It is almost impossible to surpass the gastronomic diversity of Spain. There are so many areas in the country that tourists will be amazed by the thousands of aromas and flavors, as each area has its own specialties.
Famous for flamenco, football, beautiful coastlines, long sunny days, exceptional nightlife, siesta, the incredibly long names of the locals, the islands, and the fact that Spanish is one of the most widely spoken languages on Earth after Mandarin and Chinese.
But don't forget that this lively area of the Iberian Peninsula is also famous for its great food.
Spanish cuisine is far from the best healthy cuisine of the world and it is not cheap, but it is not without its charm and surprises tourists with colors, variety and an incredible combination of tastes.
When I started writing this post, I wanted to make a list of Top 10 must-try dishes in Spain, but in the process I realized that I just couldn’t decide which place to give dishes and instead just decided to write a list. Each of these dishes reminds me of some amazing moment of my holiday in Spain, and I hope you will have fond memories of them too.
Tapas - Spaniards eat it at any time of the day or night.
You can't visit Spain and not taste the famous tapas! It's like going to the Eiffel Tower without seeing it, or ordering American coffee in Italy.
First of all, tapas is not some special dish; this is a small snack that the Spaniards eat at any time of the day or night, anywhere. I will not go into detail about tapas because there is a lot of information about them on the Internet, and it will probably take me a few hours to share my experience of tapas with you.
I'll just tell you some Interesting Facts oh tapas.
Tapas is part of the Spanish culture, and to better understand this, you should know that in Spanish there is even a verb "tapear", which means "to eat tapas". Because of the hype around tapas, sometimes you have to pay for these snacks.
While cities like and even tourists get them for free every time you order a drink in a bar or pub, there are still places like or where you most likely won't get free tapas.
The best tapas I had was in Madrid, in the popular bars of this city, where you don't even have to pay for lunch or dinner, because every time you order a beer, they bring you a plate of mini sandwiches, almonds, squid or whatever. then other snacks. And the best thing is that the dishes are not repeated.
On the other hand, the most delicious tapas I've ever had was blue cheese, I tried it on the Mallorca beach, I paid for it, but it was definitely worth the money.
Tortilla espanola
For the first time in my life, I tried tortilla when I traveled to Ibiza by ferry. I remember it was "bocadillo con tortilla", a tortilla sandwich. I liked it so much that I ate three more.
Later, I learned that there are many types of tortilla, some are thick, others are thinner and softer. This Spanish omelette is the most common dish in the country and always consists of potatoes, eggs, onions, salt and pepper.
Although tortillas are said to be easy to make, I always have trouble making them. I have never been able to properly bake it in the middle, I wonder why?
The recipe is as follows: cut the potatoes into thick slices and lower them into a pot of water until boiling. Next, fry it in a pan with a small amount olive oil. Make sure it's soft and not browned. Then drain the liquid and mix the potatoes with lightly chopped onions and raw beaten eggs.
Fry this mixture in a frying pan (preferably with a ceramic coating) for a few minutes on one side, then turn over with a spatula and leave for a few minutes.
Everything is very simple! Let me know if you manage!
Paella is the national dish of Spain
Paella is a traditional rice dish originating in Valencia. In Spain, three types of paella are known: Valencian paella (white rice, vegetables, chicken, duck and rabbit meat, snails, beans and spices), seafood paella (rice, seafood and seasonings) and mixed paella, which is a free combination products, usually rice, chicken, seafood, including shellfish, vegetables, olive oil, saffron and other spices.
I love mixed paella, especially the one served in a paella pan, just imagine romantic dinner on the beach, late summer evening, a glass of cold sangria, a gentle breeze...
Andalusian gazpacho
Like most Spanish dishes, gazpacho can be prepared differently. Gazpacho can be warm or cold, in the form of soup, salad and even stew. Usually gazpacho is made from tomatoes, cucumber, onion, garlic, with a little olive oil, wine vinegar, salt, and sometimes (but rarely) ham.
My favorite gazpacho is a soup made with tomatoes, cucumber, onions, olive oil, wine vinegar and salt. All this is mixed and served with croutons, ice cubes and chopped tomatoes, onions and cucumbers. The perfect lunch in Andalusia!
