LaPosadaDigital.com

Okay, we’ve talked about tortilla, and had a fantastic recipe to make it. I hope that you’ve given it a try. If you do, it will surely become a part of your regular repertoire, since there isn’t a single person whom I know that doesn’t LOVE tortilla.

But that can’t be it? Spanish cooking must be more than just that and paella? For sure! The repertoire is distinct from region to region, each offering tastes of what is fresh and abundant locally.

In Galicia, in the northwest, the sea dominates the landscape but also the kitchen. The best and freshest seafood comes from Galicia, and is now making its way into the international market as well.

In the Levante, the area around Valencia and Alicante on the mid Mediterranean coast, rice is king because of the great amount of rice production locally. Paella originates from this region.

As one might expect, meat dominates the region of Castilla y León, north of Madrid. Lamb, pig in its many forms, blood sausage all are spectacular, flavorful, and soulful reminders of the close relationship of man, animal, and land in this land-locked heart of the country.

Gazpacho, which is possibly as ubiquitous in Spain as the tortilla, and as well-known internationally as paella, is a product of Andalucia, the southern autonomous region whose brutally hot summers require something cool like this rich cold-tomato soup often referred to as “liquid salad”. Serve it up iced on a hot July day and feel the heat just slip away.

So, with that as our basis, let’s examine some of the great foods from around the peninsula. Some of these you may know; others may be a new and wonderful revelation for you. Each is a classic dish. Enjoy the journey, explore the links, try making some and delight someone you love.

1. Paella. Okay, I’m starting with the obvious. If there is anything like a national Spanish dish, it’s paella. When I was a student way back when in the ’60’s in Madrid, there were specific days in restaurants when paella was offered (Wednesdays and Sundays if memory serves me). Nowadays you can find it most days, especially in the tourist restaurants in the heart of most of the big cities.
Paella isn’t just one dish. There are a number of varieties of paella. Paella valenciana refers to paella made as it traditionally was in the Valencia region, where it originated. The recipe, as you can see, has chicken and rabbit, as well as broad beans. It is a hearty, satisfying dish with real earthiness (rabbit and beans), befitting its peasant origins.
Paella a la vasca or “Basque-style Paella” is heavy on the seafood which so distinctively marks the culinary output of this region that backs up on the French border but which is also heavily influenced by the sea and its coastline along the Bay of Biscay.
Paella catalana shows a hybrid variation of meat (chicken and ham) and seafood (whitefish, mussels, and shrimp). It is this variety which seems to be that which most people envision when they think of the gorgeous paellera displaying its bounty.
So, as you can see, paella takes on something of the personality of the region.

2. Albóndigas. Go to most any bar in Spain, and you will find “albóndigas”, meatballs. No, they’re not the large, imposing globes you find on top of a pile of spaghetti and sauce. Rather, they are smaller, tasty mouthfuls of nicely spiced beef and/or veal served in a light sauce (often wine-based) that are easily consumed with a toothpick and paired wonderfully with a full-bodied red wine. Albóndigas may be the ultimate bar food from Spain. Along with this recipe, you get the lovely commentary of Ben Curtis and Marina Díaz whose blog, Notes from Spain (and sister language site Notes in Spanish) is packed full of all kinds of wonderful information about Spanish culture. Let them step you through the process.

3. Pollo al chilindrón (Chicken with sweet red peppers). Peppers are featured prominently in the cuisine of La Rioja. This marvelous pairing makes for a spectacular table presentation as well as a delectable taste treat. “Chilindrón” (with peppers) can be used in combination with other meats as well (beef, pork). And the beauty of the recipe is that it is quick and easy to prepare (45 minutes preparation to table). ¡Buen provecho!

pollo al chilindron

4. Fabada (Fava Bean and Ham). This earthy, hearty dish is from Asturias, the verdant and mountainous region tucked between the Picos de Europa and the Atlantic, a green paradise of lush forests, rugged mountains, independent spirits, and great food. It would be very easy to say that Fabada IS Asturias, since no other Spanish dish is so closely associated with the region that produced it than this (see the dish “live” with Marina Díaz of Notes from Spain here–its the second video, right after the delectable video on “jamón”). Make no mistake: fabada is a cold-weather meal. The beans and ham warm the spirit on cold winter days, and warm the body too. My first taste of fabada was on a very hot July afternoon in Madrid: bad choice!!!! But I loved it nonetheless. Enjoy with a green salad and crunchy bread. And chase your meal with some Asturian hard cider (sidra)–see if you can decant it like an Asturian: bottle over your head, glass at your hip. Enjoy!!

fabada

5. Caldo gallego (Galician Bean Soup). If there ever was a dish handed down from one generation to the next, this is it. It reminds us that grandma is in the kitchen with us. This soup speaks of the earthiness of the Galician landscape, replete with gardens at every turn, cabbage (berza) growing in every one of them. This rich, earthy soup of cannellini beans, ham, potatoes, cabbage, onions and parsnips is a treat for body and soul. You feel the love when you plate up a bowl of steaming caldo. Don’t forget lots of crusty bread to sop up the broth! ¡Que aproveche!

caldo gallego

6. Gazpacho (Cold Tomato and Garlic Soup). I like to think of gazpacho as “liquid salad”. A typical dish of Andalucia, this cold soup refreshes on those scorchingly hot summer afternoons and evenings, and as its cool tomatoey lusciousness slides down your throat, you feel the heat just slip away. Top your gazpacho with diced vegetables (peppers, onions, cucumbers) and with crispy croutons. You can taste the sunshine of an Andalusian sky. ¡Qué bueno!

gazpacho

7. Merluza a la vasca (Hake [haddock] with Green Sauce). The Basque Country, tucked up against the French border and kissed by the Bay of Biscay, is a land in love with its seafood. This easy recipe marries the fish with the Basque fondness for sauces, in this case a sauce that features parsley. The clam garnishes add a lovely level of elegance to the stunning presentation.

8. Zarzuela de mariscos (Catalonian Seafood Stew). Kissed by the Mediterranean in northeast Spain, Catalonia has a love affair with seafood. No where is it more evident in this signature dish. The English translation doesn’t do this regal taste-treat justice. The real stars of the show are the shellfish, as the Spanish suggests. Mussels, clams, prawns, shrimp, lobster and scallops, along with some monkfish thrown in for good measure (if you like; leave it out if you don’t) all swimming in a tomatoey garlic broth, with just a touch of heat (crushed red pepper) makes for an eye-popping presentation and a stunning treat for the palate.

zarzuela de mariscos

9. Gambas al ajillo (Shrimp and garlic). This is typically a tapas and not a main course, but it is so ubiquitous in Spain and such a taste treat, I felt that it deserved inclusion in the “top ten” typical Spanish foods. The garlic and shrimp do a savory dance in the olive oil, and the red pepper flakes add that touch of heat that takes the taste to a new level. Don’t forget the crusty bread to sop up the garlic-infused oil. ¡Maravilloso!

gambas al ajillo

10. Pisto manchego (Vegetable medley). This wonderful earthy medley of peppers, squashes, onions, garlic, and a little chorizo is from La Mancha, famous for its windmills and for Don Quijote. Earthy, substantial, bursting with vegetable goodness, this quick-cooking mixture reminds us that the bounty of the earth can sustain us and keep us strong. Serve as a “primer plato” (first dish), or as a side along with a meat entree. Either way, you’re sure to enjoy.

pisto manchego on toasted baguette