Recipes from the Spanish Kitchen

Book excerpt: Learn to make the dishes of Spain, and get a taste of its unique culture and history. This blend of cookbook and travelogue focuses on the traditional cooking of Spain. It starts with a journey through the country, region by region—followed by chapters on tapas, salads, soups, vegetables, eggs, rice, sauces, fish and shellfish, meat, poultry, and game, and puddings. With vibrant flavors and uncomplicated ingredients, Spanish cuisine has its roots firmly in home cooking and has developed out of the ingenious use of local raw ingredients: olives, almonds, saffron, garlic, paprika—together with magnificent fish, shellfish, and charcuterie. The author’s enthusiasm for Spanish cooking permeates every page as he explores his favorite dishes, the culture and history behind them, and how best to recreate them. Their origins lie in the authentic cuisine of the Spanish cities, towns and countryside. From the bustling capital Madrid and Basque seaside towns to rustic Andalucia, he highlights the pillars of Spanish cooking, and the culture in which the food is grown, prepared, and eaten.