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Perhaps the first cookbook of vegan recipes from Spain is aptly titled Vegan Recipes from Spain. Chef and author Gonzalo Baró embarks on a challenge to concoct vegan dishes from the land of ham and fish and cheese and calls upon both traditional and contemporary Spanish gastronomy for the recipes included. But, he most relies on his own creativity. From an interview with the chef:
I think creativity was the most significant element in the elaboration process, and the one that brought me the most headaches, given that I found myself in absolutely new territory. If I’m not mistaken, I think that this is the first book of vegan Spanish recipes ever published. Good ideas and inspirations almost never come when you sit down at the table with paper and a pen. I frequently came up with ideas at the most unexpected moments – while in the bathtub, or first thing in the morning. As with other European cuisines, animal products have an important presence in the Spanish recipe book, which is why the creative process was such an important part of writing this book. How do you manage to capture a country’s gastronomy without using meat, fish, eggs and dairy products, and also without losing its soul. It is no small task.
Read more at Foods & Wines from Spain.
Available for pre-order now.
PTX Lounge is a new bar with a vintage nautical theme in Cranston, RI well worth a visit. From Jamie Coelho for Rhode Island Monthly:
PTX Lounge has an underwater atmosphere, like you’re submerged in a submarine or on a ship in the middle of the ocean. A deconstructed kayak on the left wall looks like an aesthetically pleasing shipwreck, while a giant round part of a ship serves as a conversation piece behind the bar.
And there's a magnificent mermaid on the side of the place. Stop in for craft cocktails, tinned seafood, and to see the mermaid in person, obviously.
Read more at Rhode Island Monthly.
photo credit: PTX Lounge Instagram
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It's reasonable to assume people have been mashing avocado onto toast for eons. If you have both available in the morning, it's just sensible to combine them for a nice quick meal. But, it hasn't been until recently that avocado toast has become a breakout superstar of the breakfast scene, to the point of having multiple New Yorker articles touching on the subject. You know you've made it as a breakfast food when this happens. As Nathan Heller states in one such article, "it is the ultimate cosmopolitan food, a dish for familiar pursuits in unfamiliar settings". Don't let the doubters fool you, avocado toast in all it's variations is here to stay.
What's one such variation? Top your avocado toast with sardines as directed below. With a simple sherry dressing and the added protein it's quite a good one; you can charge everyone at the breakfast table as much as you'd like.
Total Time: 10-15 minutes. Makes about 4 montaditos or 2 superior sandwiches, if that's the way you want to go.
1. Drain the oil from one tin of sardines into a small bowl and set aside. This will come into play momentarily. Wait for it.
2. Drain the oil from that other tin into yet another bowl and mix in one tablespoon of parsley, vinegar, lemon zest, and black pepper, then add the sardines from both tins and let sit. Again, wait for it.
3. Continue to wait for it.
4. Leap into action. That first bowl of drained olive oil comes back with a vengeance. Coat your sliced bread in it and broil that crackling, crusty bread until golden brown.
5. Mash and spread avocado onto the toast and top it with the sardine mixture.
6. Garnish with remaining parsley and season with sea salt and a squeeze of lemon. Savor every bite.
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Recipe from Alton Brown found on seriouseats.com
The Interprofesional del Aceite de Oliva Español, working with Héctor Henche, creative director of the consulting firm Fizz Bartenders and a barman of renown in Spain answers the question above with a resounding, yes.
From Foods and Wines from Spain:
The idea was to create original cocktails that would highlight the different personalities of Spanish extra virgin olive oil. From the start this proposal was, at the very least, an amazingly ambitious one. I spoke to Héctor Henche about this experience, starting off with a question as basic as it was necessary to ask. What does Spanish EVOO contribute to the incredibly creative world of mixology? “Olive oil lends us significant doses of flavor, texture, shine... as well as originality. There are two keys: Spanish extra virgin olive oil has a silky texture and sheen that infuses our cocktails with vibrancy.”
If you fancy yourself a skillful and experimental bartender, let us know what you come up with in your cocktail laboratory.
Straight from the tin, the simplest of all tapas, cockles will still impress. Harvested off the coast of Galicia in northwest Spain where conditions are ideal for producing sweet and delicate mollusks such as these.
