Ok guys, I apologize in advance about how many Spain references I will be making in my upcoming blogs. I can't help it though, I just got home from my honeymoon not too long ago and it was literally something out of a dream. I will say that the food was incredible and not so incredible. Just like home, there were good restaurants, great restaurants, and terrible restaurants. Prior to going to Spain, I heard (and read) from many sources not to eat in or near La Boqueria in Barcelona. Main reason is because La Boqueria is very touristy and prices tend to be higher in those areas. However, we decided to go with our gut and eat there anyway. Plus at that moment we were hungry and it was raining so it appeared to be the right time to grab a couple tapas and a glass of Rioja. We came across a restaurant called Boket. It mainly sparked our interest because it wasn't super packed and we really didn't feel like waiting for a table. We were curious whether or not the food was good considering the restaurant was only half-occupied, but to our surprise, the food was excellent! The wine was even better. We ordered patatas bravas and I immediately fell in love! Patatas bravas are diced potatoes with a spicy dipping sauce plus mayonnaise drizzled on top. Now for those who don't love mayo, don't worry you don't have to eat it. But I just had to create a low-carb version of this dish as soon as I got home cause it was just too delicious not to share! And here it is! I hope you guys love it as much as I did!
YIELDS: 6-8 Servings TIME: 35 Minutes
INGREDIENTS
1.5 lb Turnips
1.5 lb Parsnips
1-2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 cup ripe tomatoes
1 small jalepeno with seeds or without-depends how spicy you want it
2 tsp smoked paprika
Zest of one lemon
A couple dashes of truvia or stevia
2 teaspoons white or red vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil1/2 cup mayonnaise. I used Primal Mayo - Whole 30 approved/sugar free
1 tablespoon Himalayan Salt, divided
1 teaspoon pepper, divided
METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place a piece of parchment paper big enough to cover one large sheet pan/roasting pan. If you don't have parchment paper, spray the pan with cooking spray.
3. Peel and chop the turnips and parsnips between a small & medium dice. Just be sure to chop the veggies in uniform size so they roast evenly in the oven. Place the veggies in a large bowl.
4. Coat the turnip and parsnips with olive oil. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Toss together.
5. Place veggies on the sheet pan and bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Check the flavor after they are cooked. Add salt as needed.
6. While the veggies are cooking, let's prepare the sauce. Place the tomatoes, jalepeno pepper, garlic, lemon zest, vinegar, remaining olive oil, truvia, and smoked paprika in a food processor. Blend until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Now as far as the mayonnaise goes, I've seen mayonnaise served on the side, drizzled on top of the patatas bravas, or blended in with the tomato sauce. I will leave this decision up to you! If you're a mayonnaise lover then feel free to try it all of 3 ways! If you want to blend the mayo with the tomato sauce then add it to the food processor to mix it in! As I said previously, I used Primal Mayonnaise which is a Whole 30 approved mayo so I could keep this recipe as clean as possible. However you can use whatever mayonnaise you have in your fridge!
8. Place the turnips and parsnips on a plate and either dress it the veggies with the sauce or serve it on the side for dipping! This dish is great served as an appetizer or a side dish. Disclaimer: this recipe is low-carb, however if you are on a strict keto diet- ditch the parsnips and just stick with turnips!