Juan Mari Arzak and his neighbors (in Greek) – Ο Juan Mari Arzak και οι γείτονες

Ο Juan Mari Arzak είναι ένας από τους πιο σημαντικούς σύγχρονους μάγειρες. Έχει τρία αστέρια Michelin κάθε χρόνο συνέχεια από το 1989. Το εστιατόριο του είναι μια οικογενειακή επιχείρηση από το 1887. Τον Δεκέμβριο του 2003 είχα την ευκαιρία να επισκεφθώ το εστιατόριο  του στο San Sebastian, στη χώρα των Βάσκων.

Ομολογώ ότι είχα μεγάλη αγωνία. Θα πήγαινα για πρώτη φορά σε τριάστερο εστιατόριο.

Ευτυχώς στο διπλανό τραπέζι ήταν ένα ζευγάρι από τη Μαδρίτη και πιάσαμε κουβέντα οπότε έσπασε η ένταση. Όπως συνηθίζεται, στα εστιατόρια αυτά συνήθως δεν παραγγέλνεις α λα καρτ, αλλά σου προσφέρουν το μενού που έχει ετοιμάσει ο μάγειρας. Έτσι έκανα κι εγώ, έτσι και οι διπλανοί.

Καθώς λοιπόν άρχισε η διαδικασία, και μετά από δύο ποτήρια κρασί, χαλάρωσα και μπόρεσα να σηκώσω το κεφάλι και να αρχίσω να παρατηρώ την πελατεία. Εκείνο που μου έκανε εντύπωση είναι ότι οι περισσότεροι πελάτες ήταν ντυμένοι απλά, άνδρες και γυναίκες, πολλοί είχανε έρθει με τα παιδιά τους, και η ατμόσφαιρα ήτανε περισσότερο ατμόσφαιρα του εστιατορίου της γειτονιάς, παρά του τριάστερου εστιατορίου πολυτελείας. Ηλικιακά η πελατεία ήτανε κατά μέσο όρο κάτω από τα 40.

Juan Mari Arzak – Photo courtesy of Restaurante Arzak

Κάποια στιγμή παρουσιάζεται στο τραπέζι και ο ίδιος ο μάγειρας.  Πιάσαμε την κουβέντα με την βοήθεια των διπλανών, γιατί ο Arzak δεν μιλάει αγγλικά, κι εγώ δεν μιλάω ισπανικά. Αφού συστηθήκαμε και με ρώτησε αν μου αρέσει το φαγητό, δεν μπόρεσα να κρατηθώ και του είπα ότι βλέποντας την πελατεία έχω την αίσθηση ότι είναι οι γείτονες που ήρθανε να φάνε στο αγαπημένο τους εστιατόριο.

«Μα βέβαια, έτσι είναι»,   μου απάντησε ο μάγειρας, «τους περισσότερους τους ξέρω χρόνια τώρα, και τις οικογένειες τους, εγώ γι΄ αυτούς μαγειρεύω, και είναι οι πιο αυστηροί κριτές μου.»

Σημειώνω ότι οι τιμές στο εστιατόριο ήτανε στο ένα τρίτο των τιμών ενός τριάστερου στο Παρίσι.

Juan Mari Arzak and his customers Photo credit: Nikos Moropoulos

Τα γράφω αυτά επειδή σε ένα κόσμο παγκοσμιοποίησης, και αποθέωσης της γκλαμουριάς και του συστήματος των υπέρλαμπρων αστεριών, ο Arzak παραμένει τοπικός, σε απόλυτη αρμονία με αυτό που οι Γάλλοι ονομάζουν  terroir, εντοπιότητα,  και τα αυτιά ανοιχτά στο τι θα πούνε οι γείτονες πελάτες του.

Αυτό δεν είναι τυχαίο. Οι Βάσκοι είναι μια κοινωνία με ισχυρούς δεσμούς μεταξύ των μελών της, με πολιτιστικές καταβολές αιώνων και διατηρούν τις παραδόσεις και τον πολιτισμό τους με θρησκευτική ευλάβεια. Το δε γαστρονομικό επίπεδο είναι πάρα πολύ υψηλό. Στη χώρα των Βάσκων θα φας καλά ακόμη και στο μικρότερο χωριό.

Έτσι ο Arzak μπορεί να παραμένει τοπικός και Βάσκος και περήφανος γι’ αυτό, σε ένα κόσμο που δείχνει να χάνει τον τοπικό χαρακτήρα στο όνομα της διάχυσης και ομογενοποίησης των πάντων.

