Boquerones con Naranja sobre Patatas Fritas
Chapter 2: Cold Tapas
In the dimmed, energetic dining rooms of America's best tapas bars, a great plate of food relies on sharp contrasts. Here, the sharp, acetic bite of cold, imported white anchovies meets the sweet pop of fresh orange, all draped over freshly fried, shattering hot potato chips. It is a brilliant collision of hot fat, cold brine, and aromatic citrus oil that perfectly captures the spontaneous rhythm of a restaurant service right in your kitchen.
Before you start
Infuse the olive oil with orange and garlic.
Combine the olive oil, orange zest strips, and smashed garlic in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
Pull the oil from the heat before the garlic browns.
Just as when starting gambas al ajillo, the garlic must cook low and slow. The moment it bubbles gently and turns pale blonde—around three minutes—remove the pan so the oil does not turn bitter. Let it cool and discard the solids.
Soak the sliced potatoes.
Drop the mandoline-sliced potatoes into a bowl of cold water, agitating them to release their surface starch. You can leave them submerged for up to four hours before frying.
Ingredients
- Spanish extra virgin olive oil1/3 cup
- Navel orange1 large
- garlic1 small clove
- Russet potato10 oz
- neutral frying oil1 qt
- Spanish white pickled anchovies5 oz
- flaky sea salt1/2 tsp
- black pepper1/4 tsp
- Sherry vinegar1 tsp
Method
- 01
Heat the frying oil.
When your guests are drinking wine and you are ready to serve, pour the neutral oil into a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or deep skillet and heat to 350°F over medium-high heat.
- 02
Dry the potatoes completely.
Drain the soaked potato slices and lay them out on clean kitchen towels, patting them perfectly dry. Any residual water will lower the oil temperature and cause violent splattering.
- 03
Fry the potato chips in batches.
Drop the dried slices into the hot oil, stirring gently with a spider so they do not stick together. Fry for three to four minutes until they stop fiercely bubbling and turn a beautiful golden brown.
- 04
Drain and season the hot chips.
Transfer the chips to a wire rack set over a baking sheet and immediately season them aggressively with fine salt while the oil is still glistening on their surface.
- 05
Assemble the platter with speed.
To maintain the crucial temperature contrast of the dish, immediately mound the hot potato chips on a warm serving platter and drape the cold boquerones evenly over the top, scattering the orange supremes throughout.
- 06
Dress the dish and serve immediately.
Spoon the reserved orange-garlic olive oil generously over the fish and chips. Add a few drops of Sherry vinegar, finish with a heavy shower of freshly cracked black pepper, and carry the plate to the table.
Notes
Source premium boquerones en vinagre.
This dish lives and dies by the quality of the imported Spanish white pickled anchovies. Do not attempt to use standard brown canned anchovies, which will completely overwhelm the plate with fermented salt instead of bright acetic acid.
Respect the Sherry vinegar.
A final drop of Vinagre de Jerez provides a deep, nutty, oxidative profile that cannot be replicated by standard apple cider or white wine vinegar.