Category: Spanish Food
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Spanish Croquetas
Croquetas are a staple in Spanish tapas bars and restaurants, and we ate countless numbers of them in Spain. The perfect Spanish croquetas are breaded and fried rolls with a crunchy exterior and soft creamy interior, usually filled with bits of meat like jamón (hame), salt cod, or chicken. At first bite, I was amazed…
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Cochinillo: How to Find This Porky Goodness in Valencia or Even in Your Own Kitchen
Cochinillo…crispy brown skin revealing juicy succulent meat underneath. Sometimes it’s dressed up with a fancy sauce; sometimes it’s seasoned with nothing but salt and the smoke of the fire. Either way, few things are more satisfying than the porky goodness of perfectly cooked cochinillo (suckling pig). It shows up frequently on the pages of this…
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Welcoming Summer with Cherry Chipotle Gazpacho
The Spanish cherry season starts at the beginning of May and piles of them have made their way into the markets in Valencia. One of our favorite ways to use them is in this Cherry Chipotle Gazpacho, a delicious variation of the classic cold summer soup.
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It’s Pumpkin Season, the Perfect Time for Creamy Roasted Pumpkin Mousse
My beta-carotene levels should be sky high by now. It’s pumpkin season and I just can’t seem to get enough. Since the weather has chilled and autumn is officially here, the roasted pumpkin (calabaza asada) that is found in the Spanish markets has become a regular purchase on our shopping trips. The pumpkins most commonly…
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Pan con Tomate: A Must-Have for Your Breakfast Table
Good ingredients simply prepared is a hallmark of Spanish food. A good example of this is Pan con Tomate (bread with tomato), one of the most iconic dishes found throughout Spain. It can be the basis of a typical Spanish breakfast or served as a tapa along with jamón or anchovies. The recipe is so simple,…
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Salmorejo: A Cold Soup for a Hot Spanish Summer
Salmorejo is a cold tomato soup from Cordoba in the Andalusia region of Spain. Similar to gazpacho, but with fewer ingredients and a thicker consistency, this soup is perfect for the hot summer days typical of southern Spain. It is also a great way to enjoy the bounty of ripe tomatoes that summer brings. Salmorejo…
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Clóchinas: Pulling Valencian Mussels From a Shell
With the arrival of summer, clóchinas began appearing in the markets and on restaurant menus all over Valencia. These very special mussels are unique to Valencia and only available May through September. Clóchinas (also called clotxinas in Valenciano) are cultivated on 22 floating rafts located in the ports of Valencia and Sagunto. Harvest follows the…
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Creamy Artichoke Soup
Artichoke season is still going strong in Spain, with huge piles of them in the markets. Artichokes are a cold weather crop that are at their best from November to April. Once the weather heats up, the artichokes will grow too quickly, open their leaves and begin to transform into beautiful but inedible flowers. Artichokes…
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Meloso with Pork and Artichokes
Everyone knows that Valencia is famous for its paella, but there are actually multiple styles of rice dishes that are typical of Valencia including dry rices like paella, rices in broth called arroz caldoso, and arroz meloso. We have recently developed a love for meloso, the creamy rice that sits on the line between the…
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Zarzuela de Mariscos
Valencia may have 320 days of sunshine a year, but sometimes it has to rain. We’ve had a spell of dreary weather with cold temperatures and rainy days that has us craving comfort food. We searched for a dish loaded with seafood that would also be hearty enough to warm our bones. We found Zarzuela…
Julia Eats 