SERVES 4
The town of Jabugo, located in the mountainous Sierra de Aracena along the Andalucía-Extremadura border, produces some of the most celebrated dry-cured jamónes in the country. Set at 2,150 feet/655 m in the mountains, with cold, dry winters and mild springs and summers, the climate is ideal for raising black-footed Iberian pigs that roam semi-wild in the vast dehesas—holm oak–filled pastures—that coat the region’s hills. It is no surprise that many of Jabugo’s dishes include slices of their marvelous jamón ibérico. Served over fried potatoes with a couple of eggs fried in local full-bodied extra-virgin olive oil, and a glass of red wine, it is divine simplicity.
1. Scrub the potatoes, but do not peel. Cut them lengthwise into 1/3-inch-/1-cm-thick fries. Put them in a large bowl of water and soak for 15 minutes to leach out some of the starches. Rinse, drain, and spread out on paper towels to dry.
2. Preheat the oven to 200°F/95°C.
3. In a deep skillet, heat about 2 inches/5 cm of vegetable oil to 375°F/190°C. (The oil is the right temperature when a large cube of fresh bread dropped into it browns in about 60 seconds.) Working in two batches that don’t crowd the pan or bring the temperature of the oil below 350°F/180°C, add the potatoes and fry until golden, 12 to 18 minutes per batch. Remove with a slotted spoon or tongs, and place on paper towels to briefly drain. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place in the oven to keep hot until all of the potatoes have been fried.
4. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat and fry the eggs in batches as needed, re-oiling the pan if necessary.
5. Divide the fried potatoes among the plates and cover with slices of jamón. Place 2 eggs to the side on each plate, season with salt flakes, and serve immediately.