Cooks Illustrated Unframed Print: Conservas

Over the past 20 years, renowned illustrator John Burgoyne has produced more than 150 intricate, hand-drawn illustrations for Cook’s Illustrated magazine. Now, for the first time ever, America’s Test Kitchen is proud to partner with Mr. Burgoyne and offer a select number of fine art prints featuring this iconic artwork.

Conservas—or seafood carefully packed and preserved at the peak of its freshness—are a staple in grocery stores, restaurants, and home pantries in Spain and Portugal, and to peel back the lid on a tin is to take part in an age-old Iberian tradition. Cantabrian anchovies hail from Spain’s Bay of Biscay, where they are caught in trawls, brined, and packed by hand in extra-virgin olive oil. Passionate collectors of sardines stockpile tins and age them for years, allowing the fish to turn richer and fall-apart tender. Diminutive zamburiñas, or small scallops, are beloved in northwestern Spain’s Galicia. Also from Galicia are the finest razor clams, a delicacy harvested by divers in the rough, rocky coastline of the Cape of Finisterre. Mussels are often preserved in escabeche, a tangy brine made from vinegar, garlic, paprika, and bay leaf. Squid is often tinned in a tomato- or ink-based sauce and sometimes also stuffed with vegetables, rice, and tentacles. In Portugal, tinned octopus is gently warmed or sautéed and then served over roasted potatoes. Dense, meaty mackerel is a similar—but more sustainable—alternative to overfished tuna. Typically steamed and then preserved in brine, cockles are mild and easy to serve, transforming into a simple tapa with just a squeeze of lemon. A rare and pricey delicacy, subtly flavored angulas, or juvenile European eels, are often saved for special occasions such as Christmas; New Year’s Day; or La Tamborrada, San Sebastián’s most important festival.