Crema catalana - Barcelona dessert
Many people think that creme catalana is the same as French creme brulee, but there are tiny differences between these two incredible desserts. For example, creme brulee is cooked in a water bath and is usually served warm, but Catalan creme is always served cold and its custard is made from lemon peel and cinnamon, not vanilla, so it tastes fresher than french dessert.
I love both desserts, I love vanilla, but on a hot summer day, nothing beats Barcelona's Creme Catalana!
Gambas ahiyo - shrimp with garlic
As a rule, I am reserved about seafood, but trust me, the gambas ajillos in Spain are simply amazing! Whether served as a tapas or as a main course, garlic prawns are quick and easy to prepare: take a few fresh prawns, cook them with a little garlic olive oil and chili flakes and in about 10 minutes you will have one of delicious dishes. Buen provecho! ( Bon appetit!;))
Queso Manchego - Spanish sheep's milk cheese
Queso Manchego, it is also called Don Quixote Cheese, as Cervantes mentioned it in his legendary work "Don Quixote of La Mancha". This is very delicious cheese from sheep's milk. Authentic Queso Manchego is made exclusively in the province of La Mancha from a special breed of sheep called the Manchega, but you can taste the cheese all over Spain.
I was lucky to try it in Madrid and I can say that its bright aroma impressed me from the first seconds. Awesome!
Aioli
I always thought aioli was Spanish mayonnaise with lots of garlic. In fact, the aioli is not of Spanish, French or even Italian origin. According to James Oliver, and I have no other choice but to believe him, aioli originated in the Middle East.
Anyway, I first tried it in Spain and for me it's a Spanish sauce, exciting and insidious).
The aioli recipe is very simple and should be easy to make. Well, it's not, at least not for me. That's why I prefer to eat it in Spain with anything: tortilla, fish, baked potatoes with anything but sweets. , I miss so much!
Jamon Iberico in Madrid
In Spain, my favorite thing was the crowded long bar counters, on which huge pieces of jamon were hung on top instead of chandeliers. At first glance, it seems surprising, but after the original and cute. It was great to have a drink while the bartender cut me a piece of incredible ham. An amazing experience in Spain that every tourist should experience!
Grilled fish on Marbella beach
If you are on holiday in Marbella, or somewhere in Andalusia, or, be sure to try the grilled fish on the beach.
Don't be lazy to find a restaurant; Andalusian beaches have original boats filled with sand, where fishermen cook the most delicious sardines on hot coals with their own hands. Delicious, healthy and cheap food, perfect for a hot summer day at the beach!
Finally, I must mention that every meal I have in Spain, in any part of the country or on any of its islands, traditionally began with bread (fried or not, white or black), bowls of green pickled olives (sometimes served with pickled onions ), and the well-known aioli (sometimes replaced with butter).
I hope my post helps spice up your holiday in Spain!
Wanting to enrich the home diet, many housewives are experimenting with the composition, design and presentation of familiar dishes. Those who are more liberated in cooking decide to introduce foreign dishes, tasting the most unusual dishes and drinks. The colorful Spanish cuisine will be an excellent guide on your gastronomic journey. Thanks to passionate combinations of vegetables, seafood and exciting spices, it is the friendliest for the unspoiled stomachs of Europeans and Asians.
Sociability is the main trump card that Spanish cuisine protects. Recipes for the most complex dishes can easily be transformed in the skillful hands of a simple housewife, you just need to add a little imagination to the products.
Essence of Spanish cuisine
Three whales is a quality olive oil, crunchy Bell pepper and sage. Many will argue with this statement, pointing to the abundance of meat, garlic and vegetables on the menu of the most expensive restaurants countries. But in its essence, Spanish cuisine retains the flavor of ancient times, when people knew the price of real oil and the taste of pepper poured with goodness and sunshine.
What has changed over the centuries of existence?
Over many centuries of its existence, the food culture of hot Spaniards has undergone constant transformations: the French brought with them the most magnificent wine, which became an excellent basis for stew, the Africans shared the secrets of pairing spices, “friendship” with the Italians gave the locals a wealth of pastries, and the Moors sweetened dishes with with almonds, milk and couscous. The Spanish delicately absorbed such influences of alien traditions and skillfully presented the best of them in their own inimitable style.
Popular foods
The first courses are distinguished by an incomparable aroma, the finest taste and a stunning look. There are four celebrities among them:
- the most magnificent samphiana - a symphony of ripe tomatoes, tart eggplant and delicious peppers;
- fragrant picada - a colorful trio of garlic, moderately roasted almonds and juicy herbs;
- laconic sofrito - a composition of garlic, pepper, meaty tomatoes and greens;
- unsurpassed ali-oli - soft garlic based on olive oil.
