MEZCLA: Recipes to Excite

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It must be noted as the Belfrage does in the foreword, that fusion food comes with baggage. Despite all cuisine in some way being a result of thousands of years of migration, invasion, trade routes and cultural exchange, there are legitimate concerns around appropriation and the dilution of tradition. JAMES BEARD AWARD NOMINEE • 100 recipes for everyday eating with built-in wow factor, from the Ottolenghi protégé and co-author of Ottolenghi Flavor shaking up the food world. For the roasted strawberries, place all the ingredients in an ovenproof dish just big enough to fit the strawberries in a single layer. They should be snug, but not piled on top of each other. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring halfway. Set aside to cool.

Who’s the author? Ixta Belfrage is a food writer and recipe developer. She co-authored the bestselling Ottolenghi FLAVOUR, and has spent the last five years honing her skills in the Ottolenghi Test Kitchen. If you want to know more about Ixta, read our Q&A here. It's quite a ride.' Diana Henry' Ixta is an alchemist with flavour. Thrilling recipes full of life and imagination. I can't wait to cook everything.' Jessie Ware Everyday eating with built in wow factor - from the Ottolenghi protégé shaking up the food world. I’m rounding up and giving four stars. I really wasn’t impressed overall and only intrigued by some of the larger “Entertaining” meals.

For the Bake-Off Wannabe

Our overall thoughts: Almost everyone had difficulty finding at least one ingredient, and we're in a major city with many specialty groceries stories. That said, this book is a flavor bomb that taught us that sauces can do a lot of heavy lifting. Opened us up to the idea that 'cooking for entertainment' can mean entertainment for YOURSELF - you want a challenge or to learn a new technique, not just to host others. The author is upfront that this isn't a book for throwing together a 10-minute recipe, and that's accurate. You can tell the chef author was heavily influence by her time spent in Yotam Ottolenghi’s kitchens as the recipes - to me - often looked like a homage to a dish that was bigger and better in an Ottolenghi restaurant or cookbook.

Mezcla, meaning ‘mixture’ in Spanish, is a celebration of fusion food and represents a journey through author Ixta Belfrage’s childhood experiences of Italy, Brazil and Mexico. You may recognise Ixta as the co-author of Flavour alongside benevolent culinary overlord Yotam Ottolenghi. Ixta is an alchemist with flavor. Thrilling recipes full of life and imagination. I can’t wait to cook everything.” —Jessie Ware, singer and host of award-winning podcast Table Manners Ixta is what we all long for in a cook. Innovative, passionate, exciting and accessible.' Andi Oliver Ixta is what we all long for in a cook—innovative, passionate, exciting, and accessible.” —Andi Oliver, London-based chef and TV host If you're interested in making Brazilian-, Italian-, or Mexican-inspired dishes at home and need a place to start, I recommend getting a copy of this book.There is so much joy to be found in this book, not least from Yuki Sugiura’s photography which is almost as satisfying as eating the actual dishes. The recipes are positively unsubtle, vibrant and as if designed by algorithm for maximum satisfaction (there’s a recipe for half a loaf of sourdough with cheese, honey and chilli butter for goodness sake). Each year, our staff and contributors round up their best gift ideas for cooks, eaters, and the kitchen curious. Read on for the best cookbooks of 2022. Broil for 7–9 minutes near the top of the oven, until the cheese is bubbling and browned in patches. Set aside to cool for a few minutes (but not for too long, as the melted cheese will begin to harden).

JAMES BEARD AWARD NOMINEE •100 recipes for everyday eating with built-in wow factor, from the Ottolenghi protégé and co-author of Ottolenghi Flavor shaking up the food world.Read for our cookbook club- it's hard to mark a cookbook 'read' unless you've tested it, so my caveat is I've tasted the following recipes through our group's efforts: Personally I wish I'd had this book during summer tomato season, because a lot of these recipes are about making a tomato sing. The recipe I’ve chosen is the rapturous (and vegan-friendly) Tomato Salad with Tahini Ginger Sauce, Chilli Oil and Crumpet Croutons. And yes, I did say Crumpet Croutons! And while, as mentioned, it’s Belfrage's first solo title, she co-authored Flavour along with the great Ottolenghi and is at her most contagiously confident with big, bold bright flavours. Some recipes, to be sure, include ingredients you might not have in your kitchen cupboards already, but there’s generous room for manoeuvre and plenty of recipes that provide adventure more accessibly. Place the mascarpone, yoghurt, vanilla paste and maple syrup in a large bowl and whisk together until completely smooth. Keep the bowl in the fridge until ready to serve.

Mango and cheese salad -- which both me and my partner loved so much I have made it a few times since, and also made it to bring to a friend's BBQ, and people seemed to like it there too

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What’s it about? Having spent her youth absorbing the diverse culinary traditions of Italy, Mexico, and Brazil, Ixta Belfrage’s style of cooking has always been defined by her inventive ingredient combinations and her bold approach to flavour fusions. In MEZCLA, her first solo cookbook, she draws on her many influences to create a truly exciting and unique set of recipes. The Spanish word mezcla translates as mix, blend, or fusion, and that’s exactly what this book is; expect classic Italian dishes infused with vibrant Mexican flavours, traditional Mediterranean ingredients sitting side-by-side with Brazilian spices, and thoroughly idiosyncratic twists on familiar favourites. Ixta’s journey—including her well-traveled life, her family experiences, and her writing and recipe-creating universe—is artfully represented in this book with lovely and interesting stories and absolutely terrific food. Fun and mesmerizing, it’s a book filled with not only great recipes but also is a true joy to read.” —David Kinch, chef of Manresa and author of At Home in the Kitchen All-in-all, the recipes in this book are creative, exciting, easy to follow, and more than half of what we tested were a smash.