Casa Garras, Valle de Carranza, Vizkaya, Basque Country

Town Hall, Valle de Carranza, Vizkaya, Basque Country. Photo: Nikos Moropoulos

Some time ago, I visited Casa Garras to have lunch. It is located some 60 km southwest of Bilbao, and more than half of the route is twisty, narrow, and requires extra care. The low clouds and mist did not make the route easier. After such a challenging drive, I was wondering whether the place was worth it.

Facade, Casa Garras,, Valle de Carranza, Vizkaya, Basque Country. Photo: Nikos Moropoulos

The entrance leads you to the bar, where you can have a drink and some pintxos (tapas in the Basque language). The restaurant is on the first floor. I arrived early, at 1345 hrs – by local standards – and had the opportunity to observe the customers settling in. I think I was the only foreigner in the restaurant. In addition to the families and couples, there were large groups of friends, mostly men, getting together to enjoy lunch. By 1500 hrs – the time locals usually have lunch on a Saturday – the place was packed solid.

Dining Hall. Casa Garras,, Valle de Carranza, Vizkaya, Basque Country. Photo: Nikos Moropoulos

The chef  of the restaurant is Txema Llamosas, whose parents owned Casa Garras,  has worked with some of the holy monsters of Basque and Catalan cuisine:  Eneko Atxa (Azurmendi), Juan Maaari Arzak (Arzak), and Ferran Adria (elBulli), and returned to his parents’ restaurant in 2010. With his inspiration and the support of his wife Pilar, who is the somelier of the restaurant, Txema has managed to establish Casa Garras as a gastronomic jewel in the Valley of Carranza, one of the nicest and mostly unknown area of Vizkaya in the Basque Country.

Txema Llamosas, Casa Garras, Vizkaya. Photo: Casa Garras

I tasted the gastronomic menu on offer. and took a bottle of the locally produced txakoli wine (txakolina).

Petite, Txakolina, Casa Garras,, Valle de Carranza, Vizkaya, Basque Country. Photo: Nikos Moropoulos

The somelier recommended Casa Garras’s brand “Petite”, and I obliged.

Ox capuccino, Casa Garras,, Valle de Carranza, Vizkaya, Basque Country. Photo: Nikos Moropoulos

This foamy, hot, tasty broth made from ox’s tail started the meal.  Its depth is unforgettable.

Queso a partir de queso Idiazabal con brioche de mantequilla, Casa Garras,, Valle de Carranza, Vizkaya, Basque Country. Photo: Nikos Moropoulos

Soft cheese made from locally produced Idiazabal cheese, served with a butter brioche.

Marinated horse mackerel on white garlic soup with trout pearls, Casa Garras,, Valle de Carranza, Vizkaya, Basque Country. Photo: Nikos Moropoulos

Extremely smooth and tasty! And it looked good too!

Atún rojo marinado sobre su emulsión, salsa ponzu, algas wakame y perlas de wasabi, Casa Garras,, Valle de Carranza, Vizkaya, Basque Country. Photo: Nikos Moropoulos

Marinated red tuna in its emulsion, ponzu soup, wakame seaweed and pearls of wasabi. The visible fusion of Basque cuisine with Japanese flavors.

Gambas de Huelva sobre pieles de bacalao y mayonesa de sus corales, Casa Garras,, Valle de Carranza, Vizkaya, Basque Country. Photo: Nikos Moropoulos

White shrimp from Huelva on cod skin and mayonaise made from the stock of their heads and shells.

The shrimp comes from Huelva, a city in the southern region of Andalucia.

Morrillo de atún sobre mousse de aguacate, cebolla morada de Zalla, pieles de cerdo y jugo
de pimiento, Casa Garras,, Valle de Carranza, Vizkaya, Basque Country. Photo: Nikos Moropoulos

Glazed red tuna neck, avocado mousse, pickled purple onion and morcels of fried pigskin. I do not remember the sauce’s name, but it was delicious.

Cocochas de merluza con pilpil de aceite ecologico y sus espinas, Casa Garras,, Valle de Carranza, Vizkaya, Basque Country. Photo: Nikos Moropoulos

Hake double chins cooked the pil pil way, with organic olive oil.

I absolutely love “kokotxas” (the double chin of the fish) and I can only find them in Spain and the Basque country!

Chipirón relleno del guiso de sus garras y cremoso de tinta, Casa Garras,, Valle de Carranza, Vizkaya, Basque Country. Photo: Nikos Moropoulos

Stuffed squid, fried legs, and sauce made from its ink. The squid is stuffed with finely chopped legs.

