Catalan cuisine is mostly based on the Mediterranean diet, with a few minor variations provided by regional Catalan items. The diversity of the products is crucial to Catalan cuisine: Fish and seafood from the sea, beef from the mountains, and fruit from Catalan orchards (fruits, vegetables…).
Catalan cuisine has undoubtedly contributed great dishes and great chefs known internationally (Carme Ruscalleda, Ferran Adrià, the Roca brothers and their Celler de Can Roca…).
In the gastronomy of Catalonia, apart from having its own native dishes and traditions, as is logical due to its magnificent geographical position and the migratory movements made from other parts of Spain in search of a better life in Catalonia. It has been nourished and enriched by other gastronomic cultures, such as the Andalusian food or the Gastronomy of Euskadi… dishes and traditions that have taken root so much in the Catalan gastronomy that they are already part of it and have been established as essential dishes within the typical Catalan gastronomy.
When you visit Barcelona, Girona, or any other region of Catalonia, you must eat the best Catalan foods that we are about to demonstrate to you! In addition to sampling these foods, the best thing to do is to ask the people in each town or city what the most traditional foods are there. This will allow you to get a truly authentic Catalan culinary experience.
Main Dishes of Catalan Food
Rovellons
It is a type of mushroom that is very typical of Catalonia. It can be made in many ways, sautéed, in omelette… The season of this type of mushroom is usually in autumn, although now thanks to artificial cultivation we can have them all year round. Undoubtedly a dish that you must try on your visit to Catalonia.
Catalan style omelette
The essential ingredient will be the white beans. There are two good combinations with beans: butifarra sausage and cod. For both, it is important to cook the beans and the complement beforehand. And, to give them more flavor, they can be cooked with garlic cloves and spices (such as parsley). You can also sauté leek and onion very thinly in a frying pan to achieve a spectacular omelette.
Esqueixada de bacallà
It is a rich and very refreshing dish of typical Catalan food. It is a very easy recipe, in addition, if we buy the cod already shredded (esqueixat), it can be desalted the same day, passing it through water a couple of times. An ideal meal for the summer. To the cod is added diced tomato, chopped bell pepper and black olives. We can’t forget the drizzle of extra virgin olive oil from Spain.
Catalan Desserts
Crema catalana
The crema catalana or crema Quemada (burnt cream) is a kind of pastry cream or custard with a crunchy crust based on caramelized sugar. Legend has it that its invention was like many other desserts due to a mistake, when some nuns in a convent wanted to make a custard for a bishop who was going to visit them and as sometimes happens, it did not set well. This is the typical must-try Catalan dessert that you can find in every restaurant of Catalonia and many other Spanish regions.
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