What's delicious in Spain? Famous dishes from the regions of Spain. Features of the cuisine of Eastern Spain
The incredibly diverse Spanish cuisine is, in principle, divided regionally, but this is not noticeable to tourists, because almost everywhere you can taste dishes from another region. Travelers and gourmets recommend deciding what to try in Spain without missing out on some special delicacy in advance, on the eve of the trip.
In Spain there are special dishes and those that are similar to dishes in other Mediterranean countries. Which ones are definitely worth paying attention to?
Jamon Serrano
Jamon Serrano is a salted and smoked ham that is dried in the mountains in the open air. It often becomes a still life for photographers in bars, since this rather large specimen is piled up like a monument behind the bar counters.
Jamon Iberico is a much more expensive ham made from the meat of a special breed of specially fed pigs, considered royal food. Jamon is part of a selection of typical Spanish snacks called “tapas”, which are offered a la carte in all bars and restaurants.
The delicacy is consumed without any side dishes other than olives and washed down with sherry. The Spaniards never put this ham on bread, so as not to lose its pure taste; a sandwich with jamon will immediately give away a foreigner.
Paella
Paella resembles pilaf with chicken and seafood, often with vegetables; it is cooked over an open fire, and the cooking technology is surrounded by many legends. The difficulty of tasting it lies in the fact that this dish is prepared in a frying pan for two servings, and you can’t try a half serving for one person everywhere.
The most delicious paella is in Valencia, which is where this dish comes from. In Catalonia, around Barcelona or in the city itself, you can try fideua, a local dish similar to paella, using thin noodles instead of rice.
Chorizo
Chorizo is a garlic pork sausage with red and black pepper. It can be sweet or spicy. Spicy chorizo baked in cider is so amazing in its taste that there is not even any sauce left after it.
Another spicy sausage is called morcilla, it is similar to blood sausage, but much more tender. Both are of Andalusian origin and are popular in the south.
Spanish churros
Spanish churros taste similar to the well-known donuts. They are prepared right in front of customers by squeezing the dough from a pastry bag into boiling oil, after which the long spiral is cut into portions with scissors. The dish is very high in calories and is consumed by the Spaniards for breakfast or afternoon snack. Churros are usually dipped into a cup of hot chocolate or consumed with coffee.
Gazpacho
Andalusian gazpacho soup is almost always made from tomatoes, and less often from beans. This cold soup is incomparable on hot summer days, but is not served in winter. It can be bought in packages and brought home. Another cold soup, ajoblanco is a garlic almond cream soup.
Sheep cheese Manchego
Manchego sheep cheese, recognized as the king of Spanish cheeses, was mentioned by Cervantes in Don Quixote of La Mancha. This cheese comes in different types, each of which is good.
Turron
Turron is a sweet of several varieties, which is made from honey, sugar and almonds, and resembles halva. And one of the options - with the addition of egg yolks - is similar to nougat.
This traditional oriental-style dessert for Spain is the main decoration of the Christmas table, and often outside of Spain. However, the real turron is still of purely Spanish origin. Modern variations are presented in the form of turron with sesame seeds, puffed rice, almonds, caramel, milk and dark chocolate, and crocant nuts.
What Spanish drinks should you try?
- Horchata is a drink made from groundnuts that grow only in the vicinity of Valencia, originally served in purely Valencian establishments - horchteria. It makes sense to drink only freshly prepared chilled horchata, and not the one sold canned in the store. Today the drink can be found throughout the country.
- To try cider, you need to go to an establishment with a Sidreria sign. And in order to experience the full flavor of this drink, it must be poured correctly: experienced travelers recommend viewing such a very artistic spectacle.
- Sangria is a wine drink infused with fruit. It is ordered in jugs of different sizes. They say that without a jug of sangria it’s not the same evening.
- The delicious Andalusian sherry wine comes in both sweet and dry varieties. Dry Manzanilla sherry has a subtle nutty aftertaste and sourness, and a glass of sweet, for example, Pedro Ximenez, can easily replace dessert.
What to bring from Spain for your family to try
Loved ones will appreciate Spanish delicacies and seasonings, for example:
- sherry vinegar, which tastes like a cross between wine and balsamic;
- bomba or calasparra rice - traditional for preparing paella (it is believed that 80% of the success of preparing this dish lies in the right amount of starch in the rice and its correct form);
- smoked paprika with smoky flavor;
- squid or cuttlefish ink for making black paella at home;
- saffron, recognized as the best in the world.
