Crossroads of Dinner Tables: Andalusian Cuisine

One of the best places to take in the mixed cultures in Andalusia is at the dinner table.

Spanish, European, Morrocan and North African flavors blend in a harmonious melody of spices, texture and flavor.

And only Ciclismo Classico knows how to get the best of this southern-most Spanish province on your plate.

Rabo de Toro a la Cordobesca

Many recipes may say “Spanish Oxtail,” but what you don’t realize is that most of them come from Andalusia.

Although Catalonia has partially banned bullfighting (with a recent overturn of the ban in Mallorca) Bullfighting is still popular in the country in Madrid and Seville.

And Ronda has one of the oldest bullfighting traditions and arenas in all of Spain.

However, oxtail has been popular ever since the Roman conquest of the Iberian peninsula.

The recipe served today is from the 19th C.when bullfighting was at its peak of popularity.

Originally, during the 16th C., restaurants and bodegas only served the bravest of as homage to the animal after the corrida was over.

This practice began in Cordoba, in the heart of Andalusia, and the beginning of our Andalusian adventure.

Mollete (Pan y Tomate)

The Spanish version of mollete (there is a Mexican version, which is more complex) is a piece of soft crumb bread covered in olive oil and tomato.

Its origins may come from the unleavened bread formerly used for Christian religious practices and Hebrew services. It is the main protagonist of almost every Andalusian breakfast (and almost every breakfast eaten in the whole country).

No eggs or omelettes here. Just an open-faced piece of bread with olive oil, salt and sometimes tomato and garlic.

There are many types of bread, but the most famous comes from Antequera. Again, the city holds an ancient tradition in bread making. It comes from an old Arabian recipe.

It’s a tasty soft bread You can also find it near Archidona (Malaga province) and few other locations around Andalusia.

No yeast here. Just flour, water, salt and baking powder…and a lot of goodness!

Ortiguillas Fritas

For those more adventurous readers, here is a new dish for you: Fried Sea Anemone.

The plate is simple: croquet-sized anemone, rolled in flour, and deep-friend in abundant olive oil.

The local Andalusians consider this intense seafood flavor a delicacy, especially around the coast of Cadiz.

Local fisherman need to travel at least 20m under the coastal shore to find the best anemone. As raw animals, they aren’t so appealing, but once cooked and served with a nice glass of white Macabeo, you’ll quickly change your mind!

Perdiz

The wild partridges from Grazalema and Cazorla are some of the tastiest game foul you can find.

The Sierra Morena near Ronda hold some of the tastiest birds, according to local hunters.

It may seem of little importance, yet the partridge appears in antique recipes in this area of Andalusia. So people have been eating them for hundreds of years and they are part of the very local cuisine.

According to an Anonymous Recipe Book from Andalucia (13th C.), one preparation called Jewish Partridge calls for “crushing the entrails with almonds and pine nuts,” and adding various spices such as cinnamon and lavender.

Although the original recipe may have changed, these various herbs and spices found their way into Spain via North Africa. Once again, the combination of the Arab influence on local products makes for unique and savory dishes only Andalusia can claim as its own.

Estofado de Jabalí

There is something special about how Andalusians prepare their wild boar stew. Usually it’s made with a wild fowl base, but the traditional recipe calls for freshly caught jabali, or wild boar.

As a general rule, hungry travelers and locals eat the stew in the fall and winter months, served as the main course.

The local recipe adds not only carrots and onions (as you would have in any stew) but chopped apples and pears, giving it hearty and sweet autumn-time flavors.

Chefs cook the stew in a terracotta casserole pot (a traditional method) instead of modern steel.

Flamenquínes

Once again, we return to the kitchens of Cordoba and its ancient mix of cultures for this wonderful pork recipe.

The name flamenquín comes from the local word for “Flemish.” In fact, the locals thought this pork roll-up, once fried, resembled the blonde locks of the Flemish servants that accompanied the emperor Charles V back to Spain.

More of the natives believe the awkward and off-center stance of the dish mirrored the stiff and flawed appearance of the same stewards.

Either way, they still are delicious.

This typical dish comprises pieces of Serrano ham rolled in pork loin ribbons, coated in breadcrumbs and flour, and then fried in olive oil.

Cooks may exchange the Serrano ham for other fillings such as cheese or peppers. Since it is so popular in Spain, there are many varieties.

But the original recipe comes from the Guadalquivir river valley, just outside of Cordoba, in the town of Bujalance.

Gazpacho

You guessed it.

That lovely cold soup you always enjoyed doesn’t just come from Spain, it originates in Andalucia.

Gazpacho is, without a doubt, the most recognized Andalusian soup throughout the world.

This popular cold dish is based on tomato, pepper, cucumber, and extra virgin olive oil.

It is eaten in the hot summer months throughout Spain, and there is a lot of controversy to portions and ingredients between chefs, and from household to household.

The traditional recipe remains tomatoes, green pepper, cucumber, two garlic cloves, olive oil, stale bread, water, salt and sherry vinegar, as published by Directo al Paladar.

However, don’t confuse your Gazpacho with your Salmorejo. That would be a rookie mistake.

Salmorejo

Salmorejo is much thicker than Gazpacho and contains fewer vegetables.

In fact, only the tomatoes give it its interesting red (or pink) color.

The history of Salmrejo as a culinary preparation goes back to the first moments of human history when people could grind ingredients together between rocks.

Some variations don’t include tomato, and thus the dish is white.

The Romans brought wheat and bread to the Iberian peninsula which eventually ended up as one of the ingredients in Salmorejo.

Yet, during the Arab caliphate in Cordoba, it is possible that Salmorejo was a mash of garlic, salt, breadcrumbs, oil and vinegar.

Today, we typically drink gazpacho from a glass as an appetizer. Salmorejo is served as a first dish in a bowl, yet is still a cold soup.

Are you ready to dine at the table of the Caliph? Then contact us here and get ready for Andalucia!

Check out our Andalucia bike tour!