Patatas a la Importancia

Some time ago, on a wine scouting trip to north central Spain, I discovered this amazingly satisfying potato dish at a roadside restaurant that was recommended by a winemaker friend. It's cheap and simple to prepare with few ingredients; no special skills required. The name fits: Important potatoes.

Ingredients

• 1 large potato, peeled & cut in 1/2" (1 cm) slices.
• 1 egg (beaten), more if needed
• 1 clove of garlic (grated or use a garlic press)
• 1 small onion (finely diced)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• White wine
• 1 cup of stock (chicken, beef, veg), more if needed
• Saffron (a few threads)
• Salt, pepper & flour

Preparation

• Mix grated garlic with saffron and a splash of white wine, set aside.
• Season potato slices with salt & pepper. Dip in the egg, then dredge in flour.
• Heat olive oil in a non-stick frying pan, lightly brown potato slices on both sides, set aside. They don't have to be cooked through, just a nice golden brown.
• Sautee the onion (same pan) until tender.
• Stir in a tablespoon of flour, mix well, cook for a minute on medium. Stir in the garlic mixture.
• Add the potato slices, and enough stock to cover. Simmer for 20 minutes or so, moving the potatoes around carefully from time to time. Add extra stock if it starts to dry out or gets too thick.
• Make sure the potato is cooked through, check sauce for salt & adjust if needed. That's it.

Note:
1. Saffron can be omitted or substitute pimentón or tumeric. Add some "heat", if that's your thing.
2. Serve with a light covering of the sauce as a main dish or a side; top with parsley, chopped chives, crispy bacon, fried onion or grated cheese.
3. There are many variations: some include chunks of ham, bacon, sausage, chorizo or mushrooms; another with clams, added just at the end so they don't over cook. Shrimp might slot in as well.

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