Cookbook Club XI: Pintxos
If you're a foodie, the Basque region of Spain, particularly the coastal city of San Sebastián, is the place to be! They've got more Michelin-starred restaurants per capita than anywhere else in the world, and their pintxos bars (small plates that showcase the region's culinary heritage) are nothing short of amazing. Basque cuisine is all about locally sourced ingredients and bold flavours, often incorporating unique ingredients and techniques that reflect the region's cultural and historical influences.
Speaking of Basque cuisine, The Cookbook Club recently explored it with the help of Gerald Hirigoyen's cookbook, Pintxos: Small Plates in the Basque Tradition. Hirigoyen is a Basque-born chef who grew up in France and now owns two highly acclaimed restaurants in San Francisco specializing in Basque cuisine. His cookbook explores the rich culinary heritage of the Basque region and its popular small plates known as pintxos. His cooking philosophy emphasizes fresh, seasonal ingredients and simple, flavourful techniques that highlight the natural flavours of the ingredients.
Our menu started with Cold Melon Shooters with Serrano Ham Crisps - a refreshing and balanced start to the meal. We also enjoyed a variety of skewer bites, including Deviled Eggs and Shrimp, Anchovies with Tomatoes and Parsley Dusted Garlic, and Caramelized Onions with Idiazábal Cheese. Each bite was bursting with flavour and paired perfectly with a crisp Spanish Cava.
Next up was Fried Calamari with Romesco Sauce, a classic Basque dish that did not disappoint. The calamari was perfectly crispy and paired well with the tangy romesco sauce. This was paired with a very, very dry Sherry on the author's recommendation - who are we to argue with a Basque-born chef?
Our salad course was a Roasted Beet Salad with Moroccan Spices and Aged Sherry Vinegar, which added a unique twist to this classic dish. The beets were perfectly roasted, and the spice blend added a nice warmth and depth of flavour. This was paired with a dry, slightly spicy Italian Rosé, which was refreshing and unexpected.
For the main course, we indulged in Pork Medallions Confit with Curried Apple and Celery Root Salad. The pork was melt-in-your-mouth tender, and the curried apple and celery root salad added a nice balance of freshness and spice. We let our guests choose between a Rioja or Gewürztraminer for the wine - both excellent choices.
Last but not least, we dug into a delicious Basque Cheesecake for dessert, even though it wasn't from the cookbook. We couldn't help but make fun of the "burnt" look of the top - it resembled a burnished copper - but the fallow was incredible and gave us another reason to bring the sherry back to the table.
The Cookbook Club had a blast exploring Basque cuisine with Pintxos. The cookbook was filled with delicious recipes that were perfect for our multi-course meal, and we loved learning more about the Basque tradition. We can't wait to see where our next cookbook adventure takes us - we're already drooling just thinking about it!