Typically Spanish dishes have a unique taste, and the variety of flavors of each of them can be experienced by visiting different parts of this beautiful country. And from the article you will learn what dishes and drinks are a must when visiting this beautiful city.
- “vegetable” regions. A great variety of sauces and side dishes are made from local vegetables. The stuffed sweet peppers (pimientos rellenos) are worth trying. In Extremadura and Castile, meat is more respected. In Aragon they like to season their dishes with hot chili sauce, and in the Basque region they make delicious idiazabal cheese, marmitaco (potatoes with mackerel), dishes with pike fins and eel fry, tshangurro from shellfish and crabs.
Andalusian cuisine is rich in meat and fish dishes. In Andalusia, people enjoy eating pincho kebabs (pictured on the left) and fish and seafood dishes. Andalusia is also famous among tourists for its mountain range.
Catalan culinary traditions are closely connected with the neighboring regions of Southern France and Italy and are largely based on four “pillars” - samfain sauces (tomatoes, eggplants, bell peppers), picada (garlic sauce with roasted almonds and herbs), ali-oli (garlic sauce with olive oil) and sofrito (peppers, tomatoes, herbs, garlic). Particularly popular in Catalonia are stewed pork and monkfish soup.
You must try classic dishes that have long become culinary symbols of the country: cold tomato soup gazpacho, potato tortilla, the famous blue cheese Cabrales and others, the aforementioned jamon (pictured on the right) and chorizo sausage, sweet fried churro pastries and the famous Valencian paella (rice with saffron , seafood and olive oil).
At the same time, do not forget to pay attention to the wine lists of restaurants. Spain is the first country in the world in terms of vineyard area and is home to some of the best grape wines on our planet. Among other drinks, it is worth paying close attention to the famous Asturian cider and, if possible, tasting Tenerife beer Tropical and Dorada.
Reading time: 4 minutes. Views 625 Published Aug 23, 2017
Spanish cuisine is certainly famous in the world, however, most people will immediately name only 2-3 of its dishes. Therefore, when traveling to Spain, it is worth brushing up your knowledge of Spanish cooking a little.
By the way, Spanish cuisine is a combination of approximately 17 separate national cuisines (according to the number of Spanish regions). While in this or that city, you will certainly find local dishes that are prepared only here. And yet, I suggest reading about 10 key dishes of Spanish cuisine.
What to try in Spain
To begin with, we want to show you this cool gastronomic map, which immediately shows what each region is famous for and what to try in Spain, depending on where you are
1. Paella
Where would we be without it) Paella is a dish of Spanish rice with saffron and various fillings. Most often, seafood or rabbit are used as a filler. However, there is also mixed paella (with snails, rabbit, chicken). In general, the story with Spanish paella is almost the same as with pilaf. There are a lot of varieties. It is said that there are about 300 types of paella. So, I recommend trying at least a few. I only ate it with seafood – it was delicious.
2. Gazpacho
It can be bean or tomato. This cold soup is famous all over the world. By the way, an interesting fact is that in order to cool gazpacho even further, ice is sometimes placed in it.
Chorizo (or chorizo) is not a separate dish. It's just dry-cured pork sausage with paprika. The sausage has a very characteristic red color and is difficult to confuse with any other. By the way, it’s a good idea to bring chorizo home as a gastronomic souvenir.
4. Tapas
Tapas is the general name for snacks served with alcoholic drinks. Tapas include stuffed olives, various kinds of small sandwiches or pies. In Spain there are special Tapas bars with their own signature tapas. So many Spaniards like not to sit in one establishment, but to go from bar to bar, drinking and trying different snacks.
5. Jamon
Dried hind leg of pork. A very tasty thing and already widely known. At least in most Russian supermarkets you can find real jamon. Although, of course, it is most interesting to try it in Spain.
I won’t invent anything here and will cite material from Wikipedia, where it is very sensibly written about jamon
There are two main types of jamon: serrano jamon (Spanish: jamón serrano, “mountain jamon”) and, generally more expensive, jamón ibérico (Spanish: jamón ibérico, often called “pata negra” - “black leg”). They differ in the method and length of preparation, and the most significant difference between Serrano jamon and Iberico jamon is the breed of pigs and their diet. Externally, they can be distinguished by the color of the hoof: the Serrano is white, the Iberico is black. The pigs from which the most expensive Iberico varieties are made, such as Bellota, are fed exclusively on acorns, and therefore the price can reach up to three hundred euros per kilogram.
