So we are still roaming about in the beautiful mountains and plains of Spain and enjoying every bite as we go. We have reached a foodie heaven with amazing colours and flavours from the country’s various regions. From tapas – the wide variety of appetisers or snacks that Spanish cuisine boasts of – to the desserts, everything is just so tempting and yummy.
Here is a list of the most amazing dishes from Spain that aren’t to be missed at any cost whenever an opportunity might arise.
Croquettes: A small roll made of mashed potato or ground meat of any kind rolled in breadcrumbs and fried. It is served with béchamel sauce and looks just like our bread rolls. It is often served as main course but can be served as a side dish with winter holiday food. Croquettes are generally shaped like small cylinders but round or disk shaped croquettes can also be found throughout the country’s bars and restaurants.
Gazpacho: This is a cold soup prepared with a tomato base. The recipe originated in Andulasia. The cool and refreshing soup is relished during the summer. The soup uses raw vegetables such as cucumber, bell pepper, onion, garlic as well as a generous helping of olive oil, wine and vinegar. In Andulasia stale bread is also used to prepare the soup. Other cold soups such as salmorejo, ajoblanco and porra antiquerana are also consumed in different regions of the country but don’t enjoy the popularity that gazpacho does.
Paella: It is basically a rice dish but has many variants such as Valencian paella, seafood paella or the mixed paella. The Valencian paella is thought to be the original and has snail as an ingredient. The word paella means pan. It resembles pilaf to quite an extent, the difference being that the rice isn’t braised in oil as is done in the pilaf.
The toasted rice at the bottom of pan that remains after paella has been cooked is considered a delicacy.
Patatas Bravas: This native of Spain is one of the spiciest dishes coming from the country. White potatoes are boiled, cut in irregular shapes and fried. These are then served warm with a spicy tomato chutney or aioli. Aioli is a sauce made of garlic, olive oil, egg yolks and lemon juice. This is generally served with tapas or snacks.
Crema Catalana: This sweet dish resembles the French creme brulee, which actually means burnt cream. It comprises a rich custard base topped with layers of caramel. The French typically flavour the custard with vanilla, while the Spanish version uses lemon or orange zest and cinnamon. Sometime crema catalana is baked with a pineapple on top.
Tortilla Espanola: This is a Spanish omelette with a twist. It contains potato. This can be had at any time of the day and like croquettes can be found on almost all menus in various restaurants and bars across the country.
Churros: The best that Spain has reserved for people with a sweet tooth are the churros. These are prepared from a mix of flour, water and salt, and often fried. They are served by street vendors all over the country and have gained popularity all over the world. Churros con chocolate, or churro accompanied by chocolate, is a popular breakfast dish.