The Basque Book: A Love Letter in Recipes from the Kitchen of Txikito

Going to a farmer’s market is always an adventure. I never make a list as you never know for sure what foods might be there. This is my favorite way to shop, on the fly if you will. Last week-end I picked up some leeks, artichokes, green onions, red onions and zucchini. Once home I scanned the pages of my newest cookbook, The Basque Book: A Love Letter in Recipes from the Kitchen of Txikito, and oh my goodness there are so many great recipes.

Let’s start at the beginning shall we. The landscape picture on the cover is just what one would expect to see if visiting the region, see picture above. The introduction talks about the authors, how they met and about the Basque culture. The next chapter is on the basics, techniques and ingredients. Then instead of the traditional set-up of chapters, starters, breakfast and so on, you get small plates, kitchen garden, eggs, cod, soups and stews, gathering and entertaining, sweets and beverages. I felt this cookbook was authentic in the sense that a single ingredient, one for example a leek can be the star of a dish. It’s simple cooking, but slow and thoughtful.

One of the many recipes that appealed to me was the artichokes with lima beans and Spanish ham. Now I knew I could not immediately get my hands on the lima beans or ham in this small rural community that we are living in. But I did have the fresh baby artichokes. In this recipe the artichokes are simmered in a gentle bath of olive oil until they are tender. Which was exactly what I did. My husband declared this an amazing way to prepare this obscure little vegetable which I served with a small green salad.

The second dish I prepared was the classic Spanish tortilla which is very similar to a frittata. Here eggs, potatoes and red onions are combined and poured into a non-stick pan. The technique for turning the tortilla is very interesting. When the egg mixture has set a plate is inverted over the pan and then the pan and plate are flipped together, this is done three times to get the right look. This is one method that I will need to practice, see broken omelet in picture below. Next on my list is to make the pureed leek and onion soup.

This cookbook is filled with a treasure trove of wonderful recipes and most with some sort of story behind it. A welcome addition for anyone that loves to cook for family and friends.

“I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review.”