6. Churros
Churros taste like our donuts. Only they are not enclosed in a ring. Churros are eaten with either hot chocolate or a cup of coffee for breakfast.
Seafood lovers will be very pleased. Zarzuela is an assortment of seafood: fish, shellfish, shrimp and lobster, drenched in fish broth. The only drawback of this dish is its price)))
8. Malaga salad
A very popular salad in Spain. Made from cod, olives, onions, potatoes and orange.
9. Espeto
Essentially, espeto is grilled fish. Most often, these are sardines, which are rolled in salt and grilled over coals on a spit.
10. Crema Catalana
Probably one of the most popular Spanish desserts. Crema Catalana is a sweet soufflé with a caramel crust. The homeland of the dessert, as the name suggests, is Catalonia. But you can try it in any part of Spain.
Already want to go to Spain?)) We offer a quick search for the best price on air tickets to Spain
In our articles we have repeatedly touched on the topic of gastronomy, and for good reason, because the Spaniards greatly respect their national cuisine, and in general, let’s be honest, they really love to eat. At the same time, the process of eating for any Spaniard is a whole ritual, unhurried, accompanied by communication with a pleasant company and a detailed discussion of favorite dishes. This is why the lunch break in Spain is not limited to one hour, because food must be treated with due respect! Spain has a huge number of dishes and recipes that are undoubtedly worth trying for every tourist. Our Spain has chosen the TOP 10 Spanish dishes that are definitely recommended for tasting.
So, our rating dish opens. “Trivial!”, you will say and you will not be entirely right, because this Catalan snack has gained enormous popularity throughout Spain and, today, it is almost impossible to imagine starting lunch or dinner, moreover, going out into nature, without a good “pan con tomate." To prepare this snack, you must use only the highest quality ingredients. So, for example, bread should be of the “country” variety (a round, fragrant loaf with a crispy crust), tomatoes should be of a special variety (these are small brown fruits, juicy enough to give all their taste and aroma to the bread), olive oil too It is necessary to use only the most fragrant, preferably rustic. Well, the most important thing! It is necessary to follow the correct order: dry the bread over the fire until golden brown, rub it with a clove of garlic, generously rub the tomato halves with the pulp, season well with olive oil, sprinkle a little salt and rub all this splendor with the other half of the tomato. Believe me, you can't tear yourself away from this snack!
The ninth place in our rating is occupied by an appetizer, which translates simply as “croquettes”. Croquettes are known to many and are prepared not only in Spain, but it was the Spaniards who diversified the range of this snack in their menus, offering croquettes that can be based on different types of meat, as well as different types of fish and seafood. At their core, croquettes are small round or oval balls of meat or fish, rolled in breadcrumbs and deep fried. The most popular in Spain are meat croquettes with the addition of jamon.
We gave the next place in the ranking to the Galician dish. This is the hallmark of Galician gastronomy, which has successfully spread throughout Spain. The octopus is boiled, cut into small pieces and traditionally served on a special wooden stand, with boiled potatoes and seasoned with sweet red pepper. In the town of Carballino in Galicia, every second Sunday in August, an octopus festival is held, in which about 100,00 people take part and about 50,000 kg of “Pulpo a la gallega” are eaten.
In seventh place is the seasonal Catalan delicacy. Anyone who sees this dish for the first time, which is an onion fried almost until black on an open fire, is surprised at how it can be eaten, much less loved, but anyone who has tried calçots at least once becomes a fan of it. A special variety of onions from the “onion” family is germinated and hilled several times in a special way so that its seed part constantly strives for the sun’s rays, which ensures its special tenderness. Next, the onions are fried on a grill over an open fire and served along with a special sauce made from almonds. Eating calçots is a separate, very funny ritual, for which many restaurants provide guests with special “bibs” and disposable gloves. The province of Tarragona is considered the birthplace of calçots, and it is there that a festival is held, during which people eat tons of fried onions.
