Chicken à la French Basque

In the north central of Spain and across the border to southwestern France, Basque traditions, customs, language, and culinary recipes are still enjoyed. Key ingredients include from both the sea and mountain for grilled meats and fish dishes. There are diverse range of dishes, paired with txakoli /cha-koh-LEE/, a dry, sparkling white wine and Basque cider.  

Oilasko baskoa (Basque)

/oy-las-ko bask-ō/

Poulet Basquaiser (French)

Pollo vasco (Spanish)

Serves 4

1 whole organic chicken (about 4 pounds/1.820 g) cut into 8 pieces or chicken breast or legs

to taste: cayenne pepper, Himalayan salt and black pepper 

2 Tbs. (30 ml) olive oil

1 Tbs. (32 g) (dairy-free) butter

1 tbs. (5 g) organic tomato paste

1 organic onion, sliced

organic garlic cloves, minced

1 bay leaf

2-3 organic bell peppers, different colors, sliced

16 ounces (455 g) organic tomatoes

1/2 cup (120 ml) each: chicken stock or broth, water, and white wine

parsley and thyme

cooked pilaf (is GF) or rice

~Basque~

bat 1. Season the chicken.

bi 2. Heat the oil over medium heat.

iru 3. Add the butter, then the chicken pieces (whole children with the skin down). Brown about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.

lau 4.  Sauté the peppers, onions, and garlic. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and bay leaf. Cook until liquid is reduced by half.

bost 5. Stir in the wine. Cook until it reduced by half. Then add the water and broth/stock.

sei 6. Add the chicken, cover and simmer on low for about 30 minutes, inside temperature 165ºF/74ºC.

zap 7. Place the chicken on a platter.

zortzi 8. Add the parsley to the pot and boil the sauce until it thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.

bederatzi 9. Pour over the chicken. Serve with pilaf or rice.

On egin! 

Enjoy your meal!

Add a Basque salad: https://veggiefernandezs.blogspot.com/2019/01/basque-tossed-salad.html

or a Basque bean dish: https://veggiefernandezs.blogspot.com/2016/01/basque-beans.html

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Lamb Stew à la Basque

The difference between Spanish and Basque stews are of course, the ingredients. It is served at traditional family-style (long tables) restaurants in Basque communities, both in Spain/France and in the U.S.  Basque immigrants first arrive in the U.S. in the mid-1800s. 

Arkume eltzekaria (Basque)

Serves 4-6

3 pounds (1365 g) glass feed, organic lamb shoulder, cut into bite size pieces

organic garlic cloves, crushed

1 sprig of chopped rosemary or 1 Tbs. (15 g) dry

4 sprig of parsley, chopped or 4 Tbs. (30 g) dry

1/2 cup (120 ml) dry white wine

2 Tbs. (30 ml) olive oil

1 chopped organic onion

sweet paprika to taste

1 10-ounce (285 g) organic roasted red peppers, cut into strips

1 organic tomato, chopped

2 Tbs. (30 ml) parsley or 2 tsp. (10 ml) dry

bay leaf

1 cup (240 ml) each: red wine and organic chicken stock or broth

black pepper to taste

fresh mint leaves for garnish

bat 1. Marinate for 2-3 hours: lamb, garlic, rosemary, and white wine

bi 2. Drain and discard the marinade. Pat dry with paper towels. Mince the garlic cloves. Set aside.

hiru 3. Heat the oil over medium-high heat.

lau 4. Brown the meat on al sides about 10 minutes. Remove the meat

bost 5. Sauté the onions about 5 minutes.

sei 6. Add the garlic and sauté  for minute.

zazpi 7. Add the meat to the pan, plus paprika, roasted peppers, tomatoes, parsley , bay leaf, and red wine. Bring to a boil, reduce to medium, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes..

zortzi 8. Add the chicken stock. Bring to a boil., turn down to low and simmer, covered, until meat is tender, 2 hours or more if needed.

bederatzi 9. Garnish with mint leave.

