Cook Like James

Sergi Arola Gastro - Madrid, Spain

TWO STARS, ONE INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE

  

 

Last year I was in Spain for Madrid Fusion, one of Spain's biggest gastro-festivals that included a “who’s who” of culinary heavyweights from Spain and elsewhere, including Ferran Adrià (who announced his two-year sabbatical from his famed El Bulli restaurant), Sergi Arola (in the photo below), Grant Achatz, Sergi Arola, Alain Ducasse, Cheong Liew and Mark Best.

 

While there, I enjoyed an extravagant lunch at the 2 Michelin star rated Sergi Arola Gastro (www.sergiarola.es), a top restaurant in Madrid and probably one of my best dining experiences in Spain. It is presided over by avant garde chef Sergi Arola, who enjoys a unique culinary pedigree. A disciple of Ferrán Adrià (who has redefined culinary techniques with over-the-top creations like freeze-dried foie gras, atomized martinis and edible hibiscus paper) Arola trained in Adrià’s kitchen laboratory in Barcelona, working alongside the master chef for 8 years.

 

Make sure you set aside two to three hours for this extraordinary gastronomic experience.  The menu is simplified by offering 3 “sampler” selections – a “Gastro” menu (160€) , “Sergi’s” menu (125€) and a “Basics” menu (105€).  There is an incredibly extensive wine list that features over 500 labels, mostly from small producers, which are, shockingly, all available by the glass. I was dining with two wonderful food journalists from Sydney and Singapore, and we chose the “Basics” menu – which consisted of 10 courses from the “Sergi’s” 14 course menu,.

 

Patrons are first served some “snacks”, consisting of large olives, croquetas, thin plantain chips, Arola-style spicy stuffed, potatoes and spicy tomato toasts.

 

 

This is followed by Sushi-sashimi

Marinated Hake with rice ice cream

 
 

Maki - Squid stuffed with vegetable and monkfish liver

Sausage of duck liver and sweetbreads

 
 

Baby Scallops with Creamy rice cooked with Idiazάbal cheese, bacon and asparagus

  

 

Roasted Skate with Green Lentils du Puy

 
 

 

Slow cooked Sirloin braised with turnip from la Cerdaña, carrots, and salsify

   

 

 

And finally, we chose a "light" dessert -

 

Sliced Granny Smith Apple, confit of celery, and apple and celery ice cream

And just in case that didn’t satisfy your sweet tooth, a canister full of macaroons, grated chocolate, and hard candies, was presented as a final touch.

 

  

 

I was truly inspired by the magnificent presentation and the unique combination of ingredients. If you're feeling up to the challenge, check out his recipes - http://www.madridfusion.net/chefs_detalle.php?id=0000000010#activo

 

 

Sergi Arola at work in his kitchen

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spanish Tapas Style Shrimp - Gambas al Ajillo

 

SPANISH-STYLE GARLIC SHRIMP (Gambas al Ajillo)

One of the most common "tapas" of Spain, "gambas al ajillo" requires only a few ingredients, and can be prepared fairly quickly. Be sure to serve shrimp with some good crusty bread for dipping in the delicious garlic flavored olive oil. If you’re planning a trip to Spain, here are a couple of great tapas bars near the Prado Museum - Estado Puro  http://www.tapasenestadopuro.com/#info and La Trucha - http://bit.ly/aEFfC4

Download Spanish Style Shrimp Recipe

 

14 medium garlic cloves, peeled

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

8 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 bay leaf

1 (2-inch) piece mild dried Cascabel chile, roughly broken, seeds included

1 ½ teaspoons sherry vinegar

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

1.    Mince 2 garlic cloves with a garlic press. Toss minced garlic with shrimp, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and salt in medium bowl. Let shrimp marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.

2.    Meanwhile, using flat side of chef's knife, smash 4 garlic cloves. Add remaining 6 tablespoons of olive oil and smashed garlic to 12-inch skillet and heat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until garlic is light golden brown, 4 to 7 minutes. Remove pan from heat and allow oil to cool to room temperature. Using slotted spoon, remove smashed garlic from skillet and discard.

3.    Thinly slice remaining 8 cloves garlic. Return skillet to low heat and add sliced garlic, bay leaf, and chile. Cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is tender but not browned, 4 to 7 minutes. (If garlic has not begun to sizzle after 3 minutes, increase heat to medium-low.)

4.    Over medium-low heat, add shrimp with marinade to pan in single layer. Cook shrimp, undisturbed, until oil starts to gently bubble, about 2 minutes. Using tongs, flip shrimp and continue to cook until almost cooked through, about 2 minutes longer. Increase heat to high and add sherry vinegar, lemon and parsley. Cook, stirring constantly, until shrimp are cooked through and oil is bubbling vigorously, 20 to 25 seconds. Serve immediately.

