The following is an interview by Katie DeFonzo, a Reference Librarian in the Hispanic Reading Room
We’re back with Katie DeFonzo, and the 2nd post in the “Sampling of Cookbook and Recipes” series where she tries a new recipe each week and shares her experience making it.
Please tell us which recipe you chose this week.
I am still hoping to try a few more recipes from Rexach’s Cookbook; however, I also wanted to prepare a recipe from one of the recipe books included in the Alimentación Research Guide. To find some recipes that capture a typical dinner table in parts of Spain, I turned to Jenny Chandler’s The Real Taste of Spain: Recipes Inspired by the Markets of Spain (2012). I chose a light and simple option this time around: ensalada de pimientos con naranja (red pepper and orange salad).
Why did you choose this recipe?
This recipe includes lots of healthy fruits and vegetables, including oranges, which are a favorite of mine throughout the autumn season. It was relatively simple to make and calls for the optional addition of coriander leaves (usually referred to in the U.S. as cilantro) – an herb that I love to find in guacamole and once researched for a recipe project I completed for an Early Modern History course.
Can you tell us more?
Once again, because I chose a recipe that could serve a large group, I prepared a smaller amount of this salad. I used two fewer red peppers than called for and used simple green olives rather than marinated ones. Roasting the red peppers made my apartment smell absolutely delicious, and making this recipe also gave me the chance to roast cumin seeds for the first time – I guess it’s never too early to prepare for roasting pumpkin seeds next month. Rather than use fresh garlic or cilantro leaves, I used a little garlic powder and coriander spice to flavor the dressing. All in all, this is a lovely salad or appetizer course for an autumn dinner party that will leave enough leftovers for a healthy, flavorful snack.
Thanks, Katie! We’ll be back with another recipe next week. Until then, ¡buen provecho!
Explore the Library’s many resources related the recipe books in our collection through Alimentación, gastronomía, cultura y hábitos alimenticios: una bibliografía anotada.
Less than a month ago, the Library held its annual Book Festival. Did you know that we have welcomed authors of recipe books to this event in the past? Award-winning chef and founder of World Central Kitchen José Andrés appeared on the Main Stage in 2019, and TV host Pati Jinich spoke at the Festival in 2016. You can find recordings of both of these Book Festival sessions on the Library website:
