If you have been lucky enough to spend any time in Malaga in the last few years, you’ll have seen how the gastronomic scene has really developed. While it was always a great city for a tapas crawl, now the streets are lined with sleek gastrobars as well as traditional places. They haven’t thrown the baby out with the bath water however, as local dishes are on the menu at even the fanciest restaurants, just with a bit of a modern spin.
I was reminded of this while looking at the new digital cookbook Malaga Fine Wining & Dining, which has been created by the experts at Guide to Malaga with the chefs from 11 of the best tapas bars and restaurants in the city to make it easy for you to make their dishes at home.
There are some cracking recipes in it and they all look surprisingly simple to prepare with really impressive end results – but no neverending lists of ingredients or complicated techniques. Each has a suggestion for a wine from Malaga to go with it too.
I am a big fan of the Uvedoble gastrobar and will definitely be giving their pil-pil prawns mini kebab a whirl. I’ve been going to the labyrinthine El Pimpi for decades – it’s touristy but I love it – and was thrilled to have their recipe for salmorejo, the chilled tomato gloop that is something between a soup and a dip. The gazpacho with roast peach and cured crayfish from the Aire gastrobar sounds delicious too – I would never have thought of that combination myself but it’s an easy recipe and looks very fancy. I’ve never eaten at Los Patios de Beatas but their recipe for scallop tartare looks fabulous – going to give that one a whirl too.
The book also includes sections on local produce, where to buy it and what is in season when, as well as the different wines made in Malaga province and tips to help you when eating out if you are not familiar with the sometimes baffling customs in Spain.
Reading this book has made me want to return to Malaga as soon as possible but meanwhile I am going to get into that happy Mediterranean groove by having a go at the recipes.
Malaga Fine Wining & Dining costs €8.95.
Mooching around Spain 