the skin becomes wrinkled.

Mojo Picon: Peel the garlic clove and puree it in a blender together with the cayenne peppers, the red pepper, salt, vinegar, cumin seeds (grind them in the pestle and mortar beforehand to release the aromas), and sweet paprika. Then add the water and mix and check the salt and garlic point in case you need to add some more. Finally add the olive oil and mix it with the machine at a lower speed. If you want to give it more consistency/thickness add a spoon of soaked bread and mix again.

Mojo Cilantro: Peel the garlic clove and puree it with a hand mixer together with the coriander sprigs, the salt, vinegar and water. Finally add the olive oil and mix it at a lower speed.