Bowers Jenny - Basque: Spanish recipes from San Sebastián & beyond

Rarely does the character, love and care of the chef translate so well into therestaurant, food and into his books. As soon as I saw this book I started lookingfor a gap in my diary to get to the Basque Country. I think that shows the effectit had on me. Daniel Doherty

Jos Pizarro has brought us the best from San Sebastin the prime destinationof food lovers from all over the world, where the Basque nueva cocina was born andwhere the lively tapas bars are one of the attractions. Claudia Roden

When it comes to capturing the flavours of Spain, Jos does it so well, and so naturally!Monica Galetti

A must-buy book by a great spanish cook. James Martin

The area of the Basque Country is incredibly proud of its food heritage and whobetter to write about its fantastic recipes than the man with the knowledge, pedigreeand heritage of Jos Pizarro. Tom Kerridge

Basque cookery is all about flavours. Jos is the master of the regional cuisinewith flair. Pierre Koffmann

Pizarro is part of a very intimate group of chefs who have made Spanish food inthis country as good as you get anywhere in Spain. Angela Hartnett

Basque cuisine is an important cultural pillar of a people with a passion for food.They have written many lines about how they understand Basque cuisine, but it's alwaysexciting to see a great cook such as Jos, with his passion and wisdom, translatingthat passion into a universal language for everyone to enjoy. Andoni Luis Aduriz,Mugaritz

Jos is one of those very rare individuals whose food truly reflects him as a man.His food is honest and full of passion. Its a pleasure to call him a peer and afriend. Tom Sellers

The Basque region is the most food-obsessed part of a food-obsessed country, andwho better to help us recreate its edible treasures than Jos Pizarro? Beautifuland unmissable for anyone who has ever delighted in a greedy stroll round San Sebastin.Marina OLoughlin

I have long been riveted by the food of the Basque country I cannot imagine anyoneId rather read exploring those incredible flavours. Pizarro is the master of Spanishfood. Thomasina Miers

Joss Basque recipes are as close as you will get to having the master himselfat your side, sharing his secrets and encouraging you to prepare and cook some ofthe tastiest food on earth. Chris Galvin

To Mum and Dad, for teaching me the love of food, and for everything else.

Also, to Peter, for your love, patience and support. Without you, this would nothave been possible.

CONTENTS

It always gives me the greatest pleasure to write a book introduction for a fellowchef. I love that intimate, special insight it brings with it for me to get to knowfirst-hand everything about his cooking, his recipes, his culinary secrets secretsthat in truth are becoming fewer and fewer in a world that shows less restraint thanever. In this case, it is particularly exciting to write my foreword about a newwork from that culinary conqueror, as this good man from Extremadura surely is, ofthe hearts and stomachs of the United Kingdom.

I speak about my good friend and excellent chef Jos Pizarro. It is a curious coincidencethat we both came to the kitchen from other professions. I left my studies in technicalarchitecture (much to the chagrin of my mother) to embrace the hard effort and sacrifices,but also excitement and stimuli, of a lifetime of cooking, with a timely transferto the School of Hospitality in Madrid.

Jos was studying to be a dental technician. He finished his studies, but then realisedthat he had forsaken his vocation for gastronomy and did a year at the hotel schoolof Cceres before beginning work in a restaurant from his area. Later I met him atthe Mesn de Doa Filo de Julio Reoyo, where he began as he himself confessed, Tofind a new kitchen where my love of fresh ingredients, full of flavour and colour,began to be reflected in my dishes.

Now, Jos is at the spearhead of the most interesting Hispanic cuisine in London.I have a healthy and unconcealed pride in the theme that he has developed in thisnew work, which has at its centre the Basque Country and, of course, prominentlymy home Donostia (San Sebastin).

Pintxos, cider, wonderful markets, not to mention the distinguished fish, are allemblematic of this area. There are stellar restaurants, but also homey food and,of course, the gastronomic societies.

Jos has shipped a bit of everything into his book to unveil the versatile personalityof Basque cooking and its amazing influence on world cuisine.

Juan Mari Arzak, Chef, Arzak

When I sat down with Kate, my publisher, and Holly, my agent, to talk about my newbook, we decided that writing a book dedicated to one region in Spain that meanta lot to me, would be a really interesting way to go. I love the Basque Country.This book is all about the food, of course, but its the people as well. Im fromExtremadura, a region that will always be at my heart, but I feel very much at homein the Basque Country too.

This book is not just about recipes from the Basque Country, it is about all of thewonderful ingredients you can find there, cooked in my style. Its also about myexperiences there, time that I have spent eating, talking and having an incredibletime.

I love to go to San Sebastin, not just to eat in the city that has more three-starMichelin restaurants than anywhere else in Europe, but to walk around the Old Townand visit street after street of glorious pintxos bars. Yes, the Basque Country hasa reputation for culinary innovation and modern techniques, but its history and traditionsgo far back, and the celebration of these can be seen every day on the streets ofSan Sebastin and across the whole region.

For people from the Basque Country, food is the most important thing. Its sharingbig plates of food around the table, its celebrating happy occasions, its a wayof life. As much as I like visiting my friends in their Michelin kitchens, whereI am always bowled over by their creativity, what I love is simple food, good ingredientssourced locally wherever possible, cooked with little fuss.

The recipes in Basque are a reflection of what I want to eat at home and the wayI cook for family and friends. I want to show you not just some of the most popularand traditional dishes from the region, but also the quality and diversity of theingredients that you can find there. The recipes have been inspired by what Iveseen, what Ive learnt, the people Ive met and the respect they have for food. Farfrom being a lesson, I want you to pick up this book, feel inspired to cook fromit and be really proud of what you can do.

Youll see that Ive given the recipes the title of either Pintxos or At the Table.This is to give you some serving suggestions pintxos being small tapas plates,and At the Table recipes being larger, main dishes. Use these recipes in the waythat suits you best. Sometimes I just think anything goes!