Book Description
At the El Farol restaurant in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a collection of delectable ingredients-smoked paprika, saffron, spicy chipotle chiles and piquillo peppers, capers and caperberries, and a variety of Spanish cheeses-gather for a celebration of Spanish flavor. Best known for their creative tapas menu, El Farol revolutionized dining in Santa Fe and New Mexico with such tapas as Pollo Curry, a simple cold chicken salad that is too good to ever remove from the menu; and Gambas al Ajillo, sautéed garlic shrimp with lime and madiera. Executive Chef James Campbell Caruso presents award-winning traditional and contemporary Spanish cuisine in a colorful medley of recipes from his menu, including soups and stews, hot and cold tapas, 14 main courses, desserts, and an exclusive section on wine. Featuring over 120 recipes, El Farol: Traditional and Contemporary Spanish Tapas and Cuisine blends the rich and diverse cultural traditions of New Mexico with bold and interesting flavors. This unique collection presents Mediterranean and Spanish cooking influenced by a variety of lively Latin American dishes. The tapas menu is "ever-changing, bold, and energetic," according to the Dallas Morning News. The New York Times calls El Farol's food "bold and eclectic." The chef's Lobster-Chorizo Canneloni was voted "Best Appetizer" in the 2000 Taste of Santa Fe. James Campbell Caruso lives in Santa Fe, where he is the Executive Chef at El Farol, a chef and instructor at the Santa Fe School of Cooking, and the author of many articles on cooking and restaurant culture.


Excerpted from El Farol: Traditional and Contemporary Spanish Cuisine by James Campbell Caruso. Copyright © 2004. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Lemon-Rosemary Flan Our biggest selling dessert is a classic with some surprising flavor combinations. Makes 6 (4-ounce) flans For Caramel 1 1/2 cups white sugar 1/4 cup water For Custard 2 cups heavy cream 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary rind of 1 lemon 1 vanilla bean, split 1/2 cup sugar 2 whole eggs 2 egg yolks Preheat oven to 300 degrees. To make the caramel, put the sugar and the water in a saucepan over low to medium heat until melted and a light amber color. Pour a little caramel syrup into 6 (4-ounce) ramekins. To make the custard, heat the heavy cream with the rosemary, lemon rind, and vanilla bean until bubbling. Stir in the sugar and remove from heat; let rest for 10 minutes. This will allow the lemon and rosemary flavors to infuse in the hot cream. Strain. Beat the eggs and yolks together. Add a little hot cream to the eggs and whisk together. Then add a little more cream to the eggs; this will temper the eggs. Now whisk the egg mixture into the cream. Fill each ramekin with the custard mixture and bake in a water bath for about 30 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature and then chill for 1 hour before serving. Unmold on a plate and drizzle the caramel syrup around the custard.

SYNOPSIS

At the El Farol restaurant in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a collection of delectable ingredients-smoked paprika, saffron, spicy chipotle chilies and piquillo peppers, capers and caperberries, and a variety of Spanish cheeses-gather for a celebration of Spanish flavor. El Farol is best known for its creative tapas, small portions of food traditionally served in bars and bodegas to accompany a cold beer or glass of fino. Along with the renowned tapas menu, the cuisine at El Farol has revolutionized dining in Santa Fe and New Mexico with dishes like Pollo Curry, a simple cold chicken salad that never leaves the menu, and Gambas al Aillo, saut￯﾿ﾽed garlic shrimp with lime and madeira.

Executive chef James Campbell Caruso is thrilled to share his award-winning traditional and contemporary Spanish cuisine in El Farol: Tapas and Spanish Cuisine. Featuring more than 120 recipes for soups and stews, hot and cold tapas, main courses, desserts, and an enlightening section on wine, El Farol: Tapas and Spanish Cuisine blends the rich and diverse cultural traditions of New Mexico with the bold and interesting flavors of Spain and the Mediterranean. El Farol is one of Santa Fe's finest restaurants, and now El Farol: Tapas and Spanish Cuisine presents the most requested recipes from the city's oldest restaurant and cantina.

Don't miss this gorgeous new cookbook by a hot chef whose cuisine has been called "ever-changing, bold, and energetic," (Dallas Morning News) and "bold and eclectic" (The New York Times).