Yema de huevo de caserío con crema carbonara, papada y ralladura de queso Idiazabal de
Karrantza, Casa Garras,, Valle de Carranza, Vizkaya, Basque Country. Photo: Nikos Moropoulos

Egg yolk on carbonara cream, cured pig’s jowl and idiazabal cheese crisp.

Merluza a la plancha  y emulsión de coliflor, Casa Garras,, Valle de Carranza, Vizkaya, Basque Country. Photo: Nikos Moropoulos

Grilled hake on a cauliflower emulsion.

Láminas de chuleta de vaca pinta de Karrantza, Casa Garras,, Valle de Carranza, Vizkaya, Basque Country. Photo: Nikos Moropoulo

Rib steak of Karrantza beef, served with morcels of its fat.

This is one of the best steaks I have ever eaten! It melts in your mouth, and it unbelievably tasty!

Panacotta de vainilla con dulce de leche casero, nueces garrapiñadas, crujiente de chocolate blanco y maíz, con cremoso de queso y pompas de nata, Casa Garras,, Valle de Carranza, Vizkaya, Basque Country. Photo: Nikos Moropoulos

The desert was based on panacotta, and it was nice, but nothing compared to the savoury dishes. It is clear that Chef Llamosas prefers savoury!

 

 

 

First day of the year 2016 – Lunch

 

snow

The day started with snow on the ground and the trees, the bushes, the table, the umbrella, and so on.

The concept of this menu was developed by my alter ego, Niccolo Spiro Salvatore Domenico Francesco Morosini. I confess I have an affinity to the Venetian Republic, la Serenissima, Florence, and Italy in general.

bread
Home made bread

Home baked bread

Made with flour from the region of Macedonia, Drama.

salami

Smoked salami from Corfu

There are still some artisans producing delicious food. This salami is spicy and rich. The best antipasto for a cold day. I can see the traces of the influence of Venetian rule on the island of Corfu. Corfu has never been ruled by the Ottoman Turks.

olives

Olives from Amfissa

I served two types, the juicy salty big ones, and the sweet wrinkled (hamades), the ones made from olives that have fallen on the ground and not picked.   Amfissa is a provincial city 10 km away from Delphi. The breathtaking valley of olive trees that you see from Delphi belongs to the area of Amfissa. That’s where the olives come from.

cabbage

Rolled Cabbage with pork sausage cooked in duck fat

I had some sausages from the Basque country and used them as filling in the cabbage rolls. I served them with a light sauce of coriander and lemon juice.

sauage

The sausage and duck fat were produced by the artisan ANNE ROZES on France, Basque Country. The cabbage is locally produced in Marathon, and it is like silk. Very tender, sweet, the perfect companion to duck fat.

baked.jpg

Tourte with Ewe

I roasted the ewe, cut it to small cubes and then marinated it in a mix of herbs and spices. The tradition of preparing a tourte with meat comes from the island of Crete, another place in Greece that has been ruled by the Venetian Republic.

served1

Cheeses

Both the fresh cheese and the Gruyere come form the island of Crete.

cheeses

New Year’s Gateau

A traditional gateau of the north of Greece, with butter, flour, eggs and lemon zest.

gateau

Wines 
Patrimo, 2001
Feudi di San Gregorio

La Poderina
Poggio Banale 1997
Brunello di Montalcino

Champagne Laurent – Perrier
BRUT

 

Foies Gras de Canard (Anne Roze) – Boudin Noir (Christian Parra)

This post does not have many words

The protagonists of the post speak for themselves.

I will introduce them and pay my respects.

The rest belongs to the senses.

It all started with a bet, which I lost (unfortunately, the implications of this loss are much much more important).

Having lost the bet, I had to offer to the winner lunch.

Knowing fully well the horrible implications of the lost bet, not the lunch, but the real ones, I decided to make the lunch a festive occasion, that even for a split millisecond counterbalances the horrendous implications of the event that led to the loss of the bet.

My menu was simple.

Foies Gras de Canard
Foies Gras de Canard

We started with foies gras de canard, accompanied by caramelised pears.

Foies Gras de Canard
Foies Gras de Canard

I served it medium sliced, with the fat on it.

Caramelised Pears
Caramelised Pears

The second dish was the divine boudin noir of  Christian Parra.

Boudin Noir
Boudin Noir

I tasted it for the first time in London, and was mesmerised by its flavours and texture.

Boudin Noir - Sliced
Boudin Noir – Sliced

I wanted to accompany it with something light, but at the same time tasty.

Beetroot with celery
Beetroot with celery

The first obvious choice was mashed potatoes.

