A cookbook that offers discussion of the history of Basque food from prehistoric to modern times.

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

"1,000 recipes + expert advice, tips & tales"--Cover.

'José's recipes take us to the heart of the very best of Spanish cooking.' – Rick Stein In this compact edition of the award-winning cookbook, Basque, leading Spanish chef, José Pizarro, takes readers on a journey around this magical place, taking inspiration from traditional dishes and local ingredients, and adding his own unique twist. From the delicious bite-sized morsels known as pintxos Basque-style tapas to more hearty main meals and sumptuous desserts, José shows you how easy it is to prepare Spanish food at home. The cuisine of this region is wonderful to share with family and friends but it's also about informality and not being a slave to your stove. Set to the backdrop of the stunning views of San Sebastián and the rest of the Basque Country, Basque is a culinary jaunt around one of Spain's most colourful and exciting food destinations.

Winner, 2019 IACP Award, Best Book of the Year, International Named one of the Best Cookbooks of the Year / Best Cookbooks to Gift by the New York Times, Food & Wine, Saveur, Rachael Ray Every Day, National Geographic, The Guardian and more “Truly insider access, an authentic look at the traditions of one of the most incredible culinary regions of the world.” —José Andrés Tucked away in the northwest corner of Spain, Basque Country not only boasts more Michelin-starred restaurants per capita than any other region in the world, but its unique confluence of mountain and sea, values and tradition, informs every bite of its soulful cuisine, from pintxos to accompany a glass of wine to the elbows-on-the-table meals served in its legendary eating clubs. Yet Basque Country is more than a little inaccessible—shielded by a unique language and a distinct culture, it’s an enigma to most outsiders. Until now. Marti Buckley, an American chef, journalist, and passionate Basque transplant, unlocks the mysteries of this culinary world by bringing together its intensely ingredient-driven recipes with stories of Basque customs and the Basque kitchen, and vivid photographs of both food and place. And surprise: this is food we both want to eat and can easily make. It’s not about exotic ingredients or flashy techniques. It’s about mind-set—how to start with that just-right fish or cut of meat or peak-of-ripeness tomato and coax forth its inherent depth of flavor. It’s the marriage of simplicity and refinement, and the joy of cooking for family and friends.

Ask any Spaniard where you will find the best food in the country and the answer is invariably the Basque provinces. In this beautifully written book, Marìa José Sevilla describes the region through the eyes of men and women whose lives embrace every aspect of its cooking and culinary traditions, and records the recipes she has learned from them. The author takes us from market to caserìo, or farmstead, and shows how the strength of Basque cuisine comes from the quality and range of local produce: superb fish from the Cantabrian coast, cheeses and wild mushrooms from the mountains, and vegetables and fruit—including apples for cider-making—from the caserìos of the valleys. Through her portraits of a fisherman, a craftsman of wooden cheese-making utensils, a wine producer, and a young city housewife, the author shows the historical influences and fierce regional pride behind this distinctive culinary repertoire. Finally, three professional chefs take us into their kitchens, and show us how their superb cooking is based on rich popular traditions. More than eighty authentic recipes punctuate evocative descriptions of cultural and culinary traditions, making this an ideal book for the inquisitive traveler who enjoys good food.

In the Basque region of Spain, food and eating are the center of everyday life and the focus of endless conversation. This award-winning, internationally acclaimed cookbook presents 130 recipes for casual, elegant fare from this food-centric region's increasingly popular cuisine. With an emphasis on high-quality fresh ingredients, simply prepared, the Basque style of cooking fits right in with today's back-to-basics focus on whole foods. For starters, there are plates full of pinchos, the Basque version of tapas, including Eggs Stuffed with Anchovies and Tuna, and Smoked Salmon and Asparagus Pinchos. Among main courses, there is a wealth of light and healthy fish and shellfish fare including Cod-Stuffed Piquillo Peppers with Biscayne Sauce and Red Snapper Guernica-Style, and rustic and hearty meat and chicken dishes such as Top Loin of Pork Cooked with Milk, Chicken Breasts with Garlic and Parsley, and Venison with Red Currant Sauce. Soups, stews, salads, and sides round out the feast.