A delicious Spanish dish that makes the most of great Irish produce

One of my favourite impromptu nights out a few years ago was when my parents offered to babysit and we jumped ship for a few hours and headed straight to Iberian Way on Douglas Street in Cork. We sat at an outside table and ate huevos rotos, or “broken eggs”. It was great to be able to get out, have some gorgeous simple food, great wine and chat about how much we missed our kids. I look forward to hopefully doing it again at some stage this year.

Broken eggs is a traditional tapas dish of fried potatoes, or chips, topped with a soft fried egg. Often chorizo or serrano ham is added. Once served, you break the yolk with the tip of your knife, coating the crisp potatoes in egg. It’s Spanish egg and chips and it’s delicious. Huevos rotos can be served at any time of the day and is a hugely popular dish, perfect for brunch, lunch or dinner.

I cook my potatoes almost like little roast potatoes, it’s easier for a family to do a big tray this way. I parboil the potatoes before roasting them. Classic French fries are ideal for this, but in a home situation and when cooking for more than two, I go for this roast potato version. Laying some serrano ham over the potatoes five minutes before serving makes it go crisp and gives so much seasoning and flavour.

Incredibly simple

This is an incredibly simple dish that makes the most of great Irish produce. We grow fantastic potatoes and have access to beautiful hens’ eggs, so it’s worth celebrating them. Get the best eggs you can as the yolk will be the star of the dish. If you’re looking for Irish charcuterie, Corndale Farm in Northern Ireland produces spiced coppa and a range of cured meats, including fennel salami. Gubbeen chorizo or salami is also an ideal Irish-made option.

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This is a great dish to get kids to help with, depending on age. Toddlers always love waterplay, so scrubbing potatoes at the sink is the perfect way for them to get involved. This recipe will also test their egg-cracking skills. I always get my kids to crack each egg into a teacup first then I slide the egg into the hot oil. The olive oil is a key ingredient here so don’t be afraid to use a generous amount on the potatoes and cooking the eggs.

This is also a one-tray dish that’s quick and hassle free, so not much of a clean-up afterwards. I usually serve this with a big green salad drizzled in thick, aged balsamic vinegar; it’s a bright, acidic side dish that goes really well with the rich huevos rotos. Another good addition is crusty white bread to dip into the egg.

Recipe: Broken eggs with serrano ham and potatoes