Fried potatoes with "things"

If, as Mark Bittman reports, a poorly done paella is "rice with things", does that make my play on patatas bravas "potatoes with things"? I used to love getting a little bowl of the classic Spanish snack at The Astoria in Fort Collins, that crusty old Cuban bar on College Ave. that really had the whole "decaying Havana" look down.  It was a perfect tummy buffer after too many cocktails, but sadly, The Astoria is no more, and now I must make my own comforting potato dishes at home. I didn't actually whip this up in a drunken stupor, though the leftovers could certainly serve that purpose; I made it to go with black bean tacos, and the leftovers worked equally well with fried eggs for breakfast. I added some vegetables, because I usually do, and that is how my patatas bravas became "Potatoes with Things".

Potatoes with Things

Serves 4 as a side

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 medium Russet potatoes, thinly sliced and cut into thumb-sized pieces

1 packet Goya Sazón

1 small yellow onion, chopped

½ red bell pepper, chopped

1 small zucchini, cubed

½ cup frozen or fresh corn kernels

1 small serrano chile, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Black pepper to taste

Sour cream and lemon wedges for serving

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add the potatoes and the Sazón and stir to combine and coat with the oil.  Add about 1/8 cup of water to the pan, lower the heat to medium-low, and cover.  Cook until potatoes begin to soften, about 10 minutes.  Add the garlic, serrano, and remaining vegetables, stir, and cover again; cook another 5-10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Season with cilantro and black pepper and serve hot with sour cream and lemon wedges on the side.