ADVANCE PRAISE FOR FLAVORS OF AL-ANDALUS-

 "This is a fascinating book about history but not stuck in time. Janet is a time traveler, telling us stories about the past but always making them relevant, bringing the world of al-Andalus—a region very close to my heart—to our kitchens today."

--Chef José Andrés

I am so honored to receive these words, an advance review of my book, FLAVORS OF AL-ANDALUS, from José Andrés, chef, restaurateur, humanitarian, and friend. They will appear on the back cover of the book along with brief reviews from other writers on food and history. 

FLAVORS OF AL-ANDALUS, The Culinary Legacy of Spain (back cover)

José Andrés, a Spanish-born chef who has restaurants all across the United States, is founder of  World Central Kitchen, a non-profit organization that provides food relief in disaster areas. 

I am grateful to all those who took the time to read the advance release of FLAVORS OF AL-ANDALUS and pass along their thoughtful comments. I especially appreciate the praise from Nawal Nasrullah, whose English translation of a 13th century Andalusí cookbook by Ibn Razīn al-Tujībī, was one of my primary references in writing this book. The beautiful photo of the Alhambra, Granada, the last of the fabulous palaces of the Andalusí era, is by Julio Sevillano. 

In FLAVORS OF AL-ANDALUS I didn’t set out to recreate those 13th century recipes, but rather to track their legacy in the cooking of today. The 120 recipes in the book are dishes you might find in modern-day Spain, in a tapas bar in Sevilla, at a village fiesta, or on the dinner table in a pueblo home. It is the story of the Muslim influence on the cooking of Spain today.

This following recipe from Granada is a garlicky stew that is usually made with kid-goat.  A dish of Morisco heritage, it's what I always ordered at a venta on the road to the Sierra Nevada (Granada). The Moriscos were former Muslims who stayed on in their towns and villages, keeping their language, religious practices, mode of dress, and food customs after the fall in 1492 of the last Muslim kingdom of Granada. 

The principal change to the recipe in the ensuing centuries has been the addition of dried red peppers and pimentón. Here’s the Andalusí version.

Lamb Riblets in Garlicky Sauce

Carne en Ajillo a la Moruna

The Morisco influence is still very strong in the cooking of upland areas of Granada and Almería. The Muslims of al-Andalus did not use much garlic in their cooking, as the Prophet Mohammed instructed followers not to eat garlic before entering the mosque. However, since neighboring Jews and Christians cooked with a lot of garlic, Muslims gradually acquired a taste for it—another instance of the culinary fusion of the era. 

Ajillo means “a little garlic.” In Spanish, the diminutive also denotes affection or, tongue in cheek, the opposite of “small.” Sometimes using “just a little garlic,” actually means it’s lots and lots! Most recipes cooked “al ajillo” are simply food sautéed in olive oil with lots of garlic, whole or chopped cloves like the famous tapa gambas al ajillo, shrimp sizzled in oil with garlic. Here fried garlic is crushed with almonds to make a flavorful sauce. 

In the traditional version, the lean, tender meat from kid-goat (choto, chivo, cabrito) is hacked into pieces, bones and all. A good substitute is lamb riblets or even small lamb chops.

Serves 4.

2 pounds lamb riblets

Salt

¼ cup olive oil

4 garlic cloves

¼ cup blanched and skinned almonds

1 slice bread, crusts removed 

½ teaspoon coarse salt

¼ teaspoon peppercorns

1 clove

¼ teaspoon saffron threads

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ cup white wine

2 inch cinnamon stick

1 bay leaf

Parsley to garnish

Pomegranate arils to garnish (optional)

Sprinkle the meat with salt and let it come to room temperature.

Heat the oil in a cazuela or large skillet. Add 3 cloves of unpeeled garlic. When they begin to sizzle, add the almonds and bread. Fry until they are lightly browned on both sides. Skim out the garlics, almonds and bread.

Place the pieces of meat in the oil on medium heat and fry them slowly, turning to brown on all sides.

Crush the coarse salt, peppercorns, clove and saffron in a mortar. Add the cumin. Stir in the white wine and mix well. 

Peel the 3 cloves of fried garlic and remaining raw garlic. Place them in a blender container with the almonds, bread broken into pieces, and ½ cup of water. Blend until smooth. Add the spices from the mortar and blend again.

Pour the mixture from the blender over the meat. Add the cinnamon stick, bay leaf and ½ cup more water. Mix the sauce with the meat. Taste for salt. Simmer, uncovered, until the meat is fork-tender, about 45 minutes. Add additional water if necessary to keep the meat from scorching. The sauce should be the consistency of gravy. 