Spanish cuisine. Recipes
Acquaintance should begin with complex dishes. You should not immediately rush to harp king prawns or octopus: the lighter the dish, the faster Spanish cuisine will take root in the house. simple recipes easier to remember. And that means putting it into practice. To get started, you can make a light cold soup called gazpacho, which does not require so much:
- 1 kg of fleshy tomatoes;
- 200-220 g of fresh cucumbers;
- 100-120 g of sweet pepper;
- 100 g of red onion;
- 2 medium cloves of fresh garlic;
- a tablespoon of good wine vinegar;
- 2 tbsp. l olive oil;
- a handful of your favorite crackers;
- salt, sugar and lemon flavor completely to your own taste.
soup cooking
Although gazpacho is a representative of cold dishes, you can savor it at any time of the year, because it is a kind of Spanish okroshka: it will refresh you in the hot season, and in winter it will remind you of a hot and passionate summer.
To begin with, it is worth starting to clean the vegetables: the tomatoes must be freed from the hard peel and carefully remove the stalk. Cucumbers suffer the same fate - their "clothing" also flies into the trash. Well-washed peppers must be cut into good pieces, tomatoes and cucumbers - into small pieces, crush the garlic with a press or a glass and place the whole company in a blender. Grind vegetables until completely homogeneous. After that, you need to balance the taste of the soup: if the tomatoes were sour, it is better to add a pinch of sugar. Next, mix salt into the soup, drip wine vinegar and olive oil. After mixing well, the soup can be put to cool in the refrigerator. Serve a colorful dish with beautiful crispy crackers and herbs (you can also decorate with fresh mint).
Paella
Spanish cuisine does not tolerate unjustified squandering, so many people know the recipe for a profitable paella with affordable seafood. For cooking, housewives need to purchase the following:
- 250 g of a quality seafood mix;
- 350-400 fillets of your favorite fish;
- 200 g of green beans;
- 100 g of sweet crispy pepper;
- 3 cups coarse-grained (parboiled) rice;
- 250-300 g of fresh tomatoes;
- 2 cloves of fresh aromatic garlic;
- 100 ml of dry wine;
- 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley;
- 5-6 glasses of broth;
- 4 tbsp olive oil;
- 2 pinches (0.5 tsp) saffron, salt, pepper, paprika.
Cooking
Sensual Spanish cuisine does not tolerate frozen food, but in today's busy life, this whim can be missed. To begin with, it is worth warming up the main tool in cooking - a frying pan with a thick bottom, olive oil must completely cover its container. Seafood and chopped fish fillet are sent first to fry. This should be done no more than 2-3 minutes, so the optimal amount of juice will come out of the products. After that, we take out the pieces of fried seafood, and unload the attractively chopped pepper into the juice itself. When the vegetable becomes soft, it is worth attaching colorful tomatoes already peeled to it, which can be cut into cubes or in the shape of a crescent.
Stew chopped vegetables for at least 10-12 minutes, after which you can add color to them with 0.5 tsp of paprika, saffron and salt, as well as ground black pepper. This quartet of spices is indispensable for making paella, you can supplement the set, but you should not exclude it.
Next, it’s worth doing rice - you don’t need to immediately rush to wash it, rice dust gives the dishes viscosity, and it is she who is the hallmark this dish that Spanish cuisine is proud of. The recipes of the updated variations are more loyal in this regard, but when preparing paella for the first time, you should trust the advice described in the classic recipes.
Rice is better to pour into a juicy vegetable base in a pan. Then you need to let him collect the juice, after that you should return the seafood to the hot company, add the slightly warmed pitted fish broth and dry wine.
Paella is mixed only once after the introduction of dry wine. Having turned over all the layers of the dish well, it is worth walking one more time and covering the pan with a lid.
Dressings - the true chic of any dish Spanish cuisine. Recipes often begin to write with them, because this is not just a mixture of spices and herbs - this is the final chord of any culinary masterpiece. The paella is topped with a mixture of painstakingly chopped parsley and garlic. After letting the garlic juice out, the dressing can be added to the main company and simmer for another 8-10 minutes, after which it is imperative to let the dish brew. Rice should take all the juices and fill up to the rest. You can serve the dish, accompanied by cherry tomatoes and green leaves.
