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| The book is in my kitchen in Spain! |
After a year of cooking and picture-taking and almost as long in researching, writing, and editing, I would like to present, ta-da!—my new cookbook, Flavors of al-Andalus, The Culinary Legacy of Spain.
Here are 120 recipes, all with accompanying photographs. This is the cooking of Spain today, foods you might find in a tapas bar, at a village fiesta, or on the table in a pueblo home. They are dishes that trace their roots to the cooking of Moorish Spain, the medieval Spain of 711 to 1492.
Dave Emery, a subscriber to this blog, pre-ordered
Flavors of al-Andalus from IndiePubs and was the first to receive his copy.
(See below for where to order Flavors of al-Andalus.)
My family in Atlanta received their copy of Flavors of al-Andalus. Here's my grandson Nico Searl and Juana Rodriguez, his other grandmother, with the book.
Jorge Nieto, Nico's abuelo, wrote to me that the photo of marinated olives looked so good he wanted to reach in and eat them!
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If you would like to feature Flavors of al-Andalus on your blog, Substack, Instagram page, or newspaper-magazine column, contact pgress@hippocrenebooks.com to receive a digital review copy.
Here’s a page spread from the chapter Fish and Shellfish with a recipe for fish in adobo marinade. It's a great summer dish. Use fresh oregano if you have it.
Fried Bites of Marinated Fish
Pescado en Adobo
Adobo is a mixture of spices and vinegar used to marinate fish or meat. Before the days of refrigeration, both adobo and escabeche were used to conserve foods. Now, they are about adding flavor. Adobo foods are marinated before cooking; escabeche foods are cooked, then marinated.
This is a popular tapa throughout Andalusia, often made with cazón, dogfish, a kind of shark, which is perked up nicely with a tangy, adobo marinade. Any solid-fleshed fish such as monkfish could be substituted.
Makes about 45 pieces
2 pounds fillets of shark, monkfish or swordfish
3 tablespoons olive oil + more for frying
5 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3 cloves chopped garlic
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch of saffron threads, crushed
1 teaspoon crumbled dry oregano
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
Flour for dredging fish
Cut the fish into 1 ½-inch cubes, discarding any skin and bone. Put the cubes in a non-reactive container.
Mix together the oil, vinegar, garlic, cumin, saffron, oregano, pepper, salt, and 1 tablespoon of water. Pour over the fish and mix well. Marinate for at least 6 hours and up 48 hours.
Drain the fish well, dredge it in flour, shake off the excess and fry the pieces a few at a time in hot oil (360ºF) until golden and crisp. Drain on kitchen towels and serve hot.
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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. Order on IndiePubs
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Amazon: -18% $32.66 List Price: $39.95
order on amazon
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"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
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