Barrafina

Book excerpt: 'Possibly the best Spanish cookbook ever' Rachel Cooke, Observer Food Monthly 'Barrafina is a tapas bar and the best of its kind . . . the food is fantastic' Giles Coren, The Times When Sam and Eddie Hart opened Barrafina, their no-reservations tapas bar and restaurant in London's Soho, they had no idea how successful it would be. Eight years, two more branches and one Michelin star later, Barrafina is always packed, always stylish, always lively. And so is the food: together with their Basque-born head chef Nieves Barragan Mohacho, the Harts are cooking the best Spanish food in London today. In this cookbook they share their secrets and recipes: this is not difficult, fancy restaurant food, but gutsy, fresh, sometimes delicate, sometimes hearty food, that a home cook will be able to prepare easily. First, there is food to eat with your hands: fried pimientos de Padron, salt cod fritters and delicias, the Spanish equivalent of Devils on Horseback. Then cold meats; on to fish and shellfish - from simple razor clams on the grill, to more sophisticated dishes such as turbot with cavolo nero; rice dishes and paellas; big dishes of roast and braised meat - from suckling pig for a special occasion to rabbit stew or roast cumin-rubbed pork with quince sauce; and desserts in the form of chocolate and almond tarts, cakes and the classic Crema Catalana. There is everything here to help you recreate great Spanish food at home. With over 120 recipes, Nieves, Sam and Eddie will whisk you through step-by-step instructions, showing you everything, from how to make the more difficult things, such as arrocina beans with chorizo, morcilla and pork belly, to how to cook a simple but perfect tortilla.