On egin! 

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Basque Tossed Salad

We enjoyed this salad many times, while visiting the Spanish and French Basque regions.

Euskal entsalada (Basque)

Serves 4

A. Salad dressing/ Entsalada janzteko:

pinch or two of dried sea salt, oregano, and organic sugar

3 organic peeled garlic cloves

1 Tbs. (15 g) minced organic red onion

1 tsp. (5 ml)  organic lime juice and Worcestershire sauce

2 Tbs. (30 ml) red wine vinegar

3/4 cup (160 ml) olive oil

bat 1. Mash the oregano and garlic with a spoon or mortar and pestle.

bi 2. Add onion, sugar, lime juice, Worcestershire, vinegar, and oil.

hiru 3. Whisk well for 2-3 minutes.

lau 4. Pour dressing into a bowl.

B. Salad/ Entsalada:

2 large chopped organic tomatoes

1/2 cup (100 g) chopped organic bell pepper

1 large organic  chopped cucumber

1 tsp. (9 g) finely chopped capers

2 Tbs. (12 g) chopped pimiento-stuffed olives

4 cups (800 g) shredded organic salad greens, chilled

2  organic boiled eggs, chopped for garnish

chopped parsley for garnish

1 large organic chopped tomato for garnish

bost 5. In the bowl of dressing, add tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumber, capers and olives.

sei 6.  Serve on a platter over chilled salad greens.

zazpi 7. Garnish with eggs, parsley, and chopped tomato

On egin!

Enjoy your meal!

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Basque Tomato Sauce

Spring 2013, Judy and Mike visited Basque cities in both Spain and France and tasted several dishes with Euska Tomate-Saltsa.

Euska Tomate-Saltsa (Basque)

Makes 6 cups (1,9 liters)

Cooking time: 2 hours

Situated on both sides of the Pyrenées Mountains, near the Bay of Biscay, are Basque settlements in northern Spain and southwestern France. They lived in this region since about 200 B.C.E. Not saying that this tomato sauce recipe has been around for over 2,200 years, it still is made in one form or another and used in many dishes. It will keep for several days in the refigerator or freeze some.

1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil (oliba-olioa)

8 cloves of peeled and crushed garlic (baratxui)

2 cups (480 ml) peeled and diced organic yellow onion (horia eta tipula)

1 1/2 cups (365 ml) cored, seeded, and diced organic green bell pepper (berdea kanpai piperra)

3 cups (720 ml) diced very ripe organic tomatoes (tomatos)

1 4-oz. (120 ml) can whole green chiles (berde chiles), puréed

1/4 cup (60 ml) chopped parsley (perrexila)

5 cups (1,2 liter) organic beef or vegetable stock (behi-edo barazki-salda)

salt and pepper (gatze eta piperbeltza) to taste

bat 1. In a large saucepot, sauté the garlic, onion, green pepper in the oil until tender.

bi 2. Add the tomatoes, puréed chiles, and parsley. Simmer until very tender.

hiru 3. Add stock, cover, and simmer 1 hour.

lau 4. Uncover and simmer 1 hour more to reduce and thicken the sauce.

bost 5. Stir occasionally.

sei 6. Salt and pepper to taste.

-modifed from The Frugal Gourmet on Our Immigrant Ancestors

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Basque Mushroom and Wine Sauce

Two great ingredients: mushrooms and wine, hence a favorable sauce over any dish of vegetables or meat.

Onddo eta Ardo Saltsarekin (Basque)

Makes 3 cups (720 ml)

2 cups (480 ml) organic vegetable stock

1 cup (240 ml) dry red wine

2 Tbs. (30 ml) olive oil

2 crushed garlic cloves

3/4 pounds (150 g) organic mushrooms, sliced

1/2 tsp. (2,5 ml) dried thyme

4 Tbs. (60 ml) organic or dairy-free butter

6 Tbs. (90 ml) all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour)

black pepper and dried mint to taste

1 bay leaf

1. Pour the stock and wine in a saucepan.

2. Bring to a simmer.

3. In a skillet, sauté the garlic with some oil.

4. Add the mushroom slices, bay leaf, and thyme. Sauté until the mushrooms are tender. Remove the bay leaf and mixture from the pan and set aside.

