DINE WITH DOS HERMANOS @ JOSE PIZARRO

I am sure that everyone in London is now aware that Jose Pizarro’s new gaff in Bermondsey will stake a strong claim to be the best Spanish restaurant in London.  Two weeks ago, however, it looked a little unlikely that he would even be open on time to host what proved to be the most popular DINE WITH DOS HERMANOS to date.

It was David Strauss, the GM of the terrific Goodman steakhouses who actually first suggested the idea.  I was musing on Twitter about where and when to have the next event and London’s favourite restaurant munchkin replied “If you combined a #DWDH event with the opening of Jose Pizarro’s new restaurants, you would break all records”. 

It was a fabulous idea and, as soon as I read it, I shot off a mail to Jose asking him if he would be game to host the latest in our ever popular dining evenings.  He was up for the task and, no sooner had I posted about it on the blog/Facebook and Twitter did the requests for places begin to flood in.  In all, we had nearly a thousand requests for the coveted fifty seats and after making sure there were spaces for a few family and friends, I did what I have been forced to do for the last few occasions and drew names from of a hat.

A couple of days before the event, I was back in London with my missus, after a fun trip to Croatia and Hungary.  After a quick visit to Maltby Street Market, I suggested to her that we visit Pizarro just to make sure that everything was set for the big day.  It wasn’t.  There was no sign outside the restaurant and the inside looked like the East End after a particularly nasty visit from Jerry during the blitz.  Pizarro was there amongst all the dust and mayhem and, when he saw us walk through the door, his eyes widened like deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming car. “It will be ready on time, Amigo, I promise you” he wailed as I trod carefully around the working builders shaking my head in dismay.

In all the years I have known him, Jose has never let me down and after much reassuranceI took him at his word that all would be shipshape for the Monday evening.  Mind you, as I walked towards the place about 45 minutes before everyone else was due to turn up, the fact that there was still builder’s paper covering the windows, did give me cause for concern. Inside, however, it was a different story.  It was certainly not finished, but it looked lovely and all the chefs and serving staff were busy preparing for what would be their very first time cooking for and serving customers.

It was not long before the guests arrived and, as soon as they handed over their precious tickets, each was handed a glass of Cava Gramona Brut imperial and given the chance to mingle with the other lucky punters. It was fantastic stuff and set the tone for one of the best DINE WITH DOS HERMANOS events yet.  Once we were seated, the courses began to arrive in earnest and, just as he had done at a similar event some three years ago at Casa Brindisa, Jose had gone far beyond what he had promised in terms of both food and drink. 

We began, of course, with large plates of Jamon, served this time with a glass of an uber rare “Dos Palmas” Sherry, from Gonzalez Byass.  This was followed by a salad of Cod, a breathtakingly good dish of duck livers and croquetas.  Fort he record, I have always believed that Jose makes the best croquetas in town and this offering did nothing to make me change my opinión.

The next two courses divided people’s opinions.  Not because they were not both spot on, but because they were arguing which was the best.  My vote went to some meltingly soft Hake cheeks while others at my table held out that braised Iberico pork cheeks were the winner.  Let’s just put it this way, if I was on a dessert island, I would alternate which I dreamt about.  I would also hope that they would be served with a glass of the crisp Rosado de Silos that Jose had managed to obtain for us.

Desserts of cheese and rich chocolate cake were supported by two more sherries; Amomtillado and Pedro Ximinez both from Fernando de Castilla and the tables were soon filled with empty glasses.  Plates however, were whisked away with incredible efficiency by the staff in training, which included coincidentally, my American niece in law who now calls London home.

Even if this event had not been the first time the ovens of Pizarro had been fired up or the first time the staff had worked the tables, it still would have been a memorable event.  The fact that it was means that it holds a particularly special place in the hearts of Dos Hermanos.  I want to give my own personal thanks to Jose, his team of superb chefs and excellent front of house and, of course, all those who provided food and wine to make this a DWDH event to cherish.

By 11pm, some four hours after we arrived, just about everyone agreed on two things.  The first was that Pizarro’s was soon going to become a hot ticket in London for those seeking the genuine Spanish article.  The second was that we would have to come up with something special if the next DINE WITH DOS HERMANOS was to top this one.

All I can say is, watch this space.  We got something special brewing.


PS: For those wondering why some of the pictures on this post are of a much higher quality than normal, there is a very good reason.  They are the work of one Thomas Bowles who does such things for a living and  whose work can be found at www.thomasbowles.com

DINE WITH DOS HERMANOS: THE BEST OF SPANISH COOKING WITH JOSE PIZARRO

Those of you who have been following DH for a long time will know that Jose Pizarro has long been our "go to" chef in London when it comes to matters of Spanish cuisine. Quite frankly, no one in the capital manages to translate the unique Spanish combination of great ingredients, stellar technique and generosity of spirit as well as Senor P.

A little under three years ago, we held one of our earlier DINE WITH DOS HERMANOS events at Casa Brindisa in Knightsbridge. Then, forty people were lucky enough to experience a night filled with enough sherry and Jamon Iberico to fill the Bernabeu.

Unless you have spent the last six months underground, you will know that JP has moved on from Brindisa and has opened his own eponymous tiny sherry bar in Bermondsey to considerable critical acclaim.

He is soon to open a more formal dining spot, named Pizarro nearby and it is to that destination that I thought we should turn for the latest DINE WITH DOS HERMANOS. JP will, I am certain show us why he is held in such high regard all over the globe.