Boudin Noir Served
Boudin Noir Served

The second was my original recipe of lightly steamed beetroot, mixed with butter flavoured celery. It really worked!

Some apples with butter and honey added the finishing touch.

The boudin was enjoyed with a bottle of 2001 Patrimo di Feudi San Gregorio, an outstanding merlot!

Eduardo Chillida: Comb of the Winds, La Concha Bay, San Sebastian, Basque Country

I wrote about the Basque Sculptor Eduardo Chillida some time ago.

Eduardo Chillida working on the terrace of Mas Bernhard painting his fired sculptures. St Paul de Vence 1973.
Eduardo Chillida working on the terrace of Mas Bernhard painting his fired sculptures. St Paul de Vence 1973.

The first time was on freedom, quoting what my friend Manolis wrote commenting on a photograph I took when I visited the Museum – Estate Chillida near San Sebastian.

The second time it was in reference to his homage to the German philosopher Martin Heidegger.

Eduardo Chillida in the Comb of the Winds
Eduardo Chillida in the Comb of the Winds

Today, after my second visit to the monumental installation “Comb of the Winds”, I want to write about it. This was my second visit, the first being in 2010. The weather was windy and cloudy both times. The sea was rough, foamy waves all over. Something tells me this is the best weather to appreciate the installation.

Map of San Sebastian
Map of San Sebastian

Before I proceed, it is important that we look at the map and locate the installation in the San Sebastian area. You can see the installation on the left hand side, inside the red ellipse, which is the western edge of the bay, the foot of Igueldo hill. The Santa Clara island is in the middle, and the Urgull hill on the right, the eastern side.  Visitors will need to follow the signs to “Ondarreta Beach”. Interestingly enough, there are no public signs for “El Peine del Viento”.

Looking east: Santa Clara island
Looking east: Santa Clara island – January 2015. Photo NM.

I call the “Comb of the Winds” an installation, because it comprises three sculptures mounted on rocks.

Formally, it is more than that, it is a project, comprising the installation and the plaza (square) in front.

The plaza
The plaza before the installation was called “Paseo del Tenis”

The plaza in front of the installation was designed by the architect Luis Peña Ganchegui, who worked with Chillida for the first time in this project.

The project started in 1966 and took eleven years to complete in 1976.

The main rock before the installation
The main rock before the installation

The initial idea was to place one sculpture on the main rock.

But soon after they started working on the designs, Chillida realized that the sculpture was going to attract all the attention, and this was contrary to what he wanted to achieve, which was to use the sculpture as a means to highlight the space around it and the environment.

08_peine_viento_07

Chillida loved this edge of the San Sebastian coastline, at the foot of the Igueldo hill. He retreated there often, to enjoy the sea, the wind, the rocks. It was this atmosphere that he wanted to enhance and promote with his work, rather than have his work dominate the natural setting and in this sense, distort it.

The Comb of the Winds - January 2015
The Comb of the Winds – January 2015. Photo NM.

This is why he came up with the idea of three sculptures instead of one.

Luis Chillida, son of sculptor Eduardo Chillida, suggested in an interview (1) that the three sculptures represent the three domains of time: past, present, future.

The Comb of the Winds - January 2015. Photo NM.
The Comb of the Winds – January 2015. Photo NM.

The sculptor’s son claims that the sculpture mounted on the left side and the one on the rock right opposite to it are the past and the present, whereas the thirs sculpture that appears to be far away is the future, a future that blends in the horizon.

The  sculpture at the foot of the Igueldo Hill
The sculpture at the foot of the Igueldo Hill. Photo NM.

In his writings, the sculptor speaks for himself (2, p.61):

“I want for the space in my work to be like the grease that allows a machine to function properly. Masses that slip and engage with each other, but I do not want to start any machine. I want my pieces to be quiet and silent, the only way to partially escape the influence of time.”

The sculpture on the eastern rock - January 2015. Photo NM
The sculpture on the eastern rock – January 2015. Photo NM.

All three sculptures are made of steel.  Each weighs approximately 13 tonnes and is anchored to the rock in two pIaces. They were made at Patricio Echeverria’s industrial forge in Legazpia.

The northern sculpture - January 2015. Photo NM.
The northern sculpture – January 2015. Photo NM.

Chillida “worked” the material directly, he did not use a model or a mold. As the sculptures were big and complex, he built them in two parts each, and then connected the pieces.  Chillida learned from a local blacksmith the demanding labour of the forge, from stoking a fire and handling a bellows to pounding the malleable metal to achieve a desired form. “A piece of iron is an idea itself,” he said. “I must gain complete mastery over it and force it to take on the tension which I feel within myself.” (3)

Interestingly, after the mid 1960’s Chillida transitioned from working with steel to working with marble.