Turron
What is the decoration of any table? Of course, a delicious and colorful dessert. The hallmark of Spain at Christmas time can be called turron - Mediterranean gozinaki.
To prepare a winter version of sweets, housewives will need:
- 3 neatly separated egg whites;
- 250 g of fine sugar;
- a glass of your favorite honey;
- a glass of your favorite nuts (you can mix);
- 5-6 sheets of quality rice paper.
Cooking
Fantasy and aesthetics - that's what strikes Spanish cuisine. Recipes with photos can be flipped through like something magical. The desserts are all so colorful and original that most of the sweet tooth, having tried Spanish goodies once, can no longer eat the usual ones.
First you need to beat the squirrels (they should first be cooled, so the peaks will form faster). Next, you need to boil the syrup from prepared honey and sugar, its readiness can be determined by its attractive density, after which you should pour the syrup on top of the proteins and beat again. A mixture of nuts (crushed or whole) should be mixed into the created sweet mass. On the layer (confectionery) it is necessary to pour the resulting nougat and let it dry, after which you need to cover it with another sheet on top. You can serve geometrically by cutting the layers together with the paper.
Conclusion
Now you know what Spanish cuisine is. We have provided recipes with photos in the article. We hope that you will be able to cook such dishes at home.
If you have already visited Spain, you will certainly agree that traveling around this country is incredibly exciting and interesting. Your tourist trip was filled with visits to countless museums, significant historical sites, acquaintance with the monuments and architecture of the country. And, for sure, in the list of attractions in Spain from the first days of your stay in this country you have included Spanish national cuisine.
Spanish Cuisine Basics
Spain is one of the Mediterranean countries, for this reason, many believe that it is based on the "Mediterranean diet", consisting of vegetables, fruits, rice, cereals, herbs and, of course, seafood. However, the reality is that meat dishes predominate on the Spaniards' table. A typical representative of them in the traditional cuisine of Spain is the jamon ham, which is so fond of the Russians.
In general, the national cuisine of Spain has incorporated ancient Roman and Moorish traditions with elements of French and even African cuisine.
basis traditional cuisine Spain is made up of herbs, sweet peppers, onions, garlic, sage and, so typical of the Mediterranean, olive oil. Basic cooking techniques include grilling, stewing in wine, and baking with sheep's cheese.
Regional culinary traditions
Despite the fact that the general attributes of cuisine for all regions of Spain are the same, yet each region (and there are seventeen of them - decide for yourself) has its own culinary traditions and stands out with some kind of its own dish. By the way, one of the dishes of Spanish cuisine (which is undoubtedly associated with this country by everyone who is at least a little familiar with its traditional dishes) - paella, has about three hundred different recipes for its preparation!
The North Atlantic coast of Spain is famous for gourmet sauces and interesting soups. Cantabrian cuisine pleases travelers with sardine, trout, maluska dishes, as well as Santander rice (this is a dish of rice and salmon). And here thick soup Asturian cuisine is famous for white beans with ham and sausage ("Fabada"). Basque cuisine combines the traditions of French and Spanish cuisine, it is considered the most refined in Spain. You will certainly want to taste glass eel fried with chili and garlic (Angulas) or sea snails (Karakelas) more than once. You will certainly find a chili sauce made from tomatoes, onions and peppers in Aragonese dishes, but in Richa and Navarre you will have to try vegetable sauces and side dishes. Pork legs with swede leaves, whiting fish stewed in a clay pot and boiled octopus are all representatives of Galician cuisine.
Sauces are the basis of Catalan cuisine. There are four main ones: picada (garlic, roasted almonds and herbs), sofrito (onions, garlic, tomatoes, peppers, herbs), samphiana (peppers, eggplant, tomatoes) and ali-oli (garlic with olive oil). Bright representatives of Catalan cuisine are also: stew from pork feet And pig's head, monkfish ear, fried pork sausages with white beans in boiling lard.
Andalusia is famous for its olive oil and deep-fried dishes. Murcian cuisine is unthinkable without hearty coskidos, Murcian meat pie and various rice dishes.