The details are

DATE: MONDAY 28th NOVEMBER 2011
LOCATION: PIZARRO, BERMONDSEY (exact address TBC)
COST: £50 per person (All inclusive of food/wine/service - although as always, we will pass the hat around at the end of the meal to recognise what I know will be amazing service)

Tickets will be paid for in advance through EventBrite and will include a non returnable booking fee (to cover their fees) Money is fully refundable up to 48 hours before the event. If you cancel after that point, we will only refund your money if we can sell your ticket.

We have only 50 places available. Given that we had over 750 requests for the last DWDH event at Goodman, I shall be drawing names out of the hat and informing the lucky few by mail soon after.

If you are keen to come along, please mail me at doshermanos@doshermanos.co.uk and title your mail DINE WITH DOS HERMANOS/JOSE PIZARRO

I look forward to seeing some of you there

SEASONAL SPANISH FOOD by JOSE PIZARRO: A REAL SPANISH COOKBOOK FROM A REAL SPANISH CHEF

As regular readers of the blog will know, DH are often fairly disparaging about the state of Spanish restaurants in London. The road to bad tapas is littered with good intentions, dry plates of badly carved, over priced jamon and glasses of poorly chilled Manzanilla.

There is, however, one place (or should that be three places?) on which we cast a favourable eye, and those are the three restaurants which come under the banner of Britain's finest importer of Spanish food, Brindisa. We have yet to be delivered a bad meal in the Borough Market, South Ken or Soho branches and have returned to them for many repeat visits, which when the blog demands we are always looking for new and interesting places, speaks for itself.

There are a few reasons why the Brindisa offering is above the others in the city. One would obviously be the use of exemplary ingredients, which are from the range imported from the mother company. The second would be the ambiance, which is as close as we have found in the capital to our experiences in Spain without it becoming a theme park.

The main reason, obviously is the food, which is overseen by DH's favourite Spanish chef in London, Jose Pizarro. Those of you who were lucky enough to attend the DINE WITH DH at Casa Brindisa will have sampled some of JP's best dishes. Over many lunches I have had as many enjoyable conversations with him about his past as a child in Extremadura (Jamon Iberico country) his time as a head chef at the Michelin starred El Mesón de Doña Filo and now his role as Executive Chef for the three branches in the mini chain of Brindisa restaurants.

I am delighted to then, quite shamelessly, shill his splendid new book SEASONAL SPANISH FOOD, published a few weeks ago by Kyle Cathie. It is full of the sort of recipes that you might actually want to eat and although self effacing Jose Pizarro may not yet be receiving the plaudits of some of London's other would be Iberian experts (think Sam & Sam and Sam & Eddie) the fact that the Spanish Ambassador offered him the Embassy in which to hold his launch party tells you all you need to know about the regard in which he is held by his countrymen.

SEASONAL SPANISH FOOD contains many excellent recipes, but For DH, there is only one test of a Spanish chef's chops and that is by the quality of his croquetas. The outside should be crisp and break to reveal a soft bechamel studded with jamon or flakes of salt cod. Brindisa's are the best in London and I am pleased that JP has agreed to share his recipe with us.

It is well worth a try, as indeed is the book worth seeking out.


HAM CROQUETAS
Croquetas are one of the most popular dishes in Tapas Brindisa; we make around one hundred and fifty every day. I spent ages perfecting this recipe. Usually the roux is made with butter, but I use olive oil because I think it gives a better flavour.
In Spanish delis you can often buy cubed Ibérico ham (left over from carving the legs), which is ideal for this recipe – meat from close to the bone has the best flavour. If you cannot get hold of Ibérico ham, use Serrano ham instead, or indeed other cured hams such as speck or Parma ham.

Croquetas are a bit of a fiddle to make, but they can be frozen and make
great party food, so have a go.
Makes 15 to 20 croquetas

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ small leek, diced as small as possible – 3mm pieces
70g Ibérico or other air-dried ham, diced very small
60g plain flour
75ml ham or vegetable stock
325ml whole milk
freshly grated nutmeg
sea salt and freshly ground
black pepper
75g plain flour
2 large eggs, beaten
75g breadcrumbs
oil, for frying
Heat the olive oil in a pan until it starts to shimmer, then add the leek and sauté until soft but not coloured. Stir in the ham, fry for another minute, then stir in the flour and fry over a medium heat until the mixture is golden but not burnt. This will take about 5 minutes. It is important that the flour is cooked properly otherwise the croquetas will taste of flour.

Combine the stock and milk in a small pan and heat until hot but not boiling. Season the liquid with a few scrapes of nutmeg. Gradually add the liquid to the roux, a few tablespoons at a time, stirring the mixture all the time. Once you have incorporated all the milk, continue to cook the sauce for about 5 minutes until it thickens and leaves the sides of the pan when you stir it. At this stage, add a couple of turns of the pepper mill, taste the roux and adjust the salt if necessary – the ham can be very salty to start with. The sauce is now done: it’s got to be really thick because you don’t want the croquetas to turn into pancakes! Smooth the sauce on to a baking tray (30cm x 20cm is fine) then cover with clingfilm to stop the mixture drying out. Leave it to cool before putting it in the fridge for an hour.

When you are ready for the next stage, line up three bowls: one with flour, the other with beaten egg, and the third with the breadcrumbs. Dust your hands with flour, take a ball and roll it between your palms. The size of the croquettes is up to you, but the easiest is a walnut-sized ball. Next, dunk the croqueta into the flour – you want more of dusting than a coat – followed by the egg and then the breadcrumbs. Put the croquetas on a tray and when you’ve used up all the mixture, put them all back in the fridge for 30 minutes.

If you have a deep fat fryer, heat the oil to 175°C/325°F and fry the croquetas for a couple of minutes. If not, heat the oil in a frying pan until it starts to shimmer, then add 3 or 4 croquetas at a time and fry until they are golden all over. You don’t want them to cook too quickly otherwise the centre won’t be hot enough.