Moving the sculptures
Moving the sculptures

Moving the sculptures and installing them was not an easy operation.  They had to set up supporting structures for moving and lifting the heavy sculptures. One must note that the cranes of today were not available back then.

08_peine_viento_06

Today the three sculptures occupy their place anchored on the three rocks, day and night, be it sunny or rainy. The people of San Sebastian visit the Comb of the Winds on every possible occasion and they love it. There is something deeply egalitarian about the installation. It brings all people together to enjoy the sea landscape and their heritage. It is like part of this heritage are the strange metal structures hanging from the rocks.

Comb of the Winds - January 2015. Photo NM.
Comb of the Winds – January 2015. Photo NM.

Are they anchors?

Are they letters?

We do not know, and we do not need to know.

But what I know is that like the temples in the valley of Paestum in Italy, they exist in harmony with the landscape. It is like they belong there, like the landscape cannot exist without them and they cannot exist without the landscape.

Whereas in Paestum the temples are in a valley, in the Comb of the Winds is literally submerged in the foam of the sea waves. But in both cases the resplendent harmony is there.

Like the temples of Ancient Greece, Chillida’s sculptures are open. Space makes sense only when you make sense of the vacuum, of emptiness.

The analogy with temples is not limited to the harmony and the integration with the landscape, or the use of emptiness to denote space.

In a sense the “Comb of the Winds” is an open temple where you can pray to whoever and whatever you believe in, or contemplate life, or…

Concha Bay, San Sebastian. Photo NM.
Concha Bay, San Sebastian. Photo NM.

“In a certain way I am a disciple of the sea and, consequently, also of Bach because Bach is very similar to the sea. I do not know if Bach ever saw the ocean, but his work has a very impressive relationship to it. And he is among my mentors.” Eduardo Chillida (2, pg.30)

Eduardo Chillida at work
Eduardo Chillida at work

“…I have found that time exists in my sculpture. It exists in a version that is not the standard temporal one. Rather, this version is time’s brother: space. Space is the twin brother of time. They are two concepts that are absolutely parallel and similar. And because I am so conditioned by space, I have always been interested in time. In fact, my time is very slow:traditional time – that of the clock – does not interest me. I am interested in a concept of time that is about harmony, rythm and dimensions.” Eduardo Chillida (2, pg. 32)

Sources

1. El Peine del Viento. Mas Context.

2. Eduardo Chillida, Writings. Richter Verlag, 2009.

3. Eduardo Chillida. Obituary. The Telegraph.

Bacalao the Magnificent

 

 

 

cod

 

A selection of some of the best bacalao dishes I have tasted, published as a photo story in storehouse.

Mugaritz Restaurant, near San Sebastian, Basque Country

This is a long due review of my visit to Mugaritz in June 2010. Mugaritz is listed as number 5 in San Pelegrino’s “The Top 50 Restaurants of the World”. Michelin’s Guide Rouge has awarded him two stars for the last 7 years. Chef Andoni Luis Aduriz is considered to be one of the most exciting new chefs in the world. I had the pleasure of visiting Mugaritz in 2003 for the first time, and I returned in 2010. Originally, the date was set for February, but a mishap prevented me from going. When I called a few days later to reschedule, Amaia (the ever gentle lady in charge of bookings) told me that a fire had destroyed the kitchen and the restaurant would re-open in June.

The entrance to the restaurant is the entrance of a farm turned restaurant. Idyllic and calming. It is difficult to find without a navigator, but it is worth the try.

“I was about to remark that farm-to-table cuisine is nothing new to Americans when a waiter placed two stark white bowls on the table. One held a smooth garlic aioli for dipping; the other contained purplish-white orbs that resembled rarefied Japanese stones. These were Aduriz’s famous potatoes, which he’d spent a year researching and perfecting with his pharmacist sister, using a nutrient-rich, edible white clay called kaolin. To obtain the fantastical result, Aduriz dips little boiled Basque spuds in a mix of kaolin and lactose—which makes the coating smooth—then dries them at low heat until a brittle coating forms. Aduriz serves the potatoes in a bowl, among real stones. When I bit into one, the eggshell-thin casing dissolved into the sweet, meltingly tender flesh. I could see what Aduriz meant about luxury.”

Source: Anya von Bremzen

Clay Potatoes with Aioli (photo by "summer of innocence")

The clay potatoes as described by Anya were served in a smoking area outside the main restaurant, and I did not have my camera with me. I could not have believed that such a sumptuous aromatic taste would come from a potato! This is one of the reasons why one should visit Mugaritz. Because you visit the realm “beyond”.