Extremadura and Castile are considered the "hot zone". In Burgos and Soria, try roast lamb, and in Segovia, roast lamb suckling pig. You will definitely be amazed by Salamanca's delicacy - stewed veal tail. The cuisine of Madrid is famous for cocido - thick pea soup and tripe with black pudding morcilla. Cheese lovers should head to La Mancha. But for marzipan - in Toledo.
Tapas ritual
Spanish cuisine is unimaginable without tapas - appetizers that are always served with beer and wine.
There are two versions of the origin of this tradition. According to the first, it is believed that it originated in one of the bars in Seville, where a glass was covered with a piece of ham, which was served free at first, but as new and varied snacks appeared, for a fee. According to another version, glasses with beer and wine from annoying flies were covered with small plates, into which, over time, they began to put various goodies, mostly spicy, so that the drinkers would like to re-order. One way or another, the Spaniards clearly do not intend to abandon such a pleasant tradition - to consume strong drinks along with tapas.
Favorite snacks include olives - plain or stuffed with tuna, lemon or almonds. Also in tapas bars you will find various sandwiches, for example, with squid. Popular with the Spaniards as snacks and fried shrimps, squid, jamon, potato tortilla, marinated pork, cheeses.
Spaniards also include pies stuffed with fish, meat or vegetables as tapas. Of course, each region has its own ways of cooking. Thus, in the Balearic Islands, open pie, shaped like a bird, stuffed with tuna, sausage or sardines. But the "modest" Catalans stuff their pies with lobster meat.
Salads in Spain
As in many other countries, the Spaniards start their meal with salads. They are made from boiled or fresh vegetables, beans and seafood. They are usually dressed with olive oil (sometimes diluted with vinegar).
Seafood salad is one of the most popular. Shrimps, pieces of boiled squid, mussels and other “sea ingredients” are the “backbone” of this dish, but its composition may vary depending on the region and season. also in sea lettuce you can sometimes find capers or mushrooms.
The Spaniards could not do without a salad consisting of their favorite ingredients - tomatoes and garlic. They are sprinkled with herbs, seasoned with olive oil. And it has a completely original name - “tomatoes with garlic”.
Exquisite and unusual taste has a Malaga salad, which includes dried cod, olives, orange slices and onion.
TO traditional dishes Spain also includes remichon, which also contains orange slices.
First courses - not by number, but by value
Behind light salad soup usually follows. The most famous Spanish soup is the Andalusian gazpacho. This is a vegetable cold soup that is prepared without heat treatment and sometimes even served with ice cubes. It is prepared very simply: soak the bread in cold water, mix it with tomatoes, minced garlic, olive oil and other seasonings and it's ready.
But in another cold soup-puree, tomatoes are not added, it is called ahoblanco.
Rice "everything is the head"
Particular attention should be paid to Spanish rice dishes. Paella was already mentioned at the beginning of the article, and there are a lot of recipes for its preparation. The classic paella includes 6-7 types of seafood and fish, chicken, herbs, spices and white wine. In some areas of Spain, paella is made from beans.
Rice is also cooked with various vegetables(tomatoes, artichokes and beans), with tuna, and black rice is cooked with cuttlefish ink.
Meat dishes
most famous meat dish in Spain - jamon. This is a dry-cured ham, which forms the basis of Iberian cuisine. Jamon is famous not only for its taste, but also for the fact that this dish does not contain cholesterol. To prepare it, they take a ham (by the way, the Spaniards believe that the meat will be good if you feed the piglet with acorns), salted, dried and dried under strictly defined conditions. This traditional Spanish dish can be found in almost any restaurant or bar.
In Spain, there are two main types of jamon - Serrano and Iberico. They differ in the method of preparation, as well as the breed of pigs and their "diet". Jamons can be distinguished by the color of the hoof - in Iberico it is black, and in Serano it is white.
In Spain they love sausages. One of the most favorite types is the black pudding morcilla. In different regions of Spain, the recipes for its preparation are different, but the most famous is the morcilla from Burgos. Popular and smoked sausage pork with garlic and paprika. It's called chorizo. But in Mallorca they love sausage sobrassada made from dried minced pork.
As for poultry meat, an ordinary chicken is held in high esteem in Spain. Spain has several dozen original recipes its preparation. Chickens are fried on a grill or spit, stewed in cider or sherry, stuffed with seafood and vegetables, baked, etc. Among the variety of recipes, chicken stands out: in sherry, stewed with vegetables in wine sauce, V tomato sauce and chilindron sauce.
