BASQUE IN THE MOMENT: Chef Alex Raij, Memorable Good Cookies and More
Chef Alex Raij will be a veteran this year of our Chefs for Kids' Cancer event in NYC. She brings so much heart and soul to everything she does and found inspiration in her own daughter for getting involved in the fight against pediatric cancer. Add to that, she has graciously shared a biscotti recipe with us all that is sure to elevate any bake sale (scroll down). We’re big fans of Chef Raij for so many reasons, let us…
Count the Ways
1. Arguably one of New York City’s (and the country's) most celebrated and respected chefs and restaurateurs - six time James Beard finalist, Raij, along with husband Chef Eder Montero, is the chef/owner of three of New York City’s most exceptionally authentic Spanish restaurants; Txikito, La Vara and Saint Julivert, all of which are exceedingly and uniquely delicious.
2. Talk about an encyclopedic knowledge of Basque cooking, get your hands on a copy of Chefs Raij and Montero’s critically acclaimed cookbook The Basque Book: A Love Letter in Recipes from the Kitchen of Txikito for access to more than 100 recipes. A Food and Wine Magazine’s Editor’s pick, you’ll enjoy a cookbook “jam-packed with lovely family stories, rich descriptions of the dishes…and excellent tips about what to look for when selecting ingredients.”
3. As a woman, mother of two, and uber-successful chef, Chef Raij takes pride in “conducting (her) life bilingually and deliciously cross-culturally.”
4. She’s sharing her time and her talent with us on October 8th!
Supporting Families
When asked why she chose to join the Chefs for Kids’ Cancer Team, Chef Raij’s answer was as thoughtful as her cooking, “Specifically, my daughter was interested in having a bake sale. She’s empathic and I wanted to speak to her interest in volunteerism and supporting other families.” She also added, “I grew up with cake walk fundraisers, remember those?”
We sure do Chef! In fact, do we see a cookie walk in our collective future?
Cookie Memory
Did she grow up with such sophisticated cookie flavors? Apparently yes, sharing, “I grew up with my grandmother’s alfajor. In Spain they’re filled with things like candied squash and purple corn.” When the talk turns to savory ingredients, another cookie memory comes to mind: “I make this Thai inspired peanut butter cookie topped with chili, peanuts, and kefir lime leaf. It sells out. Now that’s a cookie we’d like to get our hands on!
Flavor and Texture
Chef Raij can speak authoritatively on the regional subtleties of tapas, and as the mother of two teens, has even dropped some TikTok inspired #DrakeCake Challenge knowledge, but her own baking leans towards layered, surprising flavors. “At Saint Julivert, we serve a biscotti flavored with pecans and citrus.” In creating a restaurant worthy signature cookie, she began with a basic biscotti recipe and added ingredients working toward her target flavors and texture (a bit softer than the usual). Several batches later, a customized cookie was born.
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Saint Julivert Fisherie’s Biscotti
Courtesy of Alex Raij
1/4 cup cornmeal
2 ½ cups flour, (11 ounces)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 stick unsalted butter, slightly softened
1 ¼ cups sugar
1 tablespoon lime zest
2 Eggs
9 ounces of pecans, toasted, cooled, and chopped
Preheat the oven to 300°F, preferably a convection setting, and line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.
In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on a medium/high speed until smooth. Add lime zest. Add the eggs one at a time, incorporating before adding the next.
Reduce to a low speed and add the dry ingredients, blend until a dough forms.
Add the toasted pecans and mix on medium slow for another minute. At this stage if the dough is soft and sticky, refrigerate briefly.
On a work surface, form the dough into two small flat logs about 1 inch wide and 7 inches long.
Transfer to a preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes, until slightly golden. Remove from oven, reduce temperature to 200°F, allowing the logs to cool slightly. Transfer to a cutting board and with a serrated knife, cut each log into TK slices, laying them flat on the baking sheet. Return the pans to the oven and bake for 20 minutes until the slices are crisp. Cool on rack and store in an airtight container.