5. Return the pan to the stove and met the batter.

6. Add the flour and cook a few minutes to make a roux (turn to a light brown color).

7. Add the roux to the stock and wine and whisk until smooth.

8. Add the mushroom mixture and simmer for 10 minutes.

9. Stir in black pepper and mint.

10. Drizzle or pour over the dish.

11. Refrigerate any extra for another dinner.

-modified The Frugal Gourmet On Our Immigrant Ancestors

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Basque Beans

While visiting the northern Spanish/Basque city of Bilbao*, this bean dish is all we needed for a noon meal. It was very filling. 

Ezkualdun Itarrak (Basque)

Serves 4

takes about 2 1/2 hours to cook

12 ounces (340 g) organic pink beans or kidney beans, rinsed and drained 

1 1/2 cups (355 ml) water

1 cup (240 ml) beef or vegetable broth

6 ounces (115 g) ham steak with the bone

1 chopped onion

3 cloves of chopped garlic

1 bay leaf

1/2 pound (225 g) Spanish or Mexican chorizo sausage, cut into pieces

optional: 6 ounces (115 g) boneless pork, cut in small pieces

1. Put the beans in a pot with twice as much water.

2. Cover and bring to a boil.

3. Turn off the heat and let it sit for an hour.

4. Drain the beans and return them to the pot.

5. Add the remaining ingredients except the chorizo.

6. Bring to a boil and simmer for an hour.

7. Add the chorizo and simmer uncover for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.

8. Beans will be ender and liquid will be thick.

9. Add black pepper to taste.

* The Basques have lived in this region since 200 BCE and are possibly the oldest homogeneous group in Europe.

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Tomatoes With Eggs à la Basque or Tunisian

The only difference is that the Tunisian is spicier than the Basque dish.

Serve 4

Basque:

Pipperada

1 large onion, cut in half and sliced into fine half-moons

3 Tbs. (45 ml) olive oil

3 organic bell peppers, thinly sliced

1 chopped garlic

1 1/4 lbs. (625 g) plum organic tomatoes, cut in half

black pepper to taste

4 large organic eggs

1. Warm the oil in a shallow pan with a lid over low heat.

2. Add the onions for 15 minutes until soft but not browned.

3. Add the peppers and garlic to the onions. Cook 20 minutes.

4. Add the tomatoes. Cook 10 minutes.

5. Seasons well.

6. Make 4 wells in the mixture. Break an egg into each. 

7. Cover the pan and cook until the eggs are just set, 6-7 minutes.

8. Serve straight from the pan

Tunisian:

Chakchouka

#3. Also add 2 small green chiles, seeded and finely chopped.

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Chimichurri Sauce

A Latin pesto sauce from Argentina, which is  popular in many Cuban recipes. 

Chimichurri or Chimmichurri (Spanish)
Tximitxurri* (Basque)

Makes 2 cups (480 ml)

BASIC:
2 cups (480 ml) chopped parsley

8 minced garlic cloves

3 Tbs. (45 ml) organic lemon juice 

1 cup (240 ml) olive oil

OPTIONAL:

• substitute organic lime juice or white vinegar
• in Uruguary: add red pepper flakes and fresh oregano
• add paprika, cumin, thyme, basil, cilantro (instead of parsley), and/or bay leaf
• organic tomato and red bell pepper

1. Purée all the ingredients in a food processor.

2. Pour over vegetables or meats

3. Store covered in the refrigerator.

* One theory for the name of the sauce: it is from the Basque settlers who arrived in the 19th century in Argentina.
translation: a mixture of several things in no particular order

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