The next place was taken by the Canarian dish, which is potatoes boiled in their own skins and in very salty water, resulting in a crispy, salty crust. This dish is served separately as an appetizer, accompanied by local mojo sauce made from dried peppers, or as a side dish. The ancestors of the current inhabitants of the Canary Islands cooked potatoes in sea water during periods of shortage of fresh water. Over time, this technique came into use, thanks to which today we have the opportunity to try such a national Canarian dish as “Papas arrugadas”.
In fifth place in our ranking is the capital's delicacy -. This is one of the first dishes you should try when you are in Madrid. Cocido madrileño is a kind of stew soup based on chickpeas, supplemented with various types of vegetables and meat, including sausages and smoked meats. It is not known for certain in what period the dish appeared in Spain in the form in which we can taste it today, since similar variations of the stew were widespread in other countries, but, according to some sources, it was in the Middle Ages, in cocido chickpeas were added, and from that moment on the dish became firmly established in Madrid gastronomy. Since cocido madrileño is something between a soup and a main course, it is especially widespread during the cold season. Interestingly, many restaurants in Madrid include cocido madrileño in their set menu on Wednesdays.
In fourth place we placed one of the most recognizable and beloved Spanish dishes all over the world - cold tomato soup. In contrast to the previous dish, gazpacho is a summer soup and very refreshing, which came to us from the south, from Andalusia, where the weather is hot most days a year. The main ingredient of gazpacho is tomatoes, as well as cucumbers and olive oil. Next, each housewife will tell you her recipe: someone will add sweet green pepper to gazpacho, saying that red pepper should never be added, but someone will do exactly the opposite, someone will add bread pulp, and someone Just dilute with ice water. Be that as it may, the result is a tasty, refreshing and satisfying dish, served with croutons and finely chopped vegetables.
The third place is occupied by such a beloved by many. Paella, a hot dish made from rice with meat, vegetables or seafood, is a real pearl of Spanish gastronomy. Every tourist, having once arrived in Spain, first of all strives to try paella. This dish was born in Valencia, therefore, it is the Valencian paella that is considered the most authentic. There are many legends about the origin of paella, one of which tells us about a poor fisherman who, while waiting for his beloved, decided to prepare a delicious dinner for her, for which he mixed all the products available at home, including rice - peasant grains, as well as leftover fish and seafood from the morning catch. The fisherman called the dish, prepared with love, “para ella,” which translates as “for her.” It is not surprising that a dish with such a beautiful name quickly gained popularity not only among local residents.
Approaching the podium of our rating, we reached second place, where we placed. Tapas are a Spanish snack that comes in many varieties. These could be small sandwiches for 2 bites, small skewers with meat or fish, small bowls with olives or a couple of croquettes. In any case, tapas is something you can use to have a glass or a glass of something. Historically, such a small sandwich was used to cover a glass of drink to prevent flies and other insects from falling into it, because “to cover” or “to cover” in Spanish is “tapar”, hence the name of the snack. Today, in every corner of Spain you can find bars and restaurants specializing in tapas. In addition, in many establishments, when ordering any drink, you will be served tapas for free, as a compliment from the restaurant.
And finally, first place - . Spaniards enjoy eating this dish for breakfast, as a main course, and for lunch or dinner as a snack. At its core, a tortilla is an omelette with potatoes, but the process of preparing it is somewhat different from what we are used to, which makes it not just a hot breakfast, but a complete, satisfying dish that can be eaten cold, as well as diversify it by adding onions, bacon, cheese or spinach. To prepare a classic tortilla with potatoes, you need to fry the potatoes in olive oil until soft, mix several eggs with salt and spices separately in a bowl and mix the potatoes with the egg mixture, then put the resulting mass in a well-heated frying pan, and after a couple of minutes turn the tortilla over, so that it is toasted on both sides. In Spanish bars you can even try a tortilla sandwich, when a good piece of this omelette is placed in a fresh baguette.
National Spanish cuisine as such, it was formed and changed over many centuries, which was greatly facilitated by the historical events that took place in the country throughout its existence. Development cooking in Spain occurred in several stages.It all began during the reign of the peoples of Carthage and Phoenicia on the Iberian (otherwise known as the Iberian) Peninsula, with whom a sincere love for grapes and olives came to the local residents. At the same time, livestock farming and the cultivation of the first grain and legume crops began to develop.