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The first in our recommended reading list of books that will stoke your desire for Spain or food or just a cracking story well-told, is Michael Paterniti's THE TELLING ROOM. A work of literary non-fiction, it's a book about a cheese so spectacular it induces a state of reverie upon tasting it, yes. But, it's more a book about an impossible character, Ambrosio Molinos de Las Heras, the man responsible for recreating a long-lost family recipe for this cheese of dreams that brings "... a moment of pure, gustatory pleasure..."; the mystery of how it all goes wrong; and the power of stories.
The author himself becomes entangled in the tale, moving his young family to Ambrosio's tiny village of Guzmán, Spain in pursuit of a new, old-way of life and to uncover the truth of the treachery at the heart of the story.
But, the story is always changing.
The book's title comes from a cave carved into a hillside overlooking the town, where a timeworn door opens onto a small room containing only a wooden table and two benches. Here, in "the telling room", Ambrosio and his family convene in the evenings to sustain themselves with cheese, wine, and stories. Paterniti first encounters the enormous cheesemaker in this place where fact and fiction intertwine. Along with the extraordinary cheese he's treated to an hours-long history of love, betrayal, and revenge that inspires him to write the memoir, travelogue, mystery, adventure that is this enthralling book.
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Pintxos are perfect for any party. This pintxo in particular is the easiest to prepare. All the work has been done; olives and peppers and onions and gherkins have already been skewered so you can spend ample amount of time taking part in the revelry you've created.
Total Time: 1 minute or so, depending on your strength and the ease with which you open the jar.
1. Open the jar of banderillas and place them on a plate in the style of your choosing. Job done. Now, partake in the food and drink you've prepared for the evening's gathering. Converse with friends and family in the convivial atmosphere. Share a laugh and lighthearted banter as the sun sets. Lose track of time. The soft glow of the string of lights surrounding the patio illuminates all late into night. Ruminate on topics trivial and universal. Even if answers remain elusive, find a greater understanding of each other. Banderillas are great.
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Sear the small squid (chipirones rellenos) over high heat, and place them atop the previously made pisto (full recipe in this previously posted post).
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Spanish pisto is a ratatouille-esque dish, often served topped with a fried egg or manchego cheese. Here you'll only find vegetables, sautéed simply with olive oil and tomato sauce, for a healthy, vegan-friendly offering that will impress all of your friends. Crusty bread is an appropriate accompaniment. The combination is a mouth-watering, savory classic.
Total Time: 20-30 minutes or so, after all the chopping and sautéing. Makes about 2 servings.
1. Dice all the vegetables. Add other vegetables if you have some you'd like to be included. Dice those, too.
2. Steam or boil or fry the zucchini while you heat some olive oil in a pan and add the diced vegetables; sautée for about 10 minutes and add salt to taste.
3. Add the tomato sauce and zucchini to all those vegetables and continue to cook for another 10 minutes.
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Recipe adapted from the Simple Vegan Blog.
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When the weather turns warm, perhaps you make the transition to iced coffee for your morning cup. Consider now a similar option for your soup consumption: gazpacho. The chilled soup, originating in Andalusia, is the ideal concoction to combat the heat of the afternoon sun in southern Spain or wherever you may find yourself in this world.
The version attempted here is all fresh vegetables and ripe tomato, accentuated by olive oil and sherry vinegar in a flavorful emulsion. For a creamier consistency than what you see here, use additional olive oil and put everything through a more vigorous blending experience.
Total Time: 20 minutes-ish of activity, additional 30 minutes of free time. Makes about 4 servings.
1. Cut and chop away at the cucumber, red bell pepper, tomatoes, shallot, and garlic. Place some of the pieces of cucumber and pepper aside for serving. Add all the other bits to a large bowl.
2. To that bowl add sherry vinegar and a tablespoon of salt, mixing everything about, and let it sit for 30 minutes to meld flavors. Use this time for any purpose, be it utterly necessary or completely frivolous.
3. Pour the bowl's contents and all the juices into a blender or food processor. With the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil and a few pinches of salt. Continue to drizzle until you've reached the desired creaminess.
4. Strain the mixture through a sieve and push all the liquid through with a spatula (it should be noted, the above example did not go through this full process; next time). Discard any remaining solids and transfer the liquid to a pitcher or bowl. Allow to cool for at least an hour, or overnight, if you're ahead of the game.
5. To serve, divide amongst bowls and top with pieces of cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, chives or cilantro, another drizzle of olive oil, cracked black pepper, and piment d'Espelette.
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Recipe adapted from Bon Appétit.
Towards Old Town in Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain. We try, if only for a moment, to transport you there through food.
