Made in Spain: Spanish Dishes for the American Kitchen [Hardcover]

Jose Andres (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 4, 2008

Americans have fallen in love with Spanish food in recent years, and no one has done more to play matchmaker than the award-winning chef José Andrés.

In this irresistible companion volume to his public television show Made in Spain, José reminds us—in the most alluring and delicious way—that the food of his native Spain is as varied and inventive as any of the world’s great cuisines. To prove it, José takes us on a flavorful tour of his beloved homeland, from Andalucía to Aragón. Along the way, he shares recipes that reflect not just local traditions but also the heart and soul of Spain’s distinctive cooking.

In the Basque Country, we discover great fish dishes and the haute cuisine of some of the finest restaurants in the world. In Cantabria, famous for its dairy products, we find wonderful artisanal cheeses. In Valencia, we learn why the secret to unforgettable paella is all in the rice. And in Castilla La Mancha, José shows us the land of the great Don Quixote, where a magical flower produces precious saffron.

The dishes of Made in Spain show the diversity of Spanish cooking today as it is prepared in homes and restaurants from north to south—from casual soups and sandwiches to soul-warming dishes of long-simmered beans and artfully composed salads. Many dishes showcase the fine Spanish products that are now widely available across America. Many more are prepared with the regular ingredients available in any good supermarket.

With more than one hundred simple, straightforward recipes that beautifully capture the flavors and essence of Spanish cooking, Made in Spain is an indispensable addition to any cookbook collection.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Andrés (Tapas), chef-owner of seven D.C.-area restaurants and host of PBS's Made in Spain, brings everyday Spanish cooking to the American table. A native of Spain and protégé of elBulli's Ferran Adrià, Andrés offers an insider's perspective of his home country's cuisine and the varied approaches the different regions take to food. Dividing the book by food type and region, Andrés provides a culinary guide to regional specialties: Andalucia and salads, Madrid and soups, and Cataluña and pork, among others. Recipes require no special cooking techniques or equipment and stress the importance of quality ingredients, most of which are easy to find. Mouthwatering highlights include lobster and mushroom paella, Catalan pork with sausage and mushrooms, and chicken with peppers, tomatoes, onions and Spanish ham. One hundred lavish full-color photos make even the simplest of dishes (such as roasted vegetables, Mallorca style, and Manchego with tomato, thyme and walnuts) tantalizing. This collection will appeal both to cooks new to Spanish cooking and those familiar with it, and all will learn something from Andrés, who shows us why Spain is taking its rightful place at the top of the culinary ladder. (Nov.)
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From Booklist

This celebration of contemporary Spanish cooking brims with Andrés’ enthusiasm and his passion for the food of his native country. Recipes fall into categories by geography and by type of ingredients. Introductions to each section lay out a region’s history and its place in Spain’s culinary landscape. Andrés’ recipes are generally accessible, but they often call for ingredients not readily found in areas of America without good international markets. Nevertheless, these recipes are models of simplicity. Andrés offers substitutes where possible so that unique ingredients don’t always present insurmountable problems for the home cook. Seafood abounds, and even pork-based dishes call for the addition of squid or Norwegian lobsters. Spain’s wonderful and varied cheeses appear just about everywhere. So refined is the chef’s palate that whenever a recipe calls for water, Andrés insists on bottled or filtered water to ensure that flavors stay unsullied. --Mark Knoblauch

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Clarkson Potter; First Edition edition (November 4, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 030738263X
• ISBN-13: 978-0307382634
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 0.8 x 10.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #122,778 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #31 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Regional & International > European > Spanish
  • #47 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Regional & International > International

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Entry Point or Further Roadmap into Spanish Cuisine, November 17, 2008

By 

rodboomboom (Dearborn, Michigan United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Made in Spain: Spanish Dishes for the American Kitchen (Hardcover)

Have not seen the PBS show that this cookbook is matched with. Purchased this as interested in tapas and Spanish cuisine, and because Andres is such well known Spanish chef and is interested in his cuisine being utilized in American context, as the subtitle of this work exhibits.

These are not that difficult in either technique, and the specialized ingredients are given sources that one can pursue, e.g. Spanish cheeses, olive oils, rices, etc. Igourmet is also a good source I have found, as are the increasing number of specialty gourmet food markets such as Trader Joe's.

Clarkson Potter seems to always turn out a great cookbook, and this fits right in their mold. Great full-page, full-color photos highlight the entrees, and the ingredients and instructions are clean, clear and usable. Jose also lists tips with each, such as substitutions, technique helps, etc.

They are organized as the show, on certain regions of the country and their cuisine. The two tried so far were exceptional, Tomato toast with Garrotxa cheese, and the Lobster and mushroom paella.

I truly find this food compelling, as it is light, healthy and inviting all at the same time. Will be trying many of these in the future, e.g. Traditional basque stew of tuna, poatatoes, pepper and onions, and Pork Meatballs with squid. Many who are really into Mediterranean cooking are becoming more and more enamored with this country's rising popularity, as Mario Batali's example provides.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A cooking tour of Spain, November 25, 2008

By 

Lynn Harnett (Marathon, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Made in Spain: Spanish Dishes for the American Kitchen (Hardcover)

Spanish chef and Washington D.C. restaurateur Andrés offers a lushly photographed companion to his PBS show, "Made in Spain." A tour of his native land with a course in each region - salads from Andalucia, soups from Madrid, seafood from Galicia, vegetables from Navarra - the book emphasizes everyday fare, showcasing regional specialties. Rice varieties from Valencia, for instance, elevate paellas to "revelations."

Mouthwatering classics include Basque Leek and Potato Soup, Shredded Salt Cod with Tomatoes and Olives, Lobster and Mushroom Paella, Nectarines with Anchovies and Pedro Ximenez (sherry vinegar) Dressing, and Asturian Bean Stew.

The enticing design has a bold, modern easy-to-read look with lots of white space and color, though the differing typefaces for ingredients, directions, background story and chef's tip are a little busy. Ingredients are authentic, fresh and most are easily found. Substitutions are suggested for hard-to-find items and Andrés provides Internet sources for Spanish ingredients. A book for everyday and company too.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great review of Spain but many hard to find ingredients, December 17, 2008

By 

J. Carpenter "lover of foreign films" (Houston, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Made in Spain: Spanish Dishes for the American Kitchen (Hardcover)

I received this book for my birthday and immediately sat down and began reading it page by page. It is a fascinating tourguide of the areas of Spain and the foods from each region. I like it because it will help in planning a trip to Spain to try to explore some of the foods described in the book. As a practical resource for cooking at home, it seems to be not as user friendly as I had hoped, however. Finding some of the ingredients that he recommends will be difficult for readers who live in rural areas or in places where the average grocer does not carry many of the items. A lot of substitution will be necessary and that in itself is not a minus. I do enjoy watching Jose Andres on PBS so perhaps having this book nearby will make that experience even more enjoyable. A book like this is a great book to have to dream about international travel and as one who loves to cook international foods it will inspire me to try dishes I have never considered before.