Trouble In Paradise ...

What a day! I went with SB to pick raspberries at the farm ... the day was such a beauty! Cooler, sunny, a nice breeze! The berries are just past full bear, but there were plenty to forage. I had plans for picking and then coming straight home to make jam. Duh, duh, duhhhh!

Stupidly, I wore sandals and shorts. As we got into serious picking, I tripped into some of the trimmed canes from last year ... sharp, dry, woody 'knives' just waiting to trip up the unsuspecting.  I took a major fall ... stabbing my shins with other canes, spilling a lot of berries from my pail, and cursing a blue streak.

Yours truly - "Sh*#, Son of &@#*^ that hurts! D*#@ canes! Awww ... they're all over!"

 From somewhere in the canes, I heard a voice pipe up...

SB - " I heard that! Ya didn't spill the bucket, did ya?"

Yours truly -  Did ya have to ask?!?"
SB - after a long pause ........... " Do ya need some help?"

Yours truly - " You take your life in your hands if you come this way right now!"

It wasn't until I was midway through recovering the spilled berries that I realized that I was bleeding from my shin like a stuck pig.

Yours truly - "Aaaaargh!"

SB - " What now?"

Yours truly - " My God, I'm bleeding like mad! I need a wet washcloth and a Band-Aid!"

SB - " How many berries do ya have?"

Yours truly - " My prince ... enough to make jam."

It went on from there ... you get the drift though. I limped my way out of the berry patch and up to the house for wet paper towels and Band-Aids. Then, moaned and carried on for effect ... the guy vowed to dig some new potatoes, pick more peas, and work the grill for me when we got home. I rallied enough to make patatas bravas and put together kabobs. Hell! He even shucked the peas and scrubbed the potatoes!

The jam will be made tomorrow morning. I'm workin' this wound for all it's worth ... been humming that old jingle about Band-aids all night ... call me a brat ... or worse.

easy kabobs ... hot Italian sausage, vegetables, olive oil, cheap Italian dressing, oregano 

new Yukon Gold potatoes sliced into coins and fried in canola oil

muy caliente salsa ... onions, garlic, tomatoes, sherry, chili peppers, smoked hot paprika, red wine vinegar ... patatas bravas

steamy hot from the grill and pretty tasty ... but I really wanted chorizo, damnit!

I know ... call me worse. Here's a patatas bravas recipe that is pretty delish!

Patatas Bravas

Ingredients:

light olive oil or canola oil for pan frying

2 lbs. potatoes with good skins

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

¼ c. good dry Sherry or white wine

14-oz. can of chopped tomatoes

2 tsp. red wine vinegar

1 - 2 tsp. dried chilis, crushed

2 tsp. smoked sweet or hot paprika

salt

Making the Dish:

1. Wash and dry the potatoes and leave them out to let all moisture evaporate from their surfaces.

2. Meanwhile. make the sauce by heating a fry pan . Add 2 tbsp. olive oil and the onion. Sauté until  the onion is golden and smooth. Add the garlic and continue sauté for another minute or so.

3. Add the Sherry and bring to a boil. Then , add the tomatoes, chilis, paprika, and vinegar. bring to a bubble and then lower the heat, cover loosely and let the sauce simmer to reduce the liquid a bit.

4. Use a large deep frypan for frying the potatoes ... place about 1 inch of oil in the pan and place it over high heat.

5. Slice the potatoes into chunks or thick coins and when the oil is very hot, reduce the heat to medium-high. Add the potatoes carefully. Use a slotted spoon to lower them into the hot oil and fry for 10 to 15 minutes, turning them and shifting around occasionally.

6. While the potatoes are cooking, heat a platter in a 250°F oven.

7. Using a handblender, whiz the tomato sauce until smooth. Chop the parsley and set it aside for garnishing.

8. When the potatoes are golden and crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, drain them on paper towels and place them on the warm platter. Drizzle the sauce over them, being careful not to 'drown' them. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and garnish with a couple sprigs.

9. Serve with glasses of  hearty red wine as a tapas offering or as a side dish.