Artichokes sliced paper thin, dressed in Iberian ham fat. Very subtle, and aromatic dish. Its key feature  though is the texture, as the artichoke is practically raw, and therefore crunchy. One of the challenges of the dish for me was that I am used to have artichokes with lemon, and I was thinking lemon while eating it!

“RAZOR CLAMS flavoured with a rich black bean broth, perfumed with cinnamon oil. SWEET BLACK BEANS.”

I come from the school of serving the razor clams grilled with parsley and garlic. To have them like that, swimming in a sweet broth, was a big change. Eventually, I came to like it.

“Over a gelatinous pine nut cream, GLUTINOUS COD FISH and mastic resin.”

This was a really challenging dish, as it combined the belly of the cod with pine nut cream and masticha, the resin from the mastic tree on the island of Chios. Again, Aduriz turned things upside down, serving the gelatinous flesh with a sweet aromatic dressing. It worked quite well though, and it made me feel proud, because masticha comes only from Greece. There is no other place in the world where this tree grows.

Salsifi cooked in the calcium oxide to produce a self pureeing vegetable.

I had no idea what salsify is, but it turned out to be a tuber/root that grows in the sea. I really loved the texture of this thing. Slightly chewy and tough on the outside like the skin of a roasted Japanese sweet potato (this texture reallyexcites me), the inside remained moist and firm but giving. Subtly sweet, it was accompanied by some briny cod roe that exploded with flavour and a sprig of spring onion.”

Source: A Summer of Innocence

“MEGRIM STUFFED WITH VEGETABLE PEARLS and pickled herbs. Small sautéed carrots.”

Megrim is a type of sole fish. It was juicy, firm, tasty. I loved the baby carrots.

“SKATE FILAMENTS bounded in toasted butter glace, Iberian mild sheen.”

The skate worked perfectly with the butter.

“LOIN OF DUCK. Served with iodized compliments; crumblings and shavings of summer truffle.”

This was a minimalist dish, bringing forward the taste of the duck and in the background the subtle truffle.

Braised pork shoulder with garlic. The pork is braised at a temperature of 65 degrees Centigrade, so that haemoglobin does not coagulate and the meat does not turn brown. The garlic was crunchy and mighty. I even ate the flowers!!!

“Tradition, ocean and land: braised IBERIAN PORK TAILS AND PAN FRIED LANGUOSTINES. Reduced braising juices
infused with Iberian “jamón”.” For this dish I posted a short note back in June. I think this is the dish I will ask to eat before my departure from this vain world.
“SELECTION OF EUSKAL HERRIA CHEESE. Artisanal ewe, cow or goats milk cheeses; abbey, monastery and farmhouse
cheeses; mountain and meadow cheeses…”
There is something about cheese in the Basque country, they manage to produce everything and everything is delicious!!! I sound like a primitive being, but the simple truth is this. This stuff is so good, that I cannot ever have a proper Basque meal without cheese.
Broken walnuts with cool milk cream and Armagnac jelly.Although I am not a friend of sweets, especially after my glorious cheese plate, I really enjoyed this creation, which fooled me, as I thought that the walnut shells were real. They were not!!!! They were made of chocolate.

The Wine: Mendraka, a Txakoli from the Basque Country. This steady friend of a wine, kept me going throughout the meal. Txakoli is a perfect second violin to the glorious cuisine of the Basque country!

The double face of experience.And at the end time for philosophizing. These two cards were laid on the table at the beginning, but I present them at the end. They present the two sides of the 150 minute experience.

The Threat
The Opportunity
Au revoir Mugaritz!!!


RABITOS DE CERDO IBÉRICO ESTOFADOS Y CIGALITAS SALTEADAS: The Princess entangles the Serf in a messy enjoyment of life

Iberian Pig’s Tails with crayfish.

The humble tail with its skin intact and crispy combines with the white immaculate flesh of the crayfish in a never ending game of pure pleasure, amplified by jamon iberico crisps.

The flesh of the tail is surrounded by streams of fat, the best tasting fat in the world!

The contrast in the texture between the skin and the subliminally soft, almost creamy fat  is unbelievable.

And when you get back to Earth after this excursion into extreme pleasure, the crayfish comes into play and with its soft flesh and sweet flavor takes you to the cool ocean of elevated joy.

A crisp of jamon iberico completes the palette of tastes and you find yourself asking the simple question:

“How could I ever taste something more satisfying than this?”