Let the meat set 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley and, if desired, pomegranate. 

***   ***   ***

This cookbook explores the fascinating story of the deep and lasting influences that Islamic culture has left on modern Spanish cooking. 

Author and Spanish cooking expert Janet Mendel tells the story of the Moorish influence on Spanish cooking through 120 recipes and photographs for modern-day dishes, from salads and vegetables to fish, poultry and meat to sweets and pastries, that trace their heritage to foods served in medieval times. Dishes from this era include exotic spices such as saffron, the use of fruits and almonds with savory dishes, and honeyed sweets and pastries. The flavors of al-Andalus live on in modern Spanish cooking and are what makes Spain’s cuisine distinctive from the rest of Europe. (Hippocrene Books)

$39.95 hardcover: Available in print and e-book in August 2025

 Pre-order on IndiePubs

Use PROMO CODE HIPPO40 for 40% off through June 30 on all Hippocrene titles at IndiePubs online bookstore.

***

Pre-order on amazon

SADNESS, HOPE (AND A TORTILLA RECIPE)

 

José Andrés.  (Photo by Gerry Dawes©2024)

“Food is a universal human right. Feeding each other, cooking and eating together, is what makes us human. The dishes we cook and deliver are not just ingredients, or calories.  A plate of food is a plate of hope. A message that someone, somewhere, cares for you.” 

These words were spoken by José Andrés, chef and humanitarian, at the memorial service for the seven persons, volunteer workers for World Central Kitchen, who were killed by Israeli airstrikes after delivering food to refugees in Gaza. “The seven souls we mourn today were there so that hungry people could eat,” he said. José Andrés is founder of World Central Kitchen, an NGO dedicated to food relief in disaster areas and war zones. "We're going back to Gaza to feed people," he declared. 

You can read the full text of the memorial speech (delivered at the Washington National Cathedral on May 25) and keep up with José Andrés by subscribing to his newsletter, “Longer Tables,” on Substack The full text of the eulogy he delivered at the memorial for the World Central Kitchen workers is here. 

I join with many in sending my deepest condolences for the loss of the members of the World Central Kitchen team. 

Thank you, José, for the work you do. For introducing Americans to tapas and Spanish ham, for creating a vibrant business with restaurants coast to coast, and, especially, for your humanitarian work in striving to feed communities in need around the world. I admire you for your incredible creative energy, your good humor, your passion, and compassion. 

Looking for a gift item (Mother’s Day is May 12)? You can support the work of World Central Kitchen with the purchase of the cookbook, The World Central Kitchen Cookbook: Feeding Humanity, Feeding Hope by José Andrés (ClarksonPotter; 2023). All author proceeds from The World Central Kitchen Cookbook will be used to support World Central Kitchen’s emergency response efforts. (My son Daniel, in Atlanta, says his favorite recipe in the book so far is Passion Fruit Glazed Skirt Steak, which comes from a World Central Kitchen food producer in Puerto Rico.) 

Browsing an earlier cookbook by José Andrés, Tapas—A Taste of Spain in America  (ClarksonPotter; 2005), I found a recipe I’ve always intended to try—Spanish potato tortilla made with potato chips! Supposedly it was invented by the famous chef, Ferran Adriá of El Bulli, where José Andrés once worked. It’s a quick dish created for the restaurant’s kitchen staff. Three ingredients: eggs, potato chips, and olive oil. 

Why make tortilla with packaged chips? Because the whole operation takes about ten minutes! The results are surprisingly good. Best choice for chips would be those made with olive oil, but any type of potato chips works. 

Quick to make, the potato chip tortilla is perfect for brunch, lunch, tapas or dinner.

For a thick tortilla, slightly runny in the center, use a small skillet, preferably no-stick.

Potato Chip Tortilla in the Style of José Andrés

(Recipe adapted from Tapas—A Taste of Spain in America by José Andrés.) 

The recipe in José’s book calls for a 6-inch skillet. I had only an 18-centimeter—or 7 inch—one. Made with 7 eggs, the tortilla was approximately 1 ¼ inches thick. It’s customary to cook tortilla with the eggs a little runny in the center. If you prefer the eggs set completely, either use a slightly larger skillet so the egg-potato mixture spreads out or else cook it longer. 

