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Borraja con patatas
Borraja con patatas: Aragon's beloved borage stalks and potatoes dressed with golden garlic oil
Borage grows all along the Ebro valley, and in Zaragoza it is almost a point of pride: markets sell bundles of the thick, hairy stalks from autumn to spring, and borraja con patatas is a weeknight supper in thousands of Aragonese homes. Boiled until tender, the stalks taste mild and green, a little like a cross between cucumber and chard, and the floury potatoes soak up a simple dressing of olive oil and fried garlic. It is vegan and gluten free. A common mistake is skipping the cleaning: the fine hairs and stringy outer fibres must come off, or the dish feels prickly. If you can't get borage, chard stalks are the closest stand-in. Chef's tip: fry the garlic in the oil slowly, off a high flame, and pour it over sizzling hot so it sings when it hits the vegetables.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Clean 2 ¼ lb borage stalks: strip off the leaves (keep the tender ones), then run a small knife along each stalk to pull away the hairy outer strings, much as you would with celery. Rinse well and cut into 5 cm pieces.
Step 2: Bring a large pan of water to the boil with 2 tsp salt. Add 1 ⅛ lb potatoes and the borage stalks and boil for 20 to 25 minutes, until the potatoes break at the edges when pressed and the borage is very tender.
22 minStep 3: Drain well in a colander, saving a small cupful of the cooking water, and tip onto a warm serving dish.
Step 4: Meanwhile, heat ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil in a small pan over a medium-low heat and add 4 clove garlic. Fry gently for 2 to 3 minutes until the slices are pale gold and fragrant; take the pan off the heat before they darken, as burnt garlic turns bitter. Stir in the paprika now, if using.
3 minStep 5: Pour the hot oil and garlic over the vegetables, add a splash of the cooking water and toss gently so some potato breaks into the oil. Serve at once.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 230 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 25 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does borraja con patatas take?
- About 55 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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