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| Slim
in build, Richard Senior, Master Chef and Co-owner of the famous Rocabella
Restaurant near Alora, is mighty in culinary talent. “My girlfriend once gave me an apron with a slogan on it saying: Never trust a thin chef,” he said with a wry smile as he prepared for the photo shoot where he was going to show us how to cook Pechuga de Pollo Rellena, chicken breast filled with onions, peppers, breadcrumbs and herbs, served with mushrooms, tarragon and white wine sauce. Having seen Richard in action and having tasted his delicious “International/Spanish cuisine with a twist”, I can say in all sincerity that when it comes to cooking, I trust him implicitly, despite the fact that he is even thinner than I am. Cool as a cucumber, calm as a peaceful swimming pool in Spain on a sunny day, Richard chopped onions, peppers, courgettes and carrots with lightning speed, making me feel quietly embarrassed at the mountain I make of the molehill with my own cooking preparations. “Do you ever get in a panic in the kitchen?” I asked. “No, sometimes a little overstretched maybe,” he said, as he lit the hob and poured lashings of lovely, local extra virgin olive oil into a huge frying pan, “but not often. Cooking is something I really enjoy.” While the chopped vegetables were sizzling away, Richard prepared fresh breadcrumbs, which he then added to the pan, before slicing open a chicken breast. The colourful mixture was spread onto the meat, rolled up and then poached in white wine for 2-3 minutes. As he melted a chunk of butter in another frying pan, adding sliced mushrooms, salt and pepper and tarragon, he explained that he had always been interested in cooking from an early age. He had worked in Malaga before starting at the Rocabella, where he now takes care of the hands-on-operations for a partnership of three friends, the other two taking care of the administrative side of the business. White wine and cooking cream were added to the mushrooms while the chicken was covered in tin foil and placed in the oven at about 200ºC for about 15 minutes. As I tried my best to stay out of his way while dodging in and out to take my photographs, Richard told me that he now lives in Antequera, fortunately not sharing my fear of dark, narrow country roads at night, which he has to travel along every night to get home after work. By all accounts being a chef is very hard work and he only has one night off a week when he can be at home with his girlfriend, their favourite way of relaxing being to hire a DVD and get in an Indian takeaway. Richard’s main inspiration for cooking came from Keith Floyd, also one of my heroes, who has a house in the Costa del Sol near Marbella. “I think he’s one of the greatest chefs around,” Richard said, “he makes it all seem so enjoyable.” I agreed, cooking being one of my own favourite pastimes. The mushroom sauce bubbled and began to thicken, while Richard removed the chicken from the oven, slicing it through, apparently for two reasons. “It’s good for presentation,” he explained, “but you can also check that it is cooked through.” On this occasion he decided to put it back in the frying pan for a few minutes, while he prepared some vegetables to go with the meat, then arranging them with artistic finesse on a plate, adding the sliced chicken and spooning on the mushroom sauce. My mouth was watering. A few more photographs and then … “I sometimes feel a little nervous,” Richard admitted, “because with cooking the proof of the pudding is literally in the eating.” His anxiety melted into a modest, perhaps slightly relieved smile, as we set to, our eyes rolling with delight, our mumbled praises conveying absolute rapture. And the views from the Rocabella over the slopes of the Sierra Huma were the perfect accompaniment. Try the dish out for yourself or better still, go there. You won’t be disappointed. |
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Delgado
del talle, Richard Senior, jefe de cocina y co-dueño del
restaurante famoso Rocabella acerca de Álora, es muy grande
en talento culinario.
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