As this was my first potato chip tortilla, I stuck closely to the recipe as given. Now that I know how straightforward it is I will definitely try some variations. Chopped spinach or chard, for instance. Ham bits maybe. Definitely sautéed onion. Or, why not some of those crisp fried onions from a package? They would soften in the eggs like the chips.

Three ingredients!

Serve tortilla for brunch, lunch, tapas, or supper.   

 Makes a 7-inch tortilla, 1 ¼ inches thick. Serves 4.

7 large eggs

4 ounces potato chips

1-2 teaspoons salt

2+ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 

Chips soak up eggs and soften.

Beat 6 eggs with the salt in a mixing bowl. Beat the remaining egg in a separate bowl. Add the chips to the beaten eggs, stirring to break up the chips and mix them thoroughly. Add the remaining egg.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil on medium heat in a small (6-8-inch) no-stick skillet. Add the egg-chip mixture to the pan. Stir and firm the edges of tortilla with a wooden spoon. Shake the pan to keep the tortilla from sticking. Cook on medium-low until bottom is set but not browned, about 1 minute more.  

Place a flat plate or pan lid on top of the skillet. Hold the plate firmly against the skillet with one hand. With the other hand, flip the skillet, turning the tortilla out onto the plate, cooked side up.

If necessary, add a little additional oil to the skillet. Gently slide the tortilla back into the skillet to cook the underside, 1-2 minutes, depending on how done you want the eggs.

Remove the skillet from the heat. Have ready a serving plate. Lift the edge of the tortilla with a spatula, tip the skillet towards the plate and slide the tortilla out onto the plate.  

Serve the tortilla hot or room temperature.

What to serve with tortilla? Pictured clockwise from upper left, piquillo peppers sautéed with garlic and a spoonful of Sherry vinegar; sliced tomatoes with green onions, oregano, and olive oil; bread; olives, and alioli, garlic mayonnaise (combine and blend 1/2 cup of bottled mayo, 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1 clove garlic, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 tablespoons parsley, and salt to taste).

 

More recipes for Spanish tortilla:

Classic Potato Tortilla.

Tortilla with Fava Beans, Peas, and Potatoes.

Eggplant and Red Pepper Tortilla.

Potato Tortilla with Chorizo and Chard.

All-Onion Tortilla.

Spinach Tortilla (no potatoes).

IBÉRICO ON THE HOOF

Check out my article in the Los Angeles Times HERE about the coming of Jabugo ibérico hams to America. If the first wave of ibérico was called the “best ham in the world,” this may be even better than the best!

 I’ve been to see those famous hams on the hoof, in Jabugo (Andalusia) and in Extremadura. These are free-range pigs of the ibérico breed that are fattened on acorns (bellotas) from wild holm and cork oak trees that grow in the dehesa, a unique ecosystem in western Spain.

 Even before my visit to the pig habitat, I got my first intimation of what makes such superlative ham at dinner when I sampled fresh ibérico pork, the raw material for ham.

Cuts with names like secreto, “secret;” pluma, “feather,” and presa “prize” as well as solomillo, tenderloin, were grilled over smoldering oak coals. The meat was served medium-rare. We’re talking about fresh pork. Like prime beef, it was marbled with veins of fat. I tasted. Wow. This was absolutely the best pork I had ever eaten. The tender cuts very nearly melted in the mouth. The cuts from the shoulder, just chewy enough, were incredibly juicy. This is not “the other white meat.”

Wait! Before you start picturing clogged arteries, let me tell you about acorn-finished ibérico pork. The acorns are rich in oleic acid, the same found in olive oil. Because the pig does not convert the fat, the oleic component predominates and the meat is high in monounsaturated fat. That’s why acorn-fattened ibérico pigs are sometimes called an “olive tree on four legs.”

But, mainly it’s about deliciousness. This is delicious meat. It makes delicious ham.

While reporting for the LA Times story, I learned that fresh ibérico pork is now being exported from Spain to the US. It was José Andrés (http://www.thinkfoodgroup.com/) , chef/owner of eight restaurants across the country, including The Bazaar in Beverly Hills, with two more opening in Las Vegas later this year, who was instrumental in getting the first ibérico hams to America. José is a business partner of Fermin, the only Spanish company to meet U.S. regulations for meat slaughtering. The fresh ibérico pork now available also comes from Fermin. Look for it at Wagshal’s Market in Washington, D.C. (http://www.ibericousa.com/  ) and from La Tienda (http://www.tienda.com/new/index.html.)

In Spain, I can buy fresh ibérico pork at local markets. Not that I buy it very often, as it’s quite pricey. I paid about $7.15 for six very thin loin chops (13 ounces), serving two persons. Cooked on a hot plancha, about one minute per side, they were delicious.

