AT THE TABLE with Aran Goyoaga
Meant to capture the feeling of a casual conversation around the table while connecting over a homemade meal, we ask our muses to a share a small glimpse into their daily lives and a recipe that they hold dear.
Aran Goyoaga is a cookbook author, food stylist, and photographer who creates magic through her work and books, particularly with the most recent, The Art of Gluten-Free Bread. Her dedication and skill as a fourth generation baker have revolutionized gluten free baking, forever advancing the genre. (Kind of a big deal.)
She and I have been friendly through instagram for ages. Likeminded hearts who live in different zip codes. Her whole world is beautiful: her photography, her food, her home. She is one of those people with innate, natural style. An aesthetic truly her own and uninfluenced by any trend du jour. Aran is a big muse for me and Standard Affair and I’m so honored to feature her in today’s post. Below she shares a recipe from her newest book with us and a glimpse into her daily routines.
-Kira
PS You can get signed copies of The Art of Gluten-Free Bread here.
What recipe are you sharing with us?
TOMATO and ROMESCO TOAST
Romesco sauce is a classic Spanish sauce that is made with almonds, pepper, and tomatoes. It is creamy and rich and a great complement to roasted vegetables, fish, eggs, and meat. In the summer, I love slathering it over toasted bread and top it with tomatoes. It’s absolute heaven.
For the Romesco Sauce
1 clove garlic, peeled
1/2 cup (75 g) whole almonds, coarsely chopped
2 pieces roasted red bell pepper from a jar
2 tablespoons tomato sauce
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
1 teaspoon Spanish pimentón de la Vera or smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 cup (115 g) olive oil
For the toast
4 slices toasted Sourdough Bread
1/2 cup Romesco Sauce
2 large or 2 medium tomatoes, sliced
Pinch flaky sea salt
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Microgreens, optional
Instructions
- Combine garlic and almonds in a food processor and pulse until the almonds are finely ground, about 2 minutes. Add the bell pepper, tomato sauce, vinegar, parsley, pimentón, salt, and cayenne and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape the sides of the bowl, then steadily drizzle in the olive oil while processor is running. This makes more than you will need for this recipe. Transfer the remaining romesco into a jar, cover, and keep refrigerated for up to one week.
- Spread romesco over the toasted bread, top with tomatoes, sprinkle sea salt, olive oil and microgreens. Serve immediately.
*Aran's Tomato and Romesco Toast served on our Pillar Medium Plate.
What essentials can always be found in your pantry and refrigerator?
In my pantry: lots of olive oil, different types of salts, vinegars, different types of gluten-free flours, dry beans, nuts, and lots of bonito tuna I bring from the Basque Country. In the freezer: a lot of frozen bread from all my experiments working on my last book, which is all about gluten-free bread.
What’s your favorite thing to serve at a dinner party?
Depends on the time of year. In the summer, I love cooking a large paella on an open fire then serve it with different salads. In the wintertime, I love making ragu and fresh pasta with a hearty salad.
Do you have a sweet tooth? Do you serve desserts after dinner?
I actually don’t have a terribly sweet tooth. I will always choose a sandwich over a cake, but I do like a little something sweet after dinner. Something light and small like a light flourless chocolate cake or poached fruit with crumble. I have a piece of dark salty chocolate after lunch every day.
Are you a coffee or tea person?
Definitely a coffee person.
What’s a typical day for you?
Every day is a little different depending on what I am working on. My new book The Art of Gluten-Free Bread is about to be published so I am spending my time getting ready for the launch and book tour. When I am creating books, I pretty much live in near isolation where I wake up, start working on recipes until the end of day. There are times where I am a little idle trying to work on ideas. So it really depends on what is happening with work. But in general, I wake up very early and go to bed very early.
What's your favorite daily ritual in the home (morning, afternoon and/or evening)?
I love getting up really early in the morning, 5:30-6am, to make coffee before anyone else is up. I love opening up all the doors and windows to let fresh air come in.
What's a favorite memory you've shared in your home?
I have so many especially when my kids were little, but my favorite is probably when we remodeled our kitchen. We demoed everything down to the studs the day after Christmas 6 years ago. We built a makeshift kitchen in our basement where the laundry room is now and we basically lived in our raggedy basement for 3 months. We binge watched The Office with the kids that Christmas break and beyond until the kitchen was finished in April. I just remember it as a very cozy and fun time.
What is your favorite season and why?
I love all seasons, even winter in the PNW because each season makes me appreciate the others. I love being able to experience them all. My favorite months in Seattle are May, when all the flowers are blooming and the days are long, and then late September-early October where the farmers market is full of late summer and early fall produce: tomatoes, pumpkins, pears, apples… all together.
Something that’s always in your bag?
Sunscreen
Current favorite beauty product?
Neubrow
Best book you’ve read recently?
Keith McNally’s memoir “I Regret Almost Everything”
What has been inspiring you lately?
I have been very inspired by my dad’s work as a painter. His tablescapes and still life paintings informed a lot of the photos I took for my new book. I love how at 86 he is still painting 5 hours a day- it’s his job he calls it. Relentless creative expression.
Find Aran on her website, her instagram, and at your local bookstore.
Photography by Aran Goyoaga.
SHOP THE STORY
