Spanish Smoke

Overview

Long before Spanish culinary mad scientist Ferran Adri stunned the world with his foams, infusions, and molecular cuisine, grill masters from the Iberian peninsula were setting the world of barbecue, well, on fire. Like Basque grill master, Victor Arguinzoniz, whose grilled shrimp calls for olive oil and txakoli wine misted from spray bottles. Or Matias Gorrochatequi, whose salt-grilled steaks are a masterpiece of fiery simplicity. (Serve them with calcots, flame-grilled green onions dipped in romesco sauce.) Catalan cream, crusted with spiced raw sugar and dramatically caramelized with a fire-heated iron disk, brings the meal to an unforgettable close.