This is a photo of revuelto, eggs scrambled with mushrooms and ham. The recipe is on this page of the Los Angeles Times on Oct. 7.

NOTES FROM MADRID FUSIÓN

MADRID FUSIÓN:  A gastronomical summit meeting, a three-day coming together of chefs, food producers, consumers and press to show, show-off, explain, taste, promote, provoke and schmooze. It’s billed as the world’s largest food fest. This is all about alta cocina—haute cuisine in its avant-garde manifestation. It’s a get-together of celebrity chefs—mostly Spanish, but with a few from around the world.

NEWS BITES

At a packed-out press conference, broadcast live on prime-time news, Ferran Adrià (acclaimed as the best chef in the world) announced that at the end of the 2011 season, he will close El Bulli for two years, for regeneration. After years of intense creativity, he declared that he needs—not a rest—but to reinvent the restaurant. “What is the future of El Bulli?” he asked. He’s not sure, but he’s not quitting. “We’re cooks—we’re going to continue.”

Get ready, New York city! Dani García is coming to town. García, an up and coming young chef who has two Michelin stars (the first was for Tragabuches, in Ronda; the second, for Calima, in Marbella;), will open La Moraga, a “gastrobar,” in Manhattan before the end of the year. It’s part of a franchise operation, in collaboration with the Andalusian regional government, to export tapas to the world,” said García.


(Photo of Dani García and me by Ed Owen.)

SHORT TAKES

Hare-brained, by Ferran Adria. Hare’s brains are on the autumn menu at El Bulli. Adrià here presented a short, ravishing video illustrating his techno-emotional approach: A wild hare bounds across a field. Shots ring out. The carcass is skinned. The bloody skull is split open and the brains removed. The miniscule loin is seared, plated with gellified spheres of red fruit— Drama, music and visuals are heart-stopping, if not appetite-whetting.

Deep impressions. Without even tasting it, the food of Alicante has left a deep impression on me. The women manning the Alicante stand pressed on me a cookbook, Bon Profit--Viaje por la Cocina Alicantina, the largest, heaviest tome I have ever owned. I didn’t even promise to visit their province. Maybe they just didn’t want to carry the book home again. Some nice pumpkin recipes—

Next generation. I chatted with Jeffrey Weiss of the Bay area (Calif) and Paras Shah of New York city, two young chefs who are part of a group of twelve from all over the world (Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, Brazil, Mexico, India, China) spending a year in Spain getting familiar with Spanish products and working in the kitchens of top restaurants. The program is sponsored by ICEX (government commercial and export division). 

Ruth Reichl (editor of the late, lamented Gourmet magazine). Hers was a strong voice on an otherwise dull panel discussing “where is haute cusine headed?” Speaking of restaurant critics, she said, “Now there is a huge group of people on the Internet, who are passionate and knowledgeable about food, who force critics to be more compelling to stay ahead of their audience.”

Alan Ducasse. Too lazy to go fetch the translator earphones, I couldn’t follow what Ducasse had to say. Even the moderators, those two gastro-gnomes, José Carlos Capel and Rafael Ansón, spoke in French.

Grant Achatz (of Alinea in Chicago). I could kick myself! Too busy eating ibérico ham, I missed Achatz’s “dialogue” with Dana Cowin, editor of Food&Wine mag. 

José Andrés (restaurants in Washington D.C. and L.A.), inspired by the glass-art of sculptor, Dale Chihuly of Seattle, demoed a salad of vegetables and a spun-sugar caramel. José, a great communicator as well as innovator, said technology is the way to avoid chaos in the kitchen. 

Marco Sabatini, purveyor of truffles, dropped a black truffle weighing 440 grams and it shattered into crumbs. He swept up the bits and took them home to make risotto. On a happier note, truffles were auctioned for charity—a white one from Asti (Italy) brought €5000 and black ones from Soria (Spain) netted €3000. I liked the way everybody passed them hand-to-hand. You could sniff your hands for the rest of the day.



TRENDS

Tapas. OK, OK, tapas aren’t new. Why they’re trendy all over again is that, with the economic downturn, less is more. Tapas now are a marketing tool and branding concept. Chefs like Dani García (see above), whose new La Moraga restaurants are designed to make alta cocina (haute cuisine) affordable. 