The second stage in the development of Spanish cooking was the rule of the Great Roman Empire, which was marked by the active use of olive oil, onions and garlic, cabbage, lentils and mushrooms. Meat began to be supplemented with fish and seafood, vegetables; The cultivation of useful plants and the grafting of fruit trees continued. During the reign of the Romans, the practice of preparing food - salting, pickling, drying - developed.
Familiar to modern gourmets originality of Spanish cuisine formed in the Middle Ages due to the fusion of Jewish, Arab and Christian traditions. During Muslim rule, national cuisine was enriched with details of Arab culture - citrus fruits, rice, artichokes, almonds and a variety of spices. Thanks to Jewish culture, the inhabitants of the Iberian Peninsula became acquainted with recipes for marmalades, preserves and jams, with the use of eggplants and other vegetables, as well as with the tradition of using a lot of garlic and mainly vegetable oils. Jewish dry bread has also become a tradition - the basis for many modern dishes. Christian culture brought recipe books to medieval cooking in Spain and the continuation of the traditions of the ancient Romans - the use of fish and meat, cereals and legumes, vegetables and fruits.
National Spanish cuisine reached its peak after the discovery of America, when such exotic products as potatoes, corn, sweet and hot peppers, tomatoes, and cocoa appeared in large quantities in the country. From this moment on, the cuisine of the Iberian Peninsula becomes famous in Europe and begins to change under the influence of its closest neighbors - France and Italy.
Features of Spanish cuisine
Manifold Spanish national cuisine due to both the rich historical past of the country and its geographical features. One of the few common qualities that all traditional dishes of the Iberian Peninsula have in common is their extraordinary taste and the constant freshness of the ingredients.
Local cooking uses a large number of products, the list of which varies from region to region. Meat is prepared almost everywhere - pork, veal, beef, rabbit, chicken. Sauces, soups and various snacks made from fish and seafood (oysters, shrimp, mussels, scallops) are very popular. In addition to meat, fish and seafood, Spanish chefs use large quantities of vegetables, onions and garlic, beans and wheat, peppers and tomatoes, cheeses, olives, nuts, honey, fruits and wine. All this abundance is used to prepare main courses, second courses, as well as side dishes, salads and desserts.
Most Popular ways to prepare Spanish food are stewing with vegetables, onions and garlic, smoking and drying, frying in olive oil. In addition, in 19th-century Spain, cooks, of course, use the full range of modern food processing technologies and practice all known methods of cooking.
National Spanish dishes
One has only to listen to these names - gazpacho, paella, churros - and it immediately becomes clear that behind them lies something exotic and, of course, tasty. These three dishes are not only popular in Spain itself, but have long become a kind of calling card spanish cooking worldwide.
Gazpacho- a traditional chilled tomato soup originally from the southern part of the country. Originally it consisted only of stale bread, garlic, spices and olive oil, but modern cooks include tomato juice, some soaked bread, cucumber, parsley, celery, some broth, seasonings, green onions and lemon juice.
Try it paella You can use dozens of different (or very similar) recipes in different parts of Spain, but if you want to try a classic dish, you should choose a recipe from chefs from Valencia. In addition to rice, Valencian paella includes rabbit and chicken meat, scallops and mussels, beans (green, white and string), garlic, tomato, olive oil and spices.
In every Spanish cafe and in the kitchen of every home you can definitely see churros- delicious national pastries made from choux pastry. Churros are baked in the form of thin rings or thick ovals. You should not trust those sellers who offer this food sprinkled with powder or with filling - this is not done with classic sweets!
Culinary tour of Spain
In different regions of Spain, true gourmets have the opportunity to appreciate unique dishes that are prepared only in a specific geographical area. Thus, in the north (in the Basque Country, Asturias, Aragon, Galicia) the best soups and sauces are created, and seafood and vegetables are used in large quantities. The most famous dishes that deserve attention are Santander rice, chili stew, octopus stew and other seafood.
The central part of the country (mainly Catalonia) is popular not only for experiments with combinations of products and flavors, but also for sauces - with tomatoes, garlic and all types of peppers, olive oil, herbs and nuts. Dishes that you should definitely try are pork head or pig feet stew, fried pork sausages.
The Spanish south (Andalusia and the Canary Islands) is the kingdom of olive oil. Here they prepare the best roast suckling pigs in Europe, roasted lamb, tripe with fried blood sausages and chili sauce. In addition, in the south one cannot ignore the unique cheeses of La Mancha.