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The Spanish way to heaven | page 1, 2
Pilgrim or not, if you are traveling along the north coast of Spain, the town of Getaria is worth a stop. Just down the road from the new Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, it's famous as the hometown of Juan Sebastian Elcano, the navigator on Magellan's voyage around the world. Most popular literature has Magellan as the first person to sail around the planet, but this is not true -- Magellan died midway, in the Philippines. It was Elcano who completed the voyage home and who should be given credit. The noble statue of him in Getaria's town square is a thoughtful gesture, but it's really not enough. The man needed a better agent. Getaria is also the center for the production of a local wine called txakoli, which is made from the grapes grown on the nearby hills. Young,
sparkling and fruity, it is poured from a bottle held a few feet above the glass, on the theory that this little journey aerates the wine and increases its sparkle. Getaria has a number of good restaurants that specialize in the outdoor grilling of fish that come from the town's port. The grills are set up outside, near the entrance to the restaurants, and your selection is cooked to order. Now that we're on the subject of great Basque food, here is a local recipe adapted for the American home kitchen by Gerald Hirigoyen, who runs two terrific restaurants in San Francisco -- Fringale and Pastis -- that specialize in Basque cooking. He is also the author of "The Basque Kitchen," a definitive work on the subject published in 1999 by HarperCollins. (adapted from "The Basque Kitchen: Tempting Food from the Pyrenees," by Gerald Hirigoyen with Cameron Hirigoyen) This dish was inspired by Gerald Hirigoyen's uncle's tuna and onion casserole. He would put a big tuna steak in a casserole dish and cover it with onions and a little oil. Then he cooked it on top of the stove for a long, long time. When Gerald came to California and tasted ahi tuna cooked rare like a steak, he was hooked. So he adapted his uncle's combination of ingredients to the West Coast cooking style. This same preparation, served on a steaming bed of green lentils, was the most popular dish on the opening menu at Fringale in 1991. Every time he tried to retire it, the customers would stage an uproar. Serves 4 ONION MARMALADE 1/4 cup olive oil *This is a traditional Basque seasoning made from peppers grown in the village of Espelette in Labourd province. It's available in the United States from IGO Foods, P.O. Box 77878, San Francisco, CA 94107; (415) 567-4796. To make the onion marmalade, warm 1/4 cup olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until they turn golden brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in the vinegars, water, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, sugar and piment d'Espelette. Bring to a slow boil and cook until the liquid is completely evaporated, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside. In a separate medium-large saucepan, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Sprinkle both sides of the tuna steaks with salt and pepper. Sear them until medium rare, about 2 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness of the tuna. For each serving, spoon the green lentils (see below) onto the center of the plate. Place a tuna steak on top and cover with onion marmalade. GREEN LENTILS WITH BACON 6 ounces sliced bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces Put the bacon in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a simmer over moderately high heat; drain, rinse and drain again. Warm the duck fat or butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the bacon to the pan and sauté for 1 minute. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for about 3 minutes longer. Add the lentils, the bouquet garni, water and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook until much of the liquid has evaporated, and the lentils are tender and moist, 25 to 30 minutes. Just before serving, add the butter, olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and reheat. Stir together well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. *This is composed of two sprigs each of parsley and thyme and two bay leaves tied together with kitchen string. Return of the pilgrims Following the Protestant Reformation, the market for indulgences dropped off and the pilgrimage business declined. However, there has been a recent resurgence. During the Holy Year 1993, over 100,000 pilgrims followed the old route, and 2000 is expected to be a banner year for pilgrimages as well. New hotels and inns are being built to accommodate the traffic. To qualify as an authentic pilgrim, you must walk a minimum of 62 miles, but you can also meet the requirement by biking for 124. Inline skaters have made petitions but as yet there is no official ruling. And if you're considering a skateboard, forget about it. It is essential to start with a letter from your parish priest and a record book that gets stamped along the way. Shirley MacLaine is said to have made the trip at least twice. For additional information, visit the Way of St. James Web site or contact XACOBEO 2000, Pavillon de Galicia, San Lasaro, s/n, Santiago de Compostela, Spain; telephone 001 34 981 54 19 99.
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