Mixology. Hours of seminars and tastings were devoted to cocktails (“the history of the gin-tonic”). I attended not a single one nor sipped the herbal martini, aged rum, tequila or gin. I did take a turn through the Bar Show and had a Schweppes tonic, with Asian grapefruit slice and a few juniper berries. Nice.

Market cuisine. The market is Mercado de San Miguel, adjacent to Madrid’s  Plaza Mayor. The original market, with its structure of forged iron struts, dates  from 1916. It has been refurbished and now has real-time vendors of fish, meat, bread, fresh produce and eating stalls. During Madrid Fusión it opened for a night-time event, where some top Madrid chefs took over the market stalls. I loved the whimsy of one-star chef, Fernando P. Arellano of Restaurante Zaranda, whose cups of black tapioca with griddled cuttlefish were a visual knockout (red piquillo peppers beneath the tapioca), texturally thrilling (creamy scallion foam and kernels of fried red rice and Espelette pepper) and absolutely delicious.

Serving plates that light up. Presented by Elena Arzak (daughter of famed Basque chef, Juan Mari Arzak) and created by Philips Design (division of the electronics firm), the plates subtly backlight foods with glowing color, switched on as foods are placed on the plate. “Color is one more flavor-sensation,” said Elena. She said the restaurant is very interested in pursuing research of this sort.

TASTES

Red cardoons. I’m always on the look-out for something new, and cardo rojo de Ágreda is this year’s find. A cultivated thistle (Cynara cardunculus), related to the artichoke, cardoons look rather like celery—a bunch of thick stalks topped with leaves. Like celery, the stalks need to be stripped of stringy bits. Cardoons are usually boiled until tender and served with a sauce of ground almonds (typical for Christmas Eve dinner). These red cardoons come from the municipality of Ágreda, on the border between Aragon and Castile, where the mature plants are buried under a mound of soil to protect them from early frosts. This gives them flavor, color and crispness, so they can be eaten raw. Here they were chopped and tossed with a vinaigrette. Crunchy and tastier than celery. 

Estate-bottled olive oil. I met Xandra Falcó, commercial director for Pagos de Familia Marqués de Griñón (her father, the marques, makes superb wines). The family’s extra virgin olive oil, produced and bottled on the Capilla del Fraile estate in Toledo province, is intensely fruity and subtly bitter.   

Cured ibérico pork loin. By now you know that acorn-fed ibérico pigs produce the world’s best ham. But pigs are more than hams and shoulders. Boneless loins also are dry-cured with salt and a hint of pimentón (paprika). At the stand of Sierra Mayor de Jabugo, Julio Revilla Saavedra poured manzanilla Sherry and served a platter of his company’s exquisite lomo, loin, as well as sausages.

Tasting of Garnacha wines from Aragón. I am a dilettante when it comes to wine. I love drinking it and I choose the best wines I can afford—but I really know very little about it. How can one bottle cost $150 and another, priced at $15, please me just as much? Given my lack of expertise, I probably should have stayed away from the wine-tasting event at 10:30 in the morning. But, there I was, sniffing, slurping, spitting  (spit buckets were at hand, but it’s still hard to imbibe nothing), jotting down tasting notes with the cognoscenti. So, I assumed it was a defect in my perceptions when I swirled and sniffed one entry and wrote in my notebook: “sewage.” But, some of the experts expressed the same opinion out loud! So, my confidence has increased—at least I can recognize a bad wine! One wine I loved: Terrazas del Moncayo 2007, Crianzas y Viñedos Santo Cristo, DO Campo de Borja. I’ll look for this wine and enjoy actually swallowing it—perhaps with roast lamb.  (Above, Ed Owen, journalist and bon vivant, gets ready for wine tasting.)

Sopa Castellana. Castilian soup—also known as garlic soup (my recipe can be found here) was served at lunch to the multitudes of conference-goers, courtesy of the city of Valladolid. Thickened with peasant bread, redolent of garlic and pimentón, it was the perfect sop for all the great wines being poured. And a nice counterpoint to the overly-elaborated chef’s food.

Cheese. I kept grabbing samples of torta del Casar, an extraordinary sheep’s milk cheese from Extremadura. The cheese has a subtle, appetizing bitterness, due to a vegetable thistle coagulant, and a natural, creamy dipping consistency.

Nespresso. The coffee hit the spot—but I missed George Clooney.


THANKS
To Esmeralda Capel, one of the organizers of Madrid Fusion, who opened doors for me; to Jone Urrutia, press gal; to Gerry Dawes, who knows absolutely everyone in Spain’s world of gastronomy, and to Ed Owen for his hospitality.