The slightly sweet Cascabel chiles

   

Adding garlic with aromatics adds intense flavor

 

The New Spanish Table Cookbook by Anya von Bremzen

A wonderful resource for anyone interested in Spanish cooking. "I doubt there's another writer—even in Spain—who knows more about the electrifying flavors of Spanish food. This stunning book is fascinating to read, with compelling recipes that make you want to rush to the market."
—Steven Raichlen, author of The Barbecue Bible and How to Grill

Buy it at Amazon
 

Tortilla de Patatas (Spanish Potato Omelet)

 

I spent an afternoon at the Escuela de Cocina Cayena in Madrid (a Cooking School)

http://www.cocina-cayena.com/Cayena/Inicio.html

They offer great cooking classes to learn how to make Spanish cuisine. I took the course in tapas and one of the recipes was for the classic Spanish Potato Omelet. They have a delicious yellow potato in Spain called Mona Lisa, that I have never found in the states. The closest would be Yukon Gold or Red Potatoes. The classes are easy to do, and everyone enjoys the finished product at the end of the class!

 

The instructor holding a "Mona Lisa" Potato

 

 

 

  

Tortilla de Patatas (Spanish Potato Omelet)

Download Tortilla de Patatas Recipe

6 large Yukon gold potatoes (in Spain they use “Mona Lisa Potatoes”)

2 red onions

5-6 eggs

Olive Oil

Sea Salt

Peel and slice potatoes into thin rounds; slice onion into thin pieces. Wash both in cold water and pat dry; set aside.

Heat 1 ½ cups olive oil over medium-low heat in a deep frying pan. Add the onions and potatoes and stir gently for 5 minutes. The mixture should not brown, just soften.

Drain mixture into a large bowl and reserve olive oil; set aside.

In small bowl, beat 5 eggs with 1 tsp of sea salt. Pour beaten eggs over potatoes mixture to cover completely. Add additional beaten egg if necessary.

Add 1 tablespoon of reserved oil to a frying pan over medium-high heat and add potato-egg mixture. When eggs are set, turn omelet over onto a plate; add a bit more oil to pan, and slide the omelet back into the pan to finish cooking the other side. Slide onto plate and serve warm or at room temperature.

 

 

 

 

  

Culinaria Spain

 

Order from Amazon -  http://bit.ly/4oZ0Fb

Check out my Spanish influenced recipes here - Spanish Cuisine

For anyone interested in Spanish cuisine, this is an excellent cookbook to own. It’s filled with wonderful regional recipes, beautiful photographs and interesting stories. I’m planning to attend Madrid Fusion 2010 - http://www.madridfusion.net/index2.php?lang=EN – so look forward to seeing more recipes from Spain.

Torrijas (Spanish French Toast)

 

Very similar to American French toast, this dish is served for dessert in Spain, especially on Sunday. Chef Sandro di Marco from the Palace Hotel in Madrid

( www.palacemadrid.com )  shared his recipe for this simple but delicious dessert.

1.    Arrange 1” thick slices of day old baguette in a single layer in large glass dish.

2.    In medium saucepan, combine:

1 cup of water

1 cup of sugar

1/2 cup of honey

2 tablespoons of lemon juice

1 cinnamon stick

 

3.    Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium low heat and let simmer for 7 minutes and slightly thickened. Remove the cinnamon stick and allow to cool.

4.    Beat 4 eggs with 1 Tablespoon water in shallow dish and set aside

5.    Mix together in heavy saucepan over medium heat and stir until sugar is dissolved and milk is hot:

2 cups milk

¼ cup sugar

Peel of 1 lemon

1 cinnamon stick

 

6.    Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large griddle to medium heat (or 350 degrees on electric griddle).

7.    Pour warm milk over baguette slices. Dip each slice into egg wash and drop onto hot skillet. Cook until golden brown, adding more oil as needed, about 2-3 minutes per side. Arrange on serving platter and pour honey syrup over bread slices and serve.

 

 

  

 

  

The Palace Hotel - Madrid, Spain

 

   

La Rotonda Restaurant at The Palace Hotel

 

 

Croquetas de Jamon - Spanish Ham Croquettes

 

The Palace Hotel in Madrid (www.palacemadrid.com)  has become a home away from home in Spain. I was first introduced to it by artist and photographer Christopher Makos (http://www.makostudio.com) who has been staying there for nearly 20 years.  On my most recent visit, Chef Sandro Di Marco of the Palace was kind of enough to share his recipe for Croquetas de Jamon. Croquetas are found in nearly every restaurant in Spain.

You can make them with ham, fish, chicken, or spinach, and they are easy freeze (just make the dough ahead of time and freeze it. Then, take the "croquetas" out of the freezer, coat and pop them into the frying pan)

Croquetas de Jamon - Spanish Ham Croquettes

 Download Croquetas de Jamon

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup finely minced onions

1/4 cup flour

1 1/2 cups hot milk

Salt and black pepper

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

12 ounces finely chopped Spanish ham (Jamon Serrano)

2 eggs, mixed with 1 tablespoon water

1 cup dry bread crumbs

2 tablespoons flour

Olive oil for frying (not extra virgin)

Instructions 

1.    1. Preheat the fryer. 

2.    2. In a large saute pan, melt the butter. When the butter is melted, add the onions and saute for about 2 minutes, or until translucent and soft. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the flour to make a roux. Cook for about 1 minute and remove from the heat.

