THE SUN-SOAKED PLATE

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 olive oil to octopus, chorizo, saffron and pomegranate, the collection explores the versatility of Mediterranean produce through both traditional and contemporary dishes.

The recipes include Yellow Gazpacho with Smoked Salmon and Avocado; Saffron, Raspberry and Orange Blossom Crème Catalan; Herb-roasted Guinea Fowl with Couscous Salad; and Sobrassada and Honey Croquettes with Almond Aioli. Alongside these are traditional Mallorcan favourites, including arròs brut, escaldums and frit mallorquí, celebrating the island’s food heritage and its enduring influence on my cooking.

Each chapter begins with an introduction to the featured ingredient, exploring its history and provenance, highlighting key suppliers and explaining when it is at its best. For me, understanding ingredients is fundamental to cooking well. Their origins, seasonality and individual qualities help guide the choices we make in the kitchen.

This ingredient-led approach also reflects how I like to shop and cook. Rather than always beginning with a finished dish in mind, I often start with whatever catches my eye at the market. A ripe tomato, fresh fish or a bunch of fragrant herbs can provide the inspiration for an entire meal. It is an approach that encourages curiosity and helps build confidence, making shopping and cooking part of the same creative process.

When I cook for friends and family, I want food that allows me to enjoy their company. Away from the restaurant, my philosophy comes down to three words: simple, fresh, Mediterranean. Sharing a meal, a glass of wine and good conversation around a table remains, for me, one of life’s greatest pleasures.

A fully updated reissue of The Modern Mediterranean, The Sun-Soaked Plate is my love letter to the Mediterranean and its food. I hope it inspires you to explore its ingredients, enjoy the process of cooking and share the results with the people around your table.

 

 

YELLOW GAZPACHO with SMOKED SALMON and AVOCADO

My yellow gazpacho is a very modern, light and colourful version that the guests at our restaurant adore in the summer months.

Ingredients: Serves 4

 

6 ripe yellow tomatoes
2 cucumbers, peeled, deseeded and

chopped
1 large yellow pepper
1⁄2 medium white onion, peeled and

chopped
2 tbsp sherry Vinegar

 200ml good quality olive oil
1 garlic clove
300ml mango purée
6 ice cubes
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

 

TO SERVE:

8 slices smoked salmon
1 avocado, peeled and diced

 

Put all the gazpacho ingredients into a bowl and marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Transfer the marinated mixture to a food processor and blend to a fine consistency. Pass through a fine sieve (strainer) and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2–3 hours.

To serve, place 2 slices of smoked salmon in the middle of each of 4 chilled soup bowls and top each with some diced avocado. Pour over the chilled yellow gazpacho at the table.

 

SAFFRON, RASPBERRY and ORANGE BLOSSOM CREMA CATALANA

 

Saffron, fresh raspberries and orange blossom are prefect additions to Crema Catalana. The creams are traditionally thickened over a low heat, but I prefer to bake mine slowly in the oven to limit the risk of the eggs curdling. The creams should have a slight wobble when removed from the oven. 

 

 

Serves 4

500ml milk

150ml cream
1 large pinch saffron
1 vanilla pod, split
grated zest of 1 orange
2–3 drops orange blossom syrup

6 egg yolks
90g sugar
20 fresh raspberries, plus extra to garnish

 

Preheat the oven to 90°C/200°F/gas mark 1⁄4.

 

In a heavy saucepan, heat the milk, cream, saffron, vanilla pod and orange zest and bring slowly to the boil. Remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 15–20 minutes. Add the orange blossom syrup and strain through a fine sieve (strainer).

In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar, then stir in the cream mixture, until combined.

Pour the mixture into earthenware or ramekin moulds and place 5 raspberries into each mould. Bake for about 35–40 minutes until just set.

 

Do not be tempted to turn the oven temperature up, as they will curdle. Remove from the oven, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 2–3 hours.

To serve, sprinkle with sugar and caramelise under a hot grill or with a culinary blowtorch. Garnish with fresh raspberries and serve immediately.