Spanish chef expands our taste

McClatchy Newspapers (MCT) - Sirens wail in the background, but Jose Andres doesn't pause to notice. He's conducting a telephone interview in front of his restaurant Jaleo in Washington, D.C., talking about his PBS cooking show and a new cookbook _ and waiting for his friend, Mexican cooking authority Diana Kennedy, to arrive.

Andres, who grew up in the Asturias region of northern Spain, has realized his dream: to bring Spanish food to the United States. For almost two decades, Andres has been educating Americans about Spanish food _ one tapas at a time. He owns several restaurants in the D.C. area, including Jaleo and minibar by jose andres. His first cookbook, "Tapas: A Taste of Spain in America," was published in 2005, and his latest book, "Made in Spain," is a companion cookbook to the PBS series "Made in Spain." The show travels between Andres' two homes: Washington and Spain, and the recipes are created in his home kitchen using products found in the United States.

Andres was introduced to public television audiences in "Chef's Story: Bittman Takes on America's Chefs" and "Diary of a Foodie." Check local PBS listings for upcoming episodes of "Made in Spain".

"As a chef, I have two worlds: fine cooking and the creative one, what I do at the restaurant. Another is who I am. It's more of the boy growing up, the traditional Spanish cooking side," he said.

"My wife told me one morning, are you going to be a TV boy or be a chef and use TV to spread your message? This question made me think. So I put myself entirely to create seriously for PBS.

"I try to teach how to cook Spanish in my house, and take people on a trip around Spain, where I allow ingredients to speak for themselves. The farmer, the fisherman, the cheese maker, the artisans, are the heroes. Without them, it would not be cooking as we know it."

Cooking Spanish means using simple American ingredients and genuine Spanish products readily bought here. The fish should come from American shores, the meat from the area, and the vegetables local, he said, and they can be seasoned with a few Spanish ingredients that you can pick up at a supermarket _ Spanish smoked paprika and Spanish olive oil.

"Made in Spain" (Potter, $35) is being published this month.

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This recipe from the book is inspired by the delicious potatoes grown in the Canary Islands, which are off the coast of Africa, Andres said. The islands were historically the last port between Spain and the Americas, and with their tropical climate, they became home to many American products. Although the potatoes on the islands are especially wonderful, you can re-create this dish with the flavorful varieties that grow in America.

WRINKLED POTATOES, CANARY ISLAND STYLE

2 pounds baby potatoes

1 cup salt, plus more as needed

Mojo verde for dipping (recipe follows)

Put potatoes in medium-deep pot. Cover with water and add 1 cup salt. You need enough salt in the water to cause the potatoes to float, so add more if needed. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook potatoes 25 to 30 minutes. Use a toothpick to check for doneness. The potatoes will start to wrinkle as they get tender.

Pour out most of the water, leaving just enough to cover the bottom of the pot, and return pot to the stove top. Shake pot over low heat until the salt covering the potatoes begins to crystallize, about 5 minutes. Take the potatoes off the heat and cover with a clean kitchen towel until potato skins have wrinkled, about 10 minutes. Serve with mojo verde.

Makes 4 servings.

CANARY ISLAND GREEN PEPPER SAUCE (mojo verde)

3 garlic cloves, peeled

½ teaspoon sea salt

1 cup well-packed chopped cilantro leaves

ÂĽ teaspoon cumin seeds

ÂĽ cup Spanish extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon sherry vinegar

Using a mortar and pestle, mash garlic and salt together until you have a smooth paste. Rotate mortar while you mash, scraping down the garlic from the sides with the pestle. Add cilantro and cumin, and keep mashing until ingredients are well combined. Slowly drizzle in olive oil as you continue to mash the paste, making sure olive oil is absorbed. Drizzle in 1 teaspoon water and vinegar. Turn pestle with a slow, continuous circular motion around mortar as you drizzle the liquids into the sauce. Keep sauce at room temperature until ready to use. Makes 1½ cups.

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© 2008, Lexington Herald-Leader (Lexington, Ky.).