3.    3. Whisk in the milk to form a smooth sauce. Return to medium heat and cook until the sauce is very thick and creamy. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in the ham. Mix well and cook for 4 to 5 minutes on low heat. 

      4. Pour the mixture into a glass  baking pan and cool in the refrigerator so that the mixture will be easy to handle. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours or until well chilled. 

      5. In a small mixing bowl, beat the eggs with water until frothy and pour into a medium bowl. Combine the bread crumbs and flour in a second bowl. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. 

      6. Using your hands, shape the ham mixture into a log about 3/4-inch thick. Using a knife, cut the logs into 1 1/2-inch thick. Dip the logs in the egg wash, letting the excess drip off. Roll the logs in the seasoned bread crumbs. Place the logs on a baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the logs for 2 to 3 hours. 

      7. Fry the croquettes in the hot oil (about 360 degrees), a few at a time, until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the croquettes from the oil and drain on a paper-lined plate. Season the croquettes with salt and pepper. Serve the croquettes with fresh lemon juice and garnish with parsley

Yield: 2 dozen

  

Adding the warm milk to the roux

  

Stirring in the ham

  Spreading out the batter to cool

  

Chef Sandro rolls out the dough

   

The croquetas are dipped in egg wash and then in flour and bread crumbs

 

Fried gently until golden brown

  

Casa Lucio Madrid, Spain

 

Casa Lucio is one the most famous restaurants in Madrid. The PR Director at the Palace Hotel told me that if you have not eaten at Casa Lucio, then you have not really been to Madrid. I went with my friend Raul Olivo and he insisted that we try one of their signature dishes - Eggs with French Fries called “huevos estrellados”, literally "broken eggs" mixed with potatoes. It's simple, and simply delicious.

The atmosphere is completely authentic and charming. Cured hams hang from hand-hewn beams above a well-oiled wood bar. Among the clientele is a stable of sometimes surprisingly well-known public figures – even members of Spain’s royal family. This is where Laura Bush lunched with Queen Sofía during a state visit to Spain.

It’s always crowded it can be difficult to get a table, but well worth the effort. Prime seating is on the first floor, and Lucio himself will honor some guests with a visit.

http://www.casalucio.es

A house specialty - Huevos Estrellados

Huevos Estrellados - Eggs with Potatoes

1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes (2 medium), cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 1/4 teaspoons sea salt 

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil or peanut oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter 

3 -4 farm fresh eggs, seperated

Ground black pepper 

Instructions

1.    Place diced potatoes in large saucepan, cover with 1/2 inch water, add 1 teaspoon salt, and place over high heat. As soon as water begins to boil, about 6 minutes, drain potatoes thoroughly in colander.

2.    Heat butter and oil in heavy 12” skillet over medium-high heat until butter foams. Add potatoes and shake skillet to evenly distribute potatoes in single layer; make sure that one side of each piece is touching surface of skillet. Cook without stirring until potatoes are golden brown on bottom, about 4 to 5 minutes, then carefully turn potatoes with wooden spatula. Spread potatoes in single layer in skillet again and repeat process until potatoes are tender and browned on most sides, turning three to four times, 10 to 15 minutes longer.

3.    Pour in egg whites and stir for 5 -10 seconds, until whites are billowy. Turn off the heat and stir in yolks until done to your liking. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a plate (or the heat from the pan will keep cooking the eggs) and serve immediately.

Spanish Gazpacho

 

This is a photo of the Gazpacho served at Mesón de Cándido in Segovia, Spain.

http://www.mesondecandido.es/ingles.html. Traditionally, the Gazapacho is served with garnishes made from the same ingredients in the gazpacho.

 

Segovia is also know for its incredible roast suckling pig. It's an easy day trip from Madrid, and the Mesón de Cándido is just steps from the incredible Roman Aqueducts.

 

Gazpacho

3 slices day old French bread, crusts removed

2 pounds vine-ripe medium tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped

2 small Kirby cucumbers, coarsely chopped

2 red or yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped (such as Vidalia, Maui, or Walla Walla)  

2 garlic cloves, chopped

3 cups tomato juice

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon Spanish paprika

2 tsp. Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup sherry wine vinegar

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped

1/2 lemon, juiced

Garnishes:

•Chopped tomato

•Chopped cucumber

•Chopped bell pepper

•Chopped onion

•Croutons from day old french bread

•Lemon wedges

Directions

Soak the bread in 1 cup of water for 5 minutes, and then squeeze out the excess water. Place the bread in a blender or food processor; add the tomatoes, cucumbers, bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Puree the ingredients until almost smooth, leaving a little texture. Pour the vegetable mixture into a large bowl; stir in the tomato juice, sugar, paprika, salt, pepper, vinegar, oil, parsley, and lemon juice until well combined. Cover tightly and refrigerate to blend flavors, at least 4 hours and up to 2 days; the flavors will develop as it sits. Season the gazpacho again with salt and pepper to taste before serving. Serve in chilled bowls or tureen and top with desired garnishes and extra virgin olive oil.

 

Segovia Aqueduct

http://www.spain.info/TourSpain/Arte%20y%20Cultura/Monumentos/H/RP/0/Acueducto%20de%20Segovia?Language=EN