Robbie’s Inspiration – Jose Pizarro “Basque” cookbook review and a recipe #cooking

Jo from https://brookfordkitchendiaries.wordpress.com/2024/10/27/bkd-cookbook-club/ has taken over the cookbook club and today I am sharing my first cookbook review for this new season. The book selected by the group is Jose Pizarro “Basque”.

Picture caption for the cover of Jose Pizarro “Basque”My thoughts on the book

This is not a book I would ordinarily have picked up as it uses a lot of ingredients that I would not usually buy and that are not readily available at the stores where I shop, for example duck, pork trotters, partridge, rabbit, and quail. For this same reason, I struggled to find a recipe that my family would enjoy and for which I could get the ingredients.

The only suitable recipe was for Sukalki – A typical beef ragu. This recipe was similar to Hungarian goulash and is adjusted for the ingredients I could purchase locally.

Ingredients

1,5 kg beef short rib and beef blade (I couldn’t get beef shin per the original recipe) seasoned with black pepper and salt to taste

2 medium onions, diced

3 medium carrots, chopped

150 ml good quality brandy

30 ml paprika

2 large pepperoni peppers, diced

750 ml beef stock

1 kg peeled and chopped medium potatoes (I cut into quarters)

200 g fresh shelled peas

Method

Brown the beef short ribs and beef blade in a little olive oil and remove from pot. Add the onion, carrot, and peppers and cook until the onion is transparent. Add the brandy and allow the alcohol to burn off. Add back the meat and the paprika. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Turn down and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the potatoes and simmer for a further 60 minutes.

Serve with rice.

My family enjoyed this meal and said it was tasty.

You can find the recipes from other participants here: https://brookfordkitchendiaries.wordpress.com/2024/11/15/basque-by-jose-pizarro/