In Galicia, they love the meat of a fattened castrated rooster - a capon. Its meat is considered more tender than chicken. Be sure to try the capon stuffed with chestnuts or oysters.
But in Navarre, they prefer duck (probably, the neighborhood with France influenced). Traditional duck dishes from the area include duck pâté, duck liver in plum sauce and smoked duck legs.
Desserts and sweets
Of course, you will not find your favorite delicacy here, but this does not mean at all that the Spaniards have nothing to serve you for dessert. On the contrary, judging by the amount of sweets in the traditional cuisine of Spain, the inhabitants of the country are the real sweet tooth.
Tourists like to buy turron and polvorona as sweet souvenirs. Both of these desserts were once prepared for Christmas, but due to the popularity they enjoy among tourists, they have been made year-round. Turron is nougat with nuts. The secret of its production went to the Spaniards from the ancient Arabs, now in addition to traditional ingredients(honey, nuts and egg white), in the preparation of turron, puffed rice, chocolate and dried fruits are used. Polvorons - crumbly biscuits, whose name, by the way, translates as "gunpowder, dust." It consists of roasted almonds, ground sesame seeds, cinnamon, and it is prepared exclusively on pork fat.
No less popular among the Spaniards are various creams (for example, Catalan or almond cream) and puddings (Canarian milk pudding, rice pudding).
The Avila area is famous for its special dessert - St. Teresa's yolks. In Galia, they like chestnuts in sugar glaze and meringue with coconut.
In Spain, cheese skating championships (which is one of them) are not held and cheeses are rarely used in the preparation of complex dishes, but this does not mean at all that cheeses are not popular in this country. Simply, as a rule, they serve it sliced, or with slices of bread.
Each region of Spain has its own variety of cheese. So, in Galicia - this is a tetilla from cow's milk, among the Basques - idiazabal, which is made from sheep's milk and smoked on beech coals, in Castile they also produce cheese from sheep's milk, and it is called "Manchego", in Catalonia they prefer cheeses made from goat milk etc.
But perhaps the most famous variety of cheese is cabrales with blue mold. Once, for its preparation, cheese was covered with animal excrement and wrapped in maple leaves, but modern cheese producers have abandoned such an extreme tradition.
Traditional drinks of Spain
The most consumed drink in Spain is, of course, wine. In 2011, it became the third country in the world in terms of wine production, and the first in terms of vineyard area. About 90 grape varieties are grown here in 60 wine regions. The wines of Spain are valued all over the world.
The most famous alcoholic drinks include sherry and sangria. Sherry is a fortified wine made from three grape varieties. Sangria is made from dry red wine with the addition of spices and various fruits.
Also among alcoholic beverages very popular are: cider, beer, various liqueurs and aguardiente (the strongest drink in Spain).
to traditional soft drinks Horchata is a drink made from peanuts and almonds, which has a peculiar sweetish aftertaste. And, of course, the Spaniards also appreciate tea.
Top 10 Spanish Dishes
Yes, Spanish cuisine is incredibly diverse, and it is simply impossible to try all the dishes presented on it. We have made a selection of dishes that every tourist in Spain must try.
Top 10 Spanish Cuisine Recipes:
- Paella - a rice dish with various fillings (such as rabbit and seafood)
- Jamon - dry-cured pork ham
- Tapas - various snacks
- Gazpacho - cold soup
- Chorizo - dried sausage pork with paprika
- Zarzuela - assorted seafood with fish broth
- Malaga salad
- Crema Catalana - sweet soufflé with caramel
- Seafood salpicon
- Churros are donut-like desserts.
And as a bonus, I give you a couple of recipes for traditional Spanish cuisine.
Classic gazpacho
To prepare it you will need:
- 450 gr tomatoes
- 1 head of onion
- 1 cucumber
- 1 canned pepper
- Half cup cilantro or coriander
- 0.3 cup red wine vinegar
- 1.4/ cup olive oil
- Tabasco sauce (add to taste)
Cut into small pieces half of the tomatoes, cucumber and onion. We shift them into a processor, add red pepper to them and mix until mashed. Then transfer the mixture to a bowl and add tomato juice, chopped cilantro, vinegar, a few drops of Tabasco and olive oil. We mix. Remove the seeds from the remaining tomatoes and cut them into small cubes. We also cut the cucumber and onion. We add it all to the soup. Salt, pepper and put in the refrigerator for a short while before use.
