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THE SUN-SOAKED PLATE

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I’m delighted to announce the release of my new cookery book, The Sun-Soaked Plate , this week. Inspired by the produce, landscapes and culinary traditions of the Mediterranean, it brings together the ingredients and flavours that have shaped my approach to cooking. From sun-drenched shores to cool, lush valleys, the Mediterranean offers an extraordinary variety of produce. In this book, I invite you to explore that abundance with me and discover how to make the most of its flavours in your own kitchen. Across the region, chefs continue to find fresh ways to work with these remarkable ingredients, drawing on established traditions while introducing new ideas and techniques. This balance between heritage and innovation is central to my cooking at Michelin-starred Restaurant Marc Fosh in Palma de Mallorca, and it runs throughout the book. The Sun-Soaked Plate features over 120 recipes organised into 20 chapters, each devoted to a key ingredient. From tomatoes, garlic, almonds and ...
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PISTACHIOS-SPANISH GREEN GOLD

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  Some time ago I read fascinating article in Spain’s El Pais newspaper about farmers in the Madrid region rushing to plant pistachio tress. The title simply asked, “Are pistachios the new ‘green gold’ in Spain?” Apparently, the pistachio tree can yield up to €6,000 in just one hectare and farmers such as Álvaro Díez from Colmenar de Oreja, a town with 7,500 inhabitants that sits 50 kilometres from the Spanish capital are busy planting an endless sea of pistachio trees. On his farm, located on a terraced field of the Tagus River, very close to Aranjuez, the plantation already has more than 25 hectares, and the crop has increased by 30% in the last few years in the Madrid region alone, thanks mainly to its high profitability. This represents just a small portion of the 30,000 hectares of pistachio trees that are planted across the whole of Spain. Most of the trees are found in the central region of Castilla-La Mancha, which introduced them in the 1980s.   The pistachio is a...
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PERFECT PUMPKIN

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  With Halloween fast approaching, it’s time to cook up a few classic pumpkin recipes.   There’s something deeply reassuring about a pumpkin sitting on the kitchen counter. Round, heavy, and sunlit even on a dull day, it brings a kind of calm. You don’t rush a pumpkin. You cut it slowly, the knife sliding through dense, orange flesh, and the scent is faintly sweet — somewhere between earth and honey.   I like to roast it first. Big wedges, skin left on, brushed with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and a little sea salt. Maybe a scattering of thyme or a touch of chili. In a hot oven, the edges darken, caramelizing into something rich and sticky.   You can eat it just like that, straight from the tray, with a spoon and a little crumble of feta or topped with freshly grated parmesan cheese. When the weather begins to cool, pumpkin becomes the cook’s quiet ally. Puréed into soup, it makes something velvety and soothing. A splash of cream, a hint of ginger, maybe a dr...
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LATE SPANISH SUMMER TREATS- Enjoy the best that nature has to offer while the sun’s still shining

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    The late Spanish summer brings with it the arrival of quince, fresh figs and pomegranates. Sometimes these delicious fruits often get a little forgotten but for any serious cook, they can be an endless source of inspiration, and I always look forward to having them in season every year. ” Membrillo”( Quince), when fully ripe, can fill a room with the most unbelievable fragrance. It is a rustic cousin to apples and pears with much the same shape as an apple, although a little larger with a harder skin. Quince is often referred to as the cook's fruit as it cannot be eaten raw. It makes exceptionally good jellies and jams as it contains large amounts of pectin, which makes it ideal for preserves. The Spanish serve quince jelly with cheese, but you can also add diced "membrillo" to casseroles and stews or as serve a puree with poultry and game. It is said that quince was sacred to Aphrodite, the goddess of love, as a symbol of happiness, love and f...
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Easy pasta dinners

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    There are nights when supper needs to be nothing more than a bowl of pasta. Something quick, comforting, generous. The sort of food that asks little of you but gives back in spades.   A clove of garlic, sliced thin and left to turn golden in olive oil, is enough. A flicker of chilli, a little cooked spaghetti, and a pinch of chopped parsley. In the time it takes for the pasta to soften, you have dinner. Add a few prawns, perhaps, or a little diced ham, and the bowl feels more complete.   There are literally hundreds of delicious pasta sauces you can try, so it’s time to take a break from the boring Bolognese and broaden your repertoire with a few fresh ideas for the perfect pasta dish. For something a little different, why not try pasta with avocado, basil and lemon sauce?   Just put your spaghetti on to boil, then scoop out the avocado flesh and blend with lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, salt and basil until smooth. Toss t...
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