Description
Stein, Rick. Rick Stein's Spain: 140 new recipes inspired by my journey off the beaten track. BBC Books: London, UK 2011. 4to HC 320pp.
Jacket/Flap
Nostalgic for his childhood holidays and the unforgettable simply prepared food he enjoyed there, Rick Stein has wanted to rediscoveer Spain for a long time.
In this beautiful cookbook to accompany his journey off the beaten track, Rick has created over 140 mouthwatering recipes that capture the flavours of Spain today. Illustrated with outstanding photography of the Spanish regions, their local people and diverse food traditions and brought to life with vivid anecodtes from Rick's travels, this evocative book will appeal to food lovers and conjure up images of vibrant Spanish holidays.
'In the north, in what they call Green Spain, I think of hake cooked in fragrant albarino wine or the cheerful acidity of Asturian cider, freshly aerated from being poured from a great height. In the Basque country, I love the scent of charcoal on the rib of beef chops they grill rare for you. In contrast, in the hot and dry south, there are the reds and yellows of the Spanish flag everywhere: the strong red wine for Rioja, the warm smoky red of pimenton, the deep red of iberico ham. You realise that the heart of Spanish food lies in the simplicity of the cooking and their belief in the quality of raw materials.'
'As an eight-year-old I had cuttlefish stewed in its own ink with garlic and tomato and I still remember it. Spanish cooking has been for me over the years a memory of simple but completely satisfying flavours. It's a memory of happy times in Spain tied in with thoughts of old cathedrals, vast horizons and fishing boats somewhere in the Mediterranean unloading wooden boxes of dark red prawns'
Our Review
Released in the UK to coincide with the release of his new 4 part BBC series on regional Spain, this is for our money - a worthy book! While we wait for the series down under (apparently early 2012 - and possibly earlier if you can find the DVD) there is plenty to cook from this book.
Normally we are cautious about TV/Book adaptations, but there's something about Rick - maybe we fell in love with his dog Chalky - maybe its his uncomplicated honest outlook - maybe its his love of sustainable and local produce that forms the basis for the local, simple cuisine he loves to cook - whatever it is, we can't help but get excited about another Rick Stein book!
Most people associate Rick with seafood recipes, and there are a good few in this book - but the heart of the book is Spanish regional cuisine - both traditional and contemporary. Some dishes are Rick's interpretation and others come from the people he meets during his travels. Many will surprise as he has made an effort to 'get off the beaten track' and whilst the obvious recipes are included, there are many that are interesting. Our list of recipes to make is already long: Fresh Broad Beans with Black Sausage & Garlic Shoots; Pot-roasted Chicken with Chorizo, Leeks & Cider; Pearl Barley Stew with Morcilla, Bacon & Wild Fennel; Pork in Almond Sauce; Veal Pork, Serrano Ham & Porcini Mushroom Cannelloni - to name just a few.
The book is filled with large rich photographs, but for us, after the recipes, its Rick's text that is most rewarding, In an age where some publishers often take the adage 'a picture is worth a 1000 words' as a reason to cut the text in a cookbook to an absurd minimalist position, Rick continues to provide thoughtful, enriching introductions to most of his recipes. Perhaps because the book is a companion to the series where he is talking to us on camera, the book feels personal, conversational, almost 'in camera'.
There is a useful glossary of ingredients, cheeses, cooking implements and basic recipes as well as a directory of suppliers (including a number of Australian & New Zealand suppliers).
If you like Rick Stein, you'll love this. If you cook from Movida, Moro, or love bold Mediterranean flavours, you'll find something to cook. Armchair travellers will also be rewarded.
More Info
In his beautifully designed and illustrated cookbook to accompany a major BBC2, 4-part series, Rick has selected over 140 recipes that capture the authentic taste of contemporary Spain. With over 100 location and recipe photographs, this is an essential book for food-lovers as well as a stunning culinary guide to a diverse country.
'I've wanted to make a series in Spain for a long time. I love Spanish food, I’ve been going there since I was a young boy - but until quite recently I don't think people really took the food seriously. Thanks to a handful of really dedicated Spanish chefs and a growing enthusiasm for its rugged flavours, that has all begun to change. To me the underlying point of journeying to Spain would be to discover the 'duende' in the cooking. By that I mean a sense of soul, of authenticity. The word is normally used in flamenco but I think it could be equally applied to the art of Spanish cooking because to my mind, in really good food, there is a communication between the cook and diner that amounts to art.' Rick Stein
Author Bio
Rick Stein OBE (1947- ) is one of Britain's favourite cookery writers and chefs. In 2004 he was named the BBC Food Personality of the Year at the BBC Radio Food and Farming Awards for his Food Heroes television series.
He is well known for his seafood restaurants in Cornwall and Australia and as a BBC TV presenter. His early TV work was mostly about fish but more recently his shows have been food/travelogue shows exploring various regional cuisines.
Rick Stein owns The Seafood Restaurant in Padstow, Cornwall, which every year attracts thousands of fish lovers from Britain and abroad. He also runs the highly acclaimed Padstow Seafood School, two smaller restaurants, St. Petroc's Bistro and Rick Stein's Cafe, a deli and a fish-and-chip takeaway. Rick also owns Bannisters in Mollymook, Australia.
Rick was awarded his OBE in 2003 for services to tourism.
