Patatas Revolconas

Peel the potatoes and place them in a pot. Add garlic cloves, kosher salt, bay leaf, and enough water to cover by 2″.

Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then simmer over medium-low heat for 25 minutes, or until the potatoes are easily pierced with a knife.

Turn off the heat and leave the potatoes in the pot (we’ll need the liquid later on).

While the potatoes are boiling, place olive oil in a cold large skillet or wok. Add slab bacon cut into rectangular, thumb-size batons, and place over medium-low heat. Fry, stirring occasionally, until bacon is translucent and the fat begins to render, about 15 minutes.

Increase the heat to medium, continue frying for 10 minutes (the bacon should be slightly golden now), and then to medium-high to cook until the strips are deep brown all over and well-crisped, about 10 minutes longer. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

Pour off enough fat (into a jar for safekeeping) to leave approximately ⅓ cup in the pan. Set heat to medium-low and add the pimentón. Stir for 20 seconds, then slowly—very slowly, to avoid spattering—ladle in ½ cup potato cooking liquid. Reserve 1½ additional cups of the potato liquid, drain the potatoes and garlic, and return them to the pot set over low heat.

Add all of the pimentón liquid to the potatoes and mash coarsely. The mixture should be slightly looser and less gloppy than American-style mashed potatoes and not as smooth; add additional potato liquid as needed to achieve that texture. Mound the potatoes into individual bowls or onto one large serving dish and stick the bacon pieces all over the top.

If you’re feeling extravagant, use that leftover bacon fat to fry an egg, then slide it on top of the potatoes. Dig in while the revolconas are hot, passing bread and pitchers of red wine as they do in the Spanish countryside, reveling in the creamy-crunchy contrast contained in each spoonful.