For José Andrés: Food Makes Everything More Interesting, Vibrant, More Delicious

How do the stories you tell help home cooks level up their skills?

"Spain My Way" is a lively collection of José Andrés' most beloved recipes from his home country.

Ecco/Courtesy HarperCollins

Cook With Chef José Andrés

The globetrotting Spanish chef shared three recipes from his Spain My Way cookbook for AARP members to try at home:

Tortilla de Patatas

This classic Spanish favorite, made with eggs, potatoes and onions, is a delicious, protein-rich dish for any time of the day.

Huevos Revueltos con Setas (Creamy Scrambled Eggs with Mushrooms)

Chef Andrés shares a simple — yet ingenious — technique for scrambling eggs to get the perfect, creamy texture. While some might think this dish is just for breakfast, he likes to enjoy it as a pre-dinner snack, alongside a glass of wine and a piece of toasted bread.

Turrón de Chocolate (Chocolate with Crispy Rice)

This easy-to-make dessert uses milk, dark chocolate and cereal to create something fun and craveable.

This is more of a feeling book than a technical book. It obviously has a lot of recipes, and you’ll understand how to cook the dishes. But the story itself is 50 percent of the dish. And if you then stick to the basics, you’ll have great, simple dishes.

For example, the Migas My Way recipe includes breadcrumbs that we saute with some garlic, olive oil and a fried egg. It cannot be much simpler. But the important thing is that you have the breadcrumbs moist enough so they don’t burn, so they get nice and crispy and chewy and soft. You’re able to make an amazing dish with just bread, which to me is fascinating!

Our AARP audience is often thinking about longevity — not just how to live longer, but how to live really well. What does living well look like for you now?

Living well for me is going for a long walk with my wife along the Potomac River. It means being outside, not only for enjoying life, but for eating and entertainment. If you can eat outside, that is my happy moment, even when it’s hot. Living well is a big glass of gazpacho that you cook yourself from scratch, which is a brilliant soup with tomatoes, green peppers, cucumber and a touch of garlic and olive oil and vinegar.

You’re 56. What is one new thing you’re learning lately?

Moving a little bit away from my comfort zone! Comfort is good, but I love when I go beyond the horizon. I realize now, at 56, and as I grow older, I didn’t want to meet more people because I already know so many people! But then I realize that it is very good to always keep exploring these new moments where you learn from people that you never imagined in your life.

You have a demanding schedule, between writing and managing your restaurants and your humanitarian work. How do you stay energized?

I don’t know. I’m getting a little bit grayer, I can tell you! I love to go to the market every Saturday and Sunday, and I love to come home and cook. I love to get in my car with my wife and go to the wineries of Virginia. I love to go to restaurants I know, but I love to go to see the new ones that just opened. I think finding this balance between the moments of peace and rest and the moments of excitement is what keeps me going.

You’re the father of three daughters. What do you hope they understand about who you are, not just as a chef and a humanitarian, but as their dad?

I think on this one, you’d need to ask them! I cannot believe I have a 27-, 23- and 21-year-old. It’s fascinating when you see that one moment it seems they are learning from you and you’re protecting them. Without you realizing it, suddenly you are learning from them and they’re protecting you. Life never comes with instructions, and you learn as you go. That’s life itself, right? It’s the gift that keeps on giving.

What can Americans learn from your approach to Spanish food?

Many of these recipes in the book are recipes that I make at my house or whatever place I am in Spain. I like to cook as I go, gathering everybody around my kitchen with a glass of wine or beer. I want them to eat right there as I’m finishing cooking. Then I do another dish. There are only so many people you can talk to if you sit down at a table. When you are mingling, you have more opportunities to connect with other people. Spanish cooking is a lifestyle. It’s a way of life, too.