José Pizarro - Andalusia: Recipes from Seville and beyond

I would like to dedicate this book to everyone in the UK who has extended the hand of friendship, made me feel welcome, and helped me to integrate my cultural identity. My heart is now here with the British people and, without a doubt, London is my home. This has been my home now for twenty years, and it has been the most incredible time, so thank you all. Thank you also to everyone I have met in my twenty-five years as a chef, and to my mum, Isabel, my soulmate, Peter, and all of my family and friends. Contents As the southernmost region of Spain, Andalusia, with its wealth of fertile farmland, vertiginous mountain ranges and rugged yet abundant coastline, is one of the most gastronomically unique, and rich, areas of the country. I have travelled here more times than I can remember; from my very first childhood holidays at the beach, to explorations of the restaurants of Seville and beyond.

During the research of this book, I learnt so much about the culture and its strong Moorish and Roman heritage, which you see reflected in everything from architecture to everyday food. But I learned a lot about the people, too it seems to me that everyone is always happy, and most have an incredible sense of humour! The wonderful light and good weather have an effect on the mood, of course, but I tend to think it has something to do with the unquestionably good food, too. Andalusian cuisine is dictated by the fish in the sea, the animals in the fields and the wilds of the mountains, and the fruit and vegetables grown in orchards and gardens. Divided into eight provinces, each has its own traditional dishes and desserts, and in many cases, their own claim to the recipes that have made the region famous. My aim is to take you on an amazing journey, from the beaches of the south west to the desert in Almera, and across the historical cities, beautiful mountain ranges and hidden towns cooking incredible food along the way.

Eating happy, healthy, free-range animals is of paramount importance in Andalusia; in this region, you can find dehesas woodlands where Ibrico pigs eat acorns that have fallen from the trees and roam freely for many kilometres every day.

The charcuterie and meat, jamn Ibrico, is renowned for its high-quality fat. Walking around the dehesas in Crdoba and Huelva, observing how these animals live, is one of the things that relaxes me the most. Due to the varied climate, a result of the mountain ranges, the area also has great game, and I really enjoy cooking with it. Slow-cooked oxtail This is one of the most traditional dishes in Seville, and youll be able to find it in restaurants all over the city, but particularly in places near the bullfighting ring. I use Palo Cortado sherry in a lot of recipes instead of red wine, as I find its flavour richer and deeper. I love this type of sherry so much, I have produced my own, and I even recently visited my good friends at Moser Glassworks in the Czech Republic to design my own sherry glass.

When I was there, I was blown away by their passion and dedication to their craft. Every single piece is made by hand using traditional methods that are hundreds of years old, much like the art of producing sherry making them perfect partners. Serves 4 with leftovers for 2 tablespoons lard or Ibrico pork fat 2 kg (4 lb 6 oz) oxtail, cut into large chunks sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 onion, chopped 1 carrot, chopped 1 celery stalk, chopped 2 tablespoons tomato pure 1 teaspoon sweet smoked pimentn de la Vera 1 teaspoon hot smoked pimentn de la Vera 200 ml (7 fl oz/ cup) Palo Cortado sherry 400 g (14 oz) tin chopped tomatoes 1 litre (34 fl oz/4 cups) chicken stock To serve bread, chips and a nice bottle of red or Palo Cortado sherry In a heavy-based, lidded saucepan or casserole dish, warm 1 tablespoon of the lard over a medium-high heat, until melted. Meanwhile, season the oxtail with salt and pepper. When the lard is hot, add the meat to the saucepan, brown on all sides, then remove and set aside. Reduce the heat to medium and melt the rest of the lard in the saucepan.

Fry the onion, carrot and celery, until softened but not browned, around 58 minutes. Stir in the tomato pure and both types of pimentn and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant. Add the sherry with the browned oxtail and simmer to reduce it by half, about 510 minutes. Pour in the chopped tomatoes and stock, bring to a boil, then turn down to a gentle simmer. Cook, covered, for 2 hours, then remove the lid and cook for a further 3040 minutes to reduce the braising liquid.

Oxtail croquetas At the restaurants, we are always experimenting with croquetas, trying to come up with different flavours and textures. Oxtail croquetas At the restaurants, we are always experimenting with croquetas, trying to come up with different flavours and textures.

By far the best results seem to come from using leftovers and this is a perfect example. Makes 24 250 g (9 oz) teaspoon hot smoked pimentn de la Vera teaspoon tomato pure sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 400 ml (13 fl oz/1 cups) whole (full-fat) milk 100 ml (3 fl oz/ cup) strong beef stock 80 g (2 oz) butter 75 g (2 oz/generous cup) plain (all-purpose) flour 50 g (1 oz/ cup) hazelnuts or walnuts, finely ground 2 large free-range eggs, beaten 125 g (4 oz/1 cups) dry breadcrumbs olive oil or sunflower oil, for deep-frying Shred the cooked oxtail in a bowl and mix with the hot smoked pimentn and tomato pure. Check the seasoning, adjusting if necessary and set aside. To make the bchamel, warm the milk and stock together in a saucepan over a medium heat. In a separate saucepan, melt the butter over a medium heat, stir in the flour and cook for 23 minutes, until the mixture starts to brown. Stir in the ground nuts, turn the heat down slightly and add the milk and stock little by little, stirring continuously and pouring in more as it thickens, until you have a smooth and silky bchamel sauce.

Add the shredded oxtail mixture and stir well to combine. Season generously with salt and pepper. Spread the mixture onto a shallow tray and press a sheet of cling film (plastic wrap) over the top to stop a skin from forming. Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours, until firm. Lightly grease your hands with olive oil or water and roll the mixture into 30 g (1 oz) balls. If they are a little soft, put them on a tray in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up.