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

Chefs Alexandra Raij and Eder Montero share more than one hundred recipes from Txikito—all inspired by the home cooking traditions of the Basque Country—that will change the way you cook in this much-anticipated and deeply personal debut. Whether it’s a perfectly ripe summer tomato served with just a few slivers of onion and a drizzle of olive oil, salt cod slowly poached in oil and topped with an emulsion of its own juices, or a handful of braised leeks scattered with chopped egg, Basque cooking is about celebrating humble ingredients by cooking them to exquisite perfection. Chefs Alexandra Raij and Eder Montero are masters of this art form, and their New York City restaurant Txikito is renowned for its revelatory preparations of simple ingredients. Dishes like Salt Cod in Pil Pil sauce have fewer than five ingredients yet will astonish you with their deeply layered textures and elegant flavors. By following Raij’s careful but encouraging instructions, you can even master Squid in Its Own Ink—a rite of passage for Basque home cooks, and another dish that will amaze you with its richness and complexity. The Basque Book is a love letter: to the Basque Country, which inspired these recipes and continues to inspire top culinary minds from around the world; to ingredients high and low; and to the craft of cooking well. Read this book, make Basque food, learn to respect ingredients—and, quite simply, you will become a better cook. - Food & Wine Magazine , Editor’s picks for Best of 2016 Whether It's A Perfectly Ripe Summer Tomato Served With Just A Few Slivers Of Onion And A Drizzle Of Olive Oil, Salt Cod Slowly Poached In Oil And Topped With An Emulsion Of Its Own Juices, Or A Handful Of Braised Leeks Scattered With Chopped Egg, Basque Cooking Is About Celebrating Humble Ingredients By Cooking Them To Exquisite Perfection. Chefs Alexandra Raij And Eder Montero Are Masters Of This Art Form, And Their New York City Restaurant Txikito Is Renowned For Its Revelatory Preparations Of Simple Ingredients. In This Much-anticipated And Deeply Personal Debut, Raij And Montero Share More Than One Hundred Recipes From Txikito - All Inspired By The Home Cooking Traditions Of The Basque Country - That Will Change The Way You Cook. Dishes Like Salt Cod In Pil Pil Sauce Have Fewer Than Five Ingredients Yet Will Astonish You With Their Deeply Layered Textures And Elegant Flavors. By Following Raij's Careful But Encouraging Instructions, You Can Even Master Squid In Its Own Ink - A Rite Of Passage For Basque Home Cooks, And Another Dish That Will Amaze You With Its Richness And Complexity. The Basque Book Is A Love Letter: To The Basque Country, Which Inspired These Recipes And Continues To Inspire Top Culinary Minds From Around The World; To Ingredients High And Low; And To The Craft Of Cooking Well. Read This Book, Make Basque Food, Learn To Respect Ingredients - And, Quite Simply, You Will Become A Better Cook. Basque Basics: Fundamental Techniques And Ingredients -- Txikiteo: The Art Of Pintxos -- Huerta: The Basque Kitchen Garden -- Huevos: Eggs All Ways -- Buscando Bakalao: Finding Cod -- Putxero, Sopa, And Potaje: Soups And Stews For All Seasons -- Txokos, Asadores, Sagardotegis, And Ferias: Gathering The Basque Way -- Goxua: Sweets -- Bebidas: Beverages. Alexandra Raij With Eder Montero And Rebecca Flint Marx ; Photography By Penny De Los Santos. Includes Bibliographical References (page 287) And Index. A collection of 100 Basque recipes from Alex Raij and Eder Montero, the acclaimed chef-owners of New York City restaurants Txikito, La Vara, and El Quinto Pino. Few cuisines have captured more diners' imaginations, or inspired more chefs and restaurants around the world than that of Spain. And within the Spanish culinary pantheon, Basque cooking from the north is considered one of the country's most fascinating and essential traditions. In Basque, star chefs Alex Raij and Eder Montero take readers on a tour of the Basque countryside, in the process revealing the iconic ingredients, cooking techniques, and traditional dishes that define Basque cooking. They also share dishes from their award-winning New York restaurants, all inspired by the Basque kitchen but featuring elegant preparations and delightfully unexpected flavor combinations. The result is a complete primer on Basque cooking, with a wide array of recipes, ranging from a simple pil pil or refrito to showstopping pintxos and mains