The Princess has danced with the Serf, the lights are off,  and the Prince with the skull on hand walks by wandering:

“To be or not to be?”

He obviously didn’t manage to get even one bite!

P.S. This dish is on the menu of the re-opened Mugaritz Restaurant, near San Sebastian in the Basque Region, which was completely rebuilt after a fire destroyed the entire kitchen and a big part of the dining area on the 15th February 2010.

Bacalao forever! Bacalao Dishes to crave for (Updated March 2019)

The protagonist

The protagonist of this post is bacalao, or cod. The trigger was the proximity of two important dates in the Greek Calendar: The 25th March, which is the National Revolution Day in Greece, and Palm Sunday. The Greek tradition has it that on both dates we eat salted cod with garlic sauce or aioli. 

The idea here is to present some of the highlights of my “bacalao” experience and some of the ideas that I have seen and appreciate, even though I have not tasted the dish yet.

But history comes first. Here is a post I have written on the history of fishing cod in Newfoundland.

The massive fishing of cod in Newfoundland supplied the European populaiton with the salt dried fish that nurtured generation after generation of people who would otherwise would not have been able to buy and eat fish. In Greece this was also the case. Fresh fish and seafood in Greece was and still is expensive and hard to get, as the quantities are small. The only way a lot of people could eat fish was to import the salt dried cod from abroad.  

No lets get to the fish and the dishes. 

I will start with some photos of the raw material and then go to the dishes.

You can eat bacalao fresh. The head picture comes form La Boqueria, the Central Market in Barcelona. The filet picture comes from La Bretxa, the Central Market in San Sebastian.

Filetes de Bacalao

The second filet photo is from my kitchen. You can easily notice the difference in the size of the fish in Spain and in Greece! Not to mention the price. In Greece the fish – even in today’s lousy market conditions – sells for more than 20 Euros per kilo, in Spain it sells for 14 Euros per kilo of filet!

Salted bacalao can be delicious, but is not always. It depends on the quality of the fish and the time of curing and preserving. In any case, the best salted bacalao comes from Spain. I have one shop in Barcelona and another in San Sebastian, where I buy salted bacalao. Superb quality, specialization to the task, they sell more than 15 different cuts of salted bacalao.

Salted Bacalao

Bacalao Wafer

I start the bacalao dishes with one of the most delicious bacalao dishes I have ever tasted. It  is Martin Berasategui’s wafer of lightly smoked bacalao, served with a wonderful parmesan sauce, hazelnuts, coffee and vanilla. The thin slice of the fish rests on a puree where the taste and flavor of parmesan cheese is prominent. The fish actually dissolves into the puree and the combination is inspiring!

Lightly smoked cod with powder of hazelnuts, coffee and vanilla

Esquisada di Bacala

 

Esquisada di Bacala

This is a wonderful dish, it is so simple and so difficult at the same time! I tasted it in Ristorante Uliassi, in Senigalia, Italy. Raw cod chunks (salted cod from San Sebastian in the Basque Country, quite possibly the best in the world), with potatoes, pendolini tomatoes and basil.This is a hymn to primary ingredients of the best quality, as the cod’s texture  is supplemented by the sweetness of the potatoes and the incredible acidity of the small tomatoes that have been blessed by the volcanic soil of Vesuvius.

Bacalao Tripe

The tripe of bacalao is one of the delicacies I discovered in Cataluna. What a great taste!

Sea Urchin Eggs with Bacalao Tripe

Another great dish from  Mauro Uliassi (Ristorante Uliassi) Sea Urchin Eggs with bacalao tripe dish. The velvety texture and mild, soothing flavors of the tripe, contrasted with the intensity of the flavors in the sea urchin eggs, creating an unforgettable experience.

Bacalao Tripe with Rabbit and Salmon Roe

I have not yet tasted Carlo Cracco’s (Ristorante Cracco, Milano, Italia) bacalao tripe with rabbit and salmon’s roe, but this recipe definitely can give me a huge appetite, even by reading it.

Bacalao Tripe with Artichokes and Robellones Mushrooms

La Cocina Plural’s Bacalao Tripe with Artichokes and Robellones Mushrooms, reminds me a an excellent dish I tasted in Barcelona’s “Els Pescadors” Restaurante, but instead of mushrooms it was served with rice.

Bacalao in the Boroa Restaurant, near Bilbao

A trio of tastes, grilled, vizcaina and pil pil, served in the Boroa Retaurant, near Bilbao.

Bacalao Cheeks – Kokotxas

This is one of the best recoveries I have made in the great country of the Basques, the Kokotxas! They are the cheeks of the cod (or hake) and are unbelievably soft, velvety smooth in texture, and full of the gelatin of the fresh fish.