Dorada in Spanish
This fish is highly valued in Spain for its delicate taste. To prepare the dish we need:
- 1 kg gilthead
- 6 potatoes
- 1 head of onion
- 10 tbsp olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves
- Parsley
- 0.5 tsp saffron
- 0.5 chili peppers
- 2 lemons
- Salt - to taste
Clean and gut the fish. While the fish dries up, we prepare a marinade for it: in a blender, mix parsley, garlic, 5 tbsp. olive oil, 4 tbsp. water. Add the juice of 1 lemon to half of the resulting mixture. We mix. Then salt, pepper the fish and grease it with marinade.
In the left mass of parsley and garlic, add salt, crushed saffron leaves and 3 tbsp. water - and now we have a marinade for vegetables ready. Then we cut the potatoes into slices of 0.4 cm, the onion into rings of 0.2 cm. Mix the chopped vegetables with the marinade and put them on a greased baking sheet (or other dishes). We put in an oven preheated to 180 ° C for 20 minutes. Then we spread the dorado on the vegetables. Spray it with olive oil. And put the rest of the lemon on top. We cook another 15-20 minutes. Make sure the fish is juicy. Then we take the fish out of the oven and sprinkle it with thin strips of lemon peel and chili pepper.
Spain is a beautiful and friendly country with hospitable people and a huge amount of delicious food. If you are planning to visit this amazing country, do not forget to try the dishes from the list below.
1. Churros, or local donuts.
Imagine, Spaniards start every day with them! usually served for breakfast, and most often with chocolate. They are deep-fried, so they turn out crispy and very tasty. They can be different in shape, as well as in thickness. In Spain they are sold everywhere!
2. Croquettes.
They are sold in all bars in Spain. Usually they are spicy cutlets with different fillings which are usually served as an appetizer. Spaniards like to gather in bars in the evenings to eat and discuss the affairs of the past day. Sometimes croquettes are served with bechamel sauce. They are often stuffed with smoked ham, or jamon, chicken, shrimp, or even béchamel sauce alone. see our recipe.
3. Spanish tortilla.
This dish is somewhat reminiscent of an omelet, only it is much tastier. It differs from an omelette in that it has fewer eggs, and the main ingredients are potatoes and onions. Eggs, of course, are also added, but they are not the main products. Pieces of potatoes and onions are first fried well, then combined with raw eggs and fry again. The result is a thick round and delicious flatbread, which can be cut and served as a snack (recipe).
4. Gambas Al Ahiyo.
A dish with this name is a shrimp in garlic sauce. This is one of the most colorful Spanish dishes. Since Spain is washed by the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, the freshest seafood is always sold in large quantities in this country. The preparation may be different in different parts of the country. But, basically, the sauce consists of dry sherry, Spanish paprika, lemon juice and parsley. All this is cooked with shrimp on olive oil with addition a large number garlic.
5. Chorizo.
It's spicy pork sausage with garlic and paprika. It can be spicy or slightly sweet in taste and can be eaten fresh or lightly smoked.
6. Jamon.
If you go for a walk in the Spanish markets, you will definitely see huge bundles of dried pork legs. Spain is the largest producer of smoked hams, and jamon is its business card. Cooking jamon is a whole art that is created by local chefs based on Spanish traditional recipes. The result is a delicious meat that can be stored for about two years.
7. Paella.
When it comes to Spanish cuisine, it immediately comes to mind. This dish is a mixture of seafood and rice, although local cuisine often uses chicken or rabbit instead of seafood. Although, given that fresh seafood is always available in Spain, it makes sense to try paella with shrimp. It's just divine!
8. Patatas Bravas.
Not much in Spanish cuisine. spicy dishes. - one of them. It uses the hottest peppers. No wonder this dish is so popular all over the country.
9. Pulpo a la Gallego
This is octopus meat with paprika, sea salt and olive oil. This tasty food differs from many others in that it is always served on a wooden platter.
10. Catalan cream.
This cream should not be confused with creme brulee. If the latter has a vanilla flavor, then it is more spicy, with hints of cinnamon, orange or lemon peel.
Of course, all Spanish cuisine does not consist of 10 dishes at all. There are much more of them. We just tried to compile a list of the most common and popular ones. Of course, you can try all of them during your trip to Spain and perhaps add some more dishes to this list.
