Since 1999 Andrés Madrigal has been at the head of his own restaurant, Balzac in Madrid. With Mediterranean influences, his dishes are all aroma and colour, dishes with flavours enhanced by aromatic herbs.
"I try to combine sensitivity with pleasure, seeing cuisine as a form of culture, voyaging through aromas, combining the latest technology with the traditional pattern of a fine table.
I take traditional cuisine as a point of reference, using local produce from each region, village or district of Spain, but never neglecting the fusion of distant or foreign elements. From the exotic to the erotic, from the aphrodisiac to the romantic.
I hope that through the small sample that I offer you on this page you will at least capture something of my intention and philosophy, which involves understanding the cook as someone who works with harmonies, bringing various elements together to draw them towards a single finality, the finished dish.
The fundamental quality, the flavour, has to be checked "in situ".
And talking about legumes...
Legumes have always been around in the kitchen. Recipes for legumes have gradually been adapted to the new styles of cuisine.
How do you work out the preparation of your dishes with legumes?
Beginning with those that I like most and inviting them to be part of another food. And what role do spices play in your recipes for legumes?
An essential role. I could not conceive a dish of legumes without spices. They give character.
What is your favourite legume recipe?
Roast lobster in five-herb oil with fresh grilled foie gras and sautéed lentils and vegetables.
And your favourite spice with legumes?
Cardamom.