 

Fresh kokotxas in the Boqueria

The other great Land, Cataluna is also very fond of kokotxas, so here I have a photo taken from the Boqueria market in Barcelona.

Kokotxas in salsa

I have tasted the perfect dish in Rekondo’s, a restaurant in San Sebastian.

Fried Cod

This is simply fried cod. I tasted it in the Fishtavern Aristodimos in Pachi, near Megara, some 40 km west of Athens. As you can see the fish is fresh, and small. Overall, cod in Greece is small, the size rarely goes over 2 kilos. The fish is cut in small pieces and fried in olive oil. Here what matters the most is the technique of the cook, so that the fish is juicy inside, and crispy outside. This case was a success.

Bacalao Pil Pil

 

Bacalao Pil Pil

This is a dish from the Basque country, delicious in its simplicity and execution.

Bacalao with Estragon

Bacalao with Estragon

This is my recipe, based on my love for the two key ingredients: the bacalao and estragon.

Detail with Sauce

Many more dishes could be here, but this is not the point.

The point is that like every great food, bacalao is the source of inspiration for many great chefs of the world, and pleasure for the millions of people enjoying it in their meals.

Bacalao with String Beans

One of the minimalist school dishes that I have created, slow cooked bacalao fillets in a sea of garlic and red chilli peppers, served on top of steamed crunchy string beans. 

It cannot easily get better than that!

 

Brandada de Bacalao – Salt Cod Mash (Brandade)

This is another favourite, a dish popular in Spain, Portugal and France. 

Restaurante Arzak – San Sebastian, Donostia, Basque Country

Juan Mari Arzak is one of the giants of Basque and International cuisine for the last 35 years.

Juan Mari Arzak - Photo courtesy of Restaurante Arzak

His restaurant in San Sebastian is a temple of gastronomy.

I visited the restaurant in a very cold day of February, when it was snowing and the city was dressed in white. Unusual weather for a sea resort, even in the heart of winter.

My last visit was back in 2004, with my brother, Manolis and his family.

Front view of the Restaurant Arzak - Photo courtesy of Restaurant Arzak

Arzak was and still is the three-starred restaurant where you feel at home. The atmosphere is warm, service is friendly, and Juan Mari himself tours the tables and chats with the guests. The locals honor Arzak with their patronage, as he is one of them, he has never left them.  And Juan Mari makes sure he remains one of the locals, by welcoming them for the last 40 years.

Elena Arzak - Photo courtesy of Restaurant Arzak

The kitchen on a day by day basis is run by Juan Mari’s daughter, Elena Arzak. Elena is the perfect example of a professional whose fame has not gone into their head. She is smiling, friendly and always willing to discuss every aspect of the food she serves.

I forgot my camera at the hotel, and I can show you no pictures, but I will describe the dishes as they came.  Elena was kind enough to let me use some of the marketing photos that you see above.

The first dish was caramelized apple disks with foie oil on top. Perfectly balanced, seasoned, each disk a pleasure to watch and taste.

Olive powder with lobster - Photo courtesy of Restaurante Arzak

The second dish was a lobster salad with potatoes, which was superb. The key reason was the sauce that came with it, a sauce full of flavors from the lobster and spices.

The third dish was oysters with a crispy shell. Oysters were tender, subtle in flavor and contrasted in texture with the crispy shell.

The fourth dish  was an egg with infused flavors.

Sea Bass with vegetable confetti - Photo courtesy of Restaurante Arzak

The fifth dish was “bronzed” monk fish, which was superbly seared and presented with a sauce made from its stock.

Totem de Foie - Photo courtesy of Restaurante Arzak

The meal concluded with fresh foie, served in a sauce of corn and sweet wine.

There were two deserts, both a combination of cold and warm, with beautiful colors, fruits and chocolate.

Overall, this was an exceptional meal. All dishes were expertly executed. If I had to change something, I would swap the oysters for a dish with baby eels that is superb, but I forgot to ask for it, until I saw it served to the next table, to a couple of gentlemen with whom Juan Mari had a joyous chat.

Having been to Martin Berasategui’s restaurant the day before, I can summarize the experience as follows.

Martin is the Mozart of Basque cuisine. Light, exuberant, playful, endless, a creative genius unbound by convention and technique.

Juan Mari and Elena are the Beethoven of the Basque cuisine. The colors are darker, the taste is heavier, the menu items are more familiar, almost classical, and the overall experience is close to perfection, making you feel a different man.