We believe that besides its beauty and great history, any city must also conquer us through our stomachs. Well, it is safe to say that in Catalonia, with its traditional food, we are more than well-fed! Learn some of the Catalan dishes that you can find in Catalonia’s traditional food.
Girona
Mar i Muntanya (Sea and Mountain): This dish symbolizes the culinary blending of coastal and inland elements, featuring combinations like chicken and shrimp, or rabbit and lobster, so protein is something that is not lacking in this dish.
Suquet de Peix: A traditional fishermen's stew made with fish and potatoes, often enriched with shellfish and seasoned with saffron and almonds.
Lleida
Cargols a la Llauna: Snails baked on a tin-plate, typically seasoned with salt, pepper, and herbs, and sometimes served with garlic mayonnaise.
Freginat: a hearty stew typically made with pork, liver, and white beans, often flavored with onions and lard. This dish exemplifies the rustic and comforting nature of Lleida's cuisine.
Tarragona
Romescada: A variant of the Romesco sauce, this dish is often served with fish or seafood. The sauce itself is a blend of nuts, red peppers, and garlic.
Calçots amb Romesco: Grilled spring onions (calçots) served with Romesco sauce, a classic dish particularly popular from late winter to early spring.
Barcelona
Esqueixada: A refreshing salad made with raw salted cod, tomatoes, onions, and olives, dressed with olive oil and vinegar. Hard-boiled eggs are commonly included in this dish.
Pa amb Tomàquet (Bread with Tomato): This simple yet iconic dish involves rubbing ripe tomatoes on toasted bread, then drizzling it with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt.
Here are some general dishes you can find anywhere in Catalonia:
Escalivada: It is among the best and most symbolic starters you can enjoy in Catalan cuisine. Onion, aubergines and red pepper are all peeled and chopped into tiny strips, mixed and roasted in the oven to come up with this magical dish. Salt and olive oil are added as dressing. You can get this starter either with anchovies or toasted rustic bread.
Arròs Negre: Sometimes referred to as Paella Negre, although it's distinct from paella, arròs negre shares some similarities in preparation, but employs unique ingredients such as black rice, coloured with squid ink.
Canelons: Originating from the 1920s and influenced by Italian cannelloni, this dish owes its existence to the trade between Catalonia and Italy. This pasta dish, reminiscent of lasagna, features pasta tubes filled with meat and served with a creamy béchamel sauce.
For sweet tooth people, here are some additional desserts:
Crema Catalana resembles the French Crème Brulée, prepared with sugar, egg yolks, and cinnamon, then caramelized on top.
Mel I Mató features a delicate, unseasoned goat cheese paired with honey and occasionally walnuts.
Panellets are bite-sized confections crafted from almonds, sugar, eggs, and pine nuts. While they can be coated in various toppings, the classic choice is pine nuts.
A trip to Catalonia can not be considered complete without sampling its traditional dishes. Which one would you like to try?
