Introduction
Introduction Statistics Contact Development Disclaimer Help
.-') _ .-') _
( OO ) ) ( OO ) )
.-----. ,--./ ,--,' ,--./ ,--,'
' .--./ | \ | |\ | \ | |\
| |('-. | \| | )| \| | )
/_) |OO )| . |/ | . |/
|| |`-'| | |\ | | |\ |
(_' '--'\ | | \ | | | \ |
`-----' `--' `--' `--' `--'
lite.cnn.com - on gopher - inofficial
ARTICLE VIEW:
•
5 min read
14 Spanish dishes everyone should try – from churros to jamón
By Jon Yeomans, for CNN
Updated:
9:00 AM EDT, Sat June 7, 2025
(CNN) – It’s fair to say Spain was late to the table when it came
to recognizing the .
While and have spent years in the limelight, was biding its time.
In recent years, however, people have come to celebrate the
extraordinary flavors and variety of produce the cuisine has to offer.
High-profile chefs such as Ferran Adrià, mastermind of the now-closed
El Bulli restaurant, and the Roca brothers, founders of the El Celler
de Can Roca, have brought Spain’s alta cocina international acclaim.
And in 2023, Spain had more restaurants on the than any other country.
But the heart of remains its rustic, homespun nature, a legacy of a
time when hard-pressed Spaniards had to work the land for everything it
would offer.
These 14 dishes – from seafood and meat to rice and pastries – are
essential to sample when you travel to .
1. Paella Valenciana
Paella is perhaps the most famous Spanish dish of all, and certainly
one of the most abused. Authentic paella originates from the region
around Valencia, and comes in two varieties: Paella Valenciana, with
rabbit and chicken; and seafood paella.
Saffron gives the rice its color, and the base should be left to crisp
into a mouth-watering black crust, called the socarrat. Spaniards only
eat it at lunchtime.
2. Patatas bravas
A staple among the small dishes that make up a classic tapas menu,
patatas bravas – “brave potatoes” – is named for its spicy
sauce, rare in a land that generally shuns fiery food.
The potatoes are cubed and shallow fried and served the same
everywhere. The sauce can come in any number of ways, from spicy
ketchup to garlic mayonnaise with a dusting of pimiento (smoked
paprika), or both.
One theory holds that the dirtier the bar, the better the bravas.
3. Gazpacho
This tomato-based Andalusian soup is most famous for being served cold.
This can be quite a shock for those who aren’t expecting it, but in
the searing heat of a Seville summer, the attraction becomes clear.
Its principal ingredients, aside from tomato, are peppers, garlic,
bread and lots of olive oil.
4. Pimientos de Padrón
A common dish on tapas menus, pimientos de Padrón are green peppers
that hail originally from the town of that name in Galicia, in
Spain’s lush, rainy northwest.
Pimientos de Padrón are fried in olive oil and served with a deep
sprinkling of salt. Though generally sweet and mild, their fame stems
from the fact that the occasional pepper will be fiery hot – lending
a Russian roulette element of surprise to eating them.
5. Fideuà
Less well known to tourists, fideuà is a type of Spanish pasta similar
to vermicelli. It’s popular in Catalonia and Valencia in seafood
dishes that rival paella for their taste and intricacy.
Fideuà is typically cooked in a paella dish.
6. Jamón
Jamón, or cured ham, is the most celebrated Spanish food product. Legs
of ham were traditionally salted and hung up to dry to preserve them
through the long winter months.
Jamón Serrano (of the mountain) is the most common kind and comes from
white pigs; the more expensive Jamón Iberico (pictured) comes from
black pigs.
The best ham should be enjoyed in thin, melt-in-your-mouth slices on
its own, with a little bread.
“Jamón is the staple of the Spanish table,” says chef José
Pizarro, the brains behind José Tapas Bar, Pizarro and José Pizarro
restaurants in London and a handful of other eateries.
“We eat it before we eat; its salty, acorn-laden taste is the perfect
accompaniment to sherry and Cava, and it gets your juices flowing for
the meal that is yet to come.
“It’s brilliantly good value and a leg can last ages as long as you
cover and store it properly. Look for ‘waxy’ fat: when you rub it,
it should melt into your skin like candle wax.”
7. Tortilla
The humble Spanish omelet can be made with chorizo, peppers and onions,
among other ingredients, but purists will tell you it should only
contain potatoes and eggs.
The potatoes are diced and lightly fried before being added to the egg
mixture and fried on a high heat; the trickiest part is when you have
to flip the pan over to turn the tortilla.
If you get it right, someone should shout “Olé!” Get it wrong and
you’ll have gooey half-cooked tortilla everywhere.
8. Churros
Churros are a popular snack made from fried dough, cut into sausage
shapes and doused in sugar. They’re a favorite at fiestas, or street
parties, when they’re sold by roadside vendors. Dipping them in hot
melted chocolate is pretty much the law.
9. Croquetas
Another typical item on a tapas menu, croquetas are tubes of bechamel
sauce encased in fried breadcrumbs, but a lot more tasty than that
sounds.
Jamón croquetas and salt cod croquetas are common varieties. They’re
tricky to make and are perhaps best enjoyed at a tapas bar, along with
a cold beer.
10. Albondigas
A classic tapas item, albondigas, or meatballs in tomato sauce, are
served all over Spain.
A tasty variation serves up the meatballs drizzled in an almond sauce,
minus the tomatoes.
11. Migas
A legendary dish spoken of in almost hushed tones by Spaniards, migas
is a good example of how much of Spain’s cuisine has evolved from
peasant food.
It’s essentially dry breadcrumbs torn up and fried in a variety of
combinations – often served with chorizo or bacon.
Migas, handed down from agricultural laborers who had to be thrifty
with their ingredients, is comfort food supreme – and in recent times
has found its way onto fancy restaurant menus.
12. Bacalao
A prized dish in Spain, bacalao, or salted cod, was brought back for
hundreds of years by Spanish fisherman from as far afield as Norway and
Newfoundland. The fish is not found in local waters, and it was salted
to preserve it on the journey.
It has to be left to soak in water for at least 24 hours to remove all
but the slightest tang of salt.
Bacalao is served in all manner of dishes; one of the most popular is
with pil-pil sauce, made of olive oil, garlic and the juice of the
fish, and typical in the Basque Country.
13. Fabada
A favorite of the northwestern Asturias region and based around the
white fabe bean, fabada is a one-pot feast usually served with a
mixture of pork meats.
Chorizo, pork belly and bacon are common accompaniments, as is
morcilla, Spanish blood sausage, which tastes far better than it
should.
14. Leche frita
Think it’s impossible to fry milk? Think again.
Leche frita, or fried milk, is a popular dessert made by whipping up
milk, egg yolks and flour. This is left to chill and solidify, before
being coated in breadcrumbs and fried.
It can be served hot or cold.
<- back to index
You are viewing proxied material from codevoid.de. The copyright of proxied material belongs to its original authors. Any comments or complaints in relation to proxied material should be directed to the original authors of the content concerned. Please see the disclaimer for more details.