Charlie Smith
FORMER British expat Julie Neville, who is married to England Women’s manager, Phil Neville, has launched a Spanish cookbook.
The 44-year-old draws inspiration from her time in Valencia, where she lived with her husband and their two children for three years.
And the mum-of-two did not forget the region’s iconic paella in her new 248-page work, titled Authentic Spanish Cooking.
The former receptionist revealed she even dropped into renowned restaurant Ca ‘Pepico to perfect her recipe for the legendary rice dish.
Valencian oysters also get a look-in, as does Neville’s salt-crusted sea bass, which she honed at revered local fish joint, Civera.
Tapas favourites also feature, including calamari, croquettes, morcilla – or blood sausage – and boquerones.
She said: “Up until three years ago, I was confident that I had experienced true Spanish cooking, bringing together the many flavours of the Mediterranean – and its health benefits too.
“I had holidayed many times in this incredible country and sampled many traditional dishes and there are numerous lovely Spanish restaurants emerging all over the UK now too.
“Moving to Spain in 2015 made me quickly realise that I had not even scratched the surface and that the types of foods the Spanish eat.”
Neville’s first foray into food writing came with Superfoods (2017), in which she explored living on an organic diet.
She upped sticks to Valencia in 2015, as her ex-Manchester United husband, 43, took on assistant coaching duties at the La Liga side.
The couple of 23 years who were both born in Bury have two children together, Harvey, 17, and Isabella, 15.
Authentic Spanish Cooking is published by White Owl Books and hits the shelves on February 28, while it is also available here
