Books
90 AMERICANWAY
NOVEMBER 15 2008
Spain…ACulinaryRoadTrip
BYMARIOBATALIWITHGWYNETH
PALTROW (ECCO, $35)
You know it’s a good road tripwhen
it’s measured by meals rather than
miles. Superstar chef Mario Batali and food en-
thusiast Gwyneth Paltrow (along with food writer
Mark Bittman and Spanish actress Claudia Bassols)
crisscross Spain to learn about, and then share, the
country’s best culinary traditions — from the
ber-
berechos
(clams) of the Galician coast to the
pintxo
(tapas) bars of BasqueCountry.
If it all sounds too picturesque for print alone,
you’re right. The book, which serves simultaneously
asaphoto-filledscrapbookandacookbook, isacom-
panion to the 13-part television series titled
Spain…
On the Road Again
that’s currently airing on PBS.
Batali, who spent his high-school years in Spain and
adores the
cocina española
, envisioned the trip as a
means of introducingSpain to theUnitedStates ina
fun but informativeway.Mission accomplished.
1.
Score the fatsideof theduckbreast inacrosshatch
pattern, cutting about halfway through the fat. Sea-
son both sides with shichimi spice powder, salt and
pepper. Heat a sauté pan and put in the duck breast,
fat side down. Cook slowly on medium-low heat to
render some of the fat and achieve a nice golden col-
or. Turn and cook the other side briefly. Remove the
duckbreast from thepanandallow to rest.
2.
Cut the potatoes into 12 lozenges about 1
∏
in.
(3.75 cm) longby
∏
in. (1.25 cm) thick. Rinseandblot
dry.
3.
Heat the duck fat to 280°F (140 °C) in a deep
saucepan and fry the potatoes in small batches un-
til soft, about 5 minutes. They should be pale but
cooked through. Allow them to rest and cool at least
30 minutes as this will help to get rid of a lot of
steam, resulting in a crispier potato. Heat the duck
fat to 360°F (180 °C) and refry the potatoes until
golden and crisp.
4.
Thinly slice the duck breast and place on a paper-
linedplate.
5.
Dot each potato lozenge with wasabi and place
the duck slice on top. Brushwith the Honey Soy Re-
ductionand topwithapinchofMomijiOroshi, ginger
and scallion.
HaveTasteBuds,
WillTravel
November may be full of traditional culinary indulgences, but you can still treat your
tongue to a few surprises. Spice things up by serving some of the international gastro-
nomic goodies found in these new cookbooks by three of the world’s most celebrated
chefs.
ByKristinBairdRattini
TheCompleteRobuchon
BYJOELROBUCHON (KNOPF, $35)
At 813 pages, this encyclope-
dia of modern French cooking
is as heavy as it is helpful. It
comes to us from acclaimed
chef Joel Robuchon, whose 10
restaurants worldwide have racked up a combined
17 Michelin stars in his 40 years of cooking. That’s
more than any other chef can claim— and more
than enough for his own constellation.
Described as “French home cooking for the way
we live now,” the 800-plus recipes range from sur-
prisingly simple (scrambled eggs) to labor-intensive
fare (foie gras terrine). Robuchon’s updated takes
on classic dishes will add flavor to any gathering.
There’s also a brief chapter on regional specialties,
which include humbler dishes, like potato pancakes
and cabbage stew, that may not star on Robuchon’s
ownmenus but satisfy the senses nonetheless.
NobuMiami: TheParty
Cookbook
BYNOBUMATSUHISAAND
THOMASBUCKLEY (KODANSHA INTER-
NATIONAL, $40)
With winter fast approaching, it’s
the perfect time to thumb through this tropical
finger-food feast from the masters at Nobu Miami
and take a culinary vacation from the bitter cold.
NobuMatsuhisa has put his heart into these clever
citrus- and seafood-intensive creations, all meant to
be shared. The book’s sun-saturated photos ratchet
up the salivation factor, especially for dishes like
Baked Florida Oysters and Black Cod in Butter Let-
tuceWraps. And you’ll undoubtedlydoadouble take
at the AvocadoWedges with Tuna andMiso, an in-
spireddead ringer for prosciutto andmelon.
You’ll likely need to troll the aisles of your local
Asiangrocery storebefore tacklingmost recipes; the
book’s glossarywill help youwith your shopping list.
Be sure to pick up some ice, too, so you can reward
your extra effortwith aMiamiMargarita.
FAR-OUTFLAVORS
Is your mouth watering
just read-
ing about these delicious dishes?
Try this recipe from
Nobu Miami:
The Party Cookbook
, and bring
Chef Nobu’s mix of international
cuisine intoyour kitchen. (Formore
recipes from the cookbooks men-
tioned above, visit our website,
)
Duck “Sushi”withYakumi
Condiments
|Makes 12pieces
1 duck breast, trimmed
Shichimi
spice powder
Salt andpepper
2mediumPeruvian yellowpotatoes, peeled
Duck fat for frying potatoes (at least 1
cup/200g)
2 tsp. gratedwasabi root
1 tbsp. HoneySoyReduction
2 tsp. thinly sliced scallion
2 tsp. gratedginger
2 tsp.Momiji Oroshi
1.
Ina saucepan, bring the soy sauce toagentle sim-
mer.While stirring, add the kudzu starch to thicken.
Set aside.
2.
Place the honey in another saucepan and heat un-
til warm, then pour into the pan of soy sauce. Place
over low heat and simmer gently for 8minutes, stir-
ring from time to time.
∏
cup (120ml) soy sauce
∏
cup (120 ml) Acacia or chestnut
honey
1 tsp.
kudzu
starch
HoneySoyReduction
|MakesScant 1Cup (210ml)
Reprintedwith permission from
NobuMiami: ThePartyCookbook
,
Kodansha International 2008
Momiji Oroshi
Peel a daikon. Grate and lightly drain in a fine-mesh
sieve. For every tablespoonof grateddaikon,mix in
∏
teaspoon of red chili paste.
