New Cookbook Provides an Introduction to the Spanish Mediterranean Diet
A new book takes home cooks on a culinary journey through Spain’s healthiest traditions. A health book, cookbook, and culinary travel memoir all rolled into one, The Iberian Table by award-winning author Robin Keuneke is a love letter to Spain, decoding one of the world’s healthiest and most delicious food cultures. Spain is not only home to more restaurants in the world’s top 50 than any other country, but it also boasts one of the highest life expectancies globally, second only to Japan.
In The Iberian Table, Keuneke, known for her bestsellers Total Breast Health and The Detox Revolution, takes readers on a vibrant exploration of Spanish food and culture. With over 100 mouthwatering recipes crafted for the American home cook, she brings the Spanish Mediterranean diet to life—an often overlooked yet profoundly life-extending approach to eating. Alongside easy-to-follow recipes, Keuneke offers practical advice on meal planning and weekly menus, with ingredients readily available at most grocery and health food stores.
Some of the recipes included in The Iberian Table:
Vegetable Menestra
Carme Ruscalleda’s Irresistible Ibérico Ham Croquettes
Poached Chicken on Endive with Saffron Yogurt
Mediterranean seafood paella
Garlic Shrimp Cazuela
Salad of Steamed Baby Purple Potatoes over Fennel, Sweet Onion, and Capers
Fabada Austriana
Keuneke also shines a spotlight on the culinary traditions of Spain’s northern region, a gastronomic powerhouse that boasts 9 of the 11 restaurants awarded 3 stars in the 2018 Michelin Guide. The book includes special contributions from Michelin-starred chefs Carme Ruscalleda and Elena Arzak, who share health insights and a few treasured recipes from their legendary repertoires.
Through The Iberian Table, readers will immerse themselves in Spain’s diverse culinary landscape, each region offering its own unique gastronomic identity. Keuneke’s rich storytelling and expert insights provide a deeper understanding of the Mediterranean diet and the Spanish way of life—a lifestyle that has contributed to the remarkable longevity of its people.
This book is a must-read for food lovers and health-conscious cooks of all ages, offering both inspiration and practical guidance on how to incorporate these timeless traditions into everyday life.
“The Iberian Table whisks me away emotionally, historically and scientifically to incorporate this way of eating into my lifestyle. So simple and so much fun! With Robin’s recipes I can visit Spain in my kitchen every night knowing that, in the process, I am promoting good health for my family.” Sandy Gooch, author and natural foods retail pioneer
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Robin Keuneke
Robin Keuneke is an author, natural foods chef, and fine artist. She is the author of Total Breast Health: Power Foods for Prevention and Wellness, a Publisher’s Weekly Best Book of the Year, and coauthor with Thomas J. Slaga of The Detox Revolution: A Powerful Program for Boosting Your Body’s Ability to Fight Cancer and Other Diseases. The former food editor for Total Health Magazine, Spain’s Mediterranean diet was a story she had to tell. Keuneke has exhibited her oil paintings in New York City and London and her etchings are in the permanent collection of the New York Public Library. With her husband, Thomas, she divides her time between Atlanta, Georgia and Delray Beach, Florida. Her next book, Basque to Barcelona and Stories Along the Way, is a collection of historical fiction around the theme of Spanish culinary pursuits.
Try this easy and delicious taste of Spain!
Recipe and photo reprinted with permission from The Iberian Table by Robin Keuneke/Bay of Roses Books/October 2024
Basque Piperrada Vasca of Orange and Yellow Bell Peppers and Eggs
Serves 4
Ingredients:
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Minced pancetta (optional)
1 cup of red, orange, and yellow bell peppers cut into thin strips
1 large yellow onion, sliced (about 1½ cups)
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 large tomatoes cut into bite-size pieces
6 large eggs, from cage-free hens
Salt, pepper
In a large skillet or a cazuela, sauté onion, half the garlic, and the peppers in EVOO for 15-20 minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper, and taking care to stir with a wooden spoon at intervals to prevent onions and peppers from burning. Remove.
In the same pan slicked with plenty of EVOO, sauté remaining cloves of garlic (and pancetta) for about
5-7 minutes.
Add tomatoes, season lightly with salt and a grinding of pepper. Continue sautéing until tomatoes soften.
Stir in the peppers/onions. Break and arrange eggs over the mixture of tomatoes, peppers,
and onions and salt lightly. Take care not to overcook. The yolks should be runny.
