Sollo: La Cocina de Rio (River Cuisine) | Chef Diego Gallegos

Bilingual Edition: Spanish/English

Diego Gallegos (São Paulo, Brazil, 1985) has opened a new culinary path. The chef, at the helm of the Sollo restaurant (Benalmádena, Málaga, one Michelin star), works with freshwater fish and crustaceans. His objective is twofold. On the one hand, he seeks to get the most out of products that are more valuable than they seem and that have much to offer on the plate. On the other, he wants to convey a message, going beyond the cliché: aquaculture is the only way to prevent the fish and crustaceans of the Iberian Peninsula's rivers from becoming extinct forever.

Sollo. La Cocina de Río  presents more than 50 creations by Diego Gallegos, in which the absolute protagonists are river fish and crustaceans that have been raised in captivity but represent species that currently inhabit the rivers, lakes, and reservoirs of the Iberian Peninsula. The sturgeon, a true emblem in Gallegos's culinary repertoire, is among them. Also featured are trout, eel, tilapia, salmon, barbel, crayfish, and even species largely unknown to the general public, such as wels catfish and largemouth bass.

In addition to recipes, key techniques, and tips for handling them, Sollo. La Cocina de Río (Sollo. The Kitchen of the River) covers the main characteristics of each of these species, as well as aspects of their historical and cultural importance. All of this is guided by a commitment to sustainability. “I’m not here to discover it,” says the chef. “I simply understand that we need to raise awareness.”

“This book demonstrates that there is more to life in rivers than sturgeon, trout, and salmon,” adds Jãvi Antoja de la Rosa, head of publishing projects at Montagud Editores and editor of the book. “And that, moreover, it’s always possible to reinterpret these species from an innovative perspective.”

Montagud Editores, 2016