Spain...: A Culinary Road Trip by Mario Batali, Gwyneth Paltrow

From the Publisher

From Mario Batali, superstar chef and author of Molto Italiano and Italian Grill, comes an eating tour throughout Spain with his friend Gwyneth Paltrow.

Spain...A Culinary Road Trip is the companion book to the prime-time public television series Spain...On The Road Again. The premise is simple: Mario Batali and Mark Bittman are single-minded, food-obsessed friends who are constantly on the lookout for the food, wine, and cooking that is unique to Spain—and in this series they will find it. Gwyneth Paltrow and the Spanish actress Claudia Bassols are eager to enjoy all the pleasures the country has to offer, and each pair will be lured into the worlds of the other.

The foursome take the ultimate road trip adventure, showcasing the pleasures of Spain, the country's regional cuisine, art, history, and culture, as they've never been seen before. Hundreds of gorgeous and candid photos, anecdotes, and more than seventy recipes from Mario appear in this scrapbook of the dream vacation through Spain.

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Migas

Serves 6 as a side dish or tapa

This is very good served with eggs fried in olive oil.

Ingredients:

6 cups coarse dried bread crumbs 1/3 cup olive oil
6 garlic cloves, not peeled
½ pound Spanish chorizo, casings removed and cut into ½-inch dice
½ pound pancetta in one piece, cut into ½-inch dice
A large bunch of grapes
6 Roasted Red Peppers (recipe follows), peeled, seeded, and cut into wide strips

Instructions:

Put the bread crumbs in a bowl, sprinkle with just enough water to moisten, and cover with damp paper towels. Set aside for 2 hours, or until the bread is evenly moistened.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and stir until lightly browned and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chorizo and pancetta and cook, stirring, until the meat is lightly browned and starting to render its fat, about 8 minutes. Add the bread crumbs, mix thoroughly, and cook, stirring, until the crumbs are lightly browned. Serve with the grapes and roasted peppers (peel the garlic cloves if you like, or let your guests do it).

Filloas

Serves 4

A fascinating blend of sweet and savory, these crepe-like pancakes, usually served as a snack, made me think of an American pancake-and-bacon breakfast. María was kind enough not only to show us how to make these, but also to make Gwyneth's without the bacon fat (but pork in my dessert makes me a very happy man).

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour 1½ teaspooons kosher salt
1 cup chicken stock
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
About 2 tablespoons bacon fat or olive oil
Sugar for sprinkling

Instructions:

Whisk together the flour, salt, and stock in a large bowl until smooth. Whisk in the eggs and milk. Let the batter stand for 30 minutes.

Heat a crepe pan or medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add just enough bacon fat to coat the bottom of the pan and heat until hot. Pour in ¼ cup batter, tilting the pan to cover the bottom evenly, and pour out any excess. Cook until golden brown on the first side, about 2 minutes. Carefully flip the pancake and cook until lightly browned on the second side. Remove from the pan, sprinkle with sugar, and roll up. Put on a platter, cover to keep warm, and repeat with the remaining batter. Serve hot or at room temperature.