In our articles, we have repeatedly touched on the topic of gastronomy, and for good reason, because the Spaniards really revere their national cuisine, and in general, to be honest, they love to eat very much. 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. That 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 every tourist should definitely try. Our Spain has chosen the TOP 10 Spanish dishes that are definitely recommended for tasting.
So, opens our rating dish. “Banality!”, you will say, and you will not be entirely right, because this Catalan appetizer has gained immense popularity throughout Spain and, today, it is almost impossible to imagine the beginning of lunch or dinner, moreover, going out into nature without a good “pan con tomato". To prepare this appetizer, you need to use only the most quality products. So, for example, bread should be of the "rustic" variety (a round fragrant loaf with a crispy crust), tomatoes should be used in a special variety (these are small brown fruits, juicy enough to give all their flavor and aroma to 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 order correctly: dry the bread on the fire until golden brown, rub it with a clove of garlic, grate half the tomato with the pulp, season it well with olive oil, sprinkle a little salt and rub all this magnificence with the second half of the tomato. Believe me, this appetizer is impossible to tear yourself away from!
The ninth place in our ranking is occupied by an appetizer, which translates without frills as “croquettes”. Croquettes are known to many and are prepared not only in Spain, but it was the Spaniards who diversified the assortment of this snack in their menus, offering croquettes, which can be based on different varieties meat, as well as different varieties of fish and seafood. In essence, croquettes are small round or oval meat or fish balls, boned 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, there is an octopus festival, in which about 100.00 people take part and about 50.000 kg of "Pulpo a la gallega" are eaten.
In seventh place is a seasonal Catalan delicacy. Anyone who sees this dish for the first time, which is an onion fried almost black on an open fire, is surprised at how it can be eaten and even more so loved, but those who have tried kalsots at least once become its fan. A special variety of onions from the onion family is sprouted and sprouted several times in a special way so that its seed part constantly strives for the sun's rays, due to which its special tenderness is achieved. Next, the onion is fried on a grill over an open fire and served with a special sauce made on the basis of almonds. Eating kalsots is a separate, very funny ritual, for which in many restaurants guests are given special “bibs” and disposable gloves. The province of Tarragona is the birthplace of kalsots, 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 a potato boiled in its own skin and in very salty water, as a result of which a crispy salty crust is achieved. This dish is served alone as an appetizer, accompanied by a local mojo sauce made from dried peppers, or as a side dish. The ancestors of the current inhabitants of the Canary Islands boiled potatoes in sea water, during periods of scarcity 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 that you should try when you are in Madrid. Cocido madrileño is a kind of stew soup based on chickpeas, supplemented with various types 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 cosido chickpeas were added, and from that moment on, the dish was 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, in many restaurants in Madrid, cocido madrileño is included in the set lunch menu on Wednesdays.
In fourth place, we have placed one of the most recognizable and beloved Spanish dishes in the whole world - cold tomato soup. In contrast to the previous dish, gazpacho is a very refreshing summer soup that came to us from the south, from Andalusia, where the weather is hot most of the days of the 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 to gazpacho Green pepper, saying that in no case should you add red, but someone will do exactly the opposite, someone will add bread pulp, and someone will simply dilute it with ice water. Whatever it was, as a result we get a tasty, refreshing and hearty meal served without fail with crackers 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 gem of Spanish gastronomy. Every tourist, once arriving in Spain, first of all seeks 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 cook for her delicious dinner, for which he mixed all the products available at home, among which was rice - the cereals of the peasants, as well as the remains of fish and seafood from the morning catch. The dish prepared with love, the fisherman called "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 pedestal of our rating, we reached the second place, where we placed . Tapas is a Spanish appetizer with many varieties. These can 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 what you can eat a glass or a glass of something. Historically, a glass of drink was covered with such a small sandwich so that flies and other insects did not fall into it, because “to close” or “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, tapas will be served to you for free, as a compliment from the restaurant.
And finally, the first place -. Spaniards eat this dish with pleasure for breakfast, as a main course, as well as 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 full-fledged, satisfying dish that can be consumed 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 a few eggs with salt and spices separately in a bowl and mix the potatoes with the egg mixture, then put the resulting mass on a well-heated frying pan, and after a couple of minutes turn the tortilla over, so that it is fried on both sides. In Spanish bars, you can even taste a tortilla sandwich when a good piece of this omelette is placed in a fresh baguette.
