Valencian cuisine

The Valencian cuisine is the local cuisine of the Comunidad Valenciana. Typical ingredients of the main dishes are rice, vegetables and fish, especially eel. The most famous dish and actually the only known dish of this region is the paella, which is long since eaten not only in Spain but in many countries. The Valencian cuisine is not a typical Mediterranean cuisine, but more rural - down to earth. Most meals are anything but easy, but very filling. Stews play an important role. This is due to the fact that only the city of Valencia is located right by the sea, the countryside was dominated for centuries by farming, the population consisted of peasants. Even in Spain is the typical Valencian kitchen is not very well known in most restaurants in the region are only a few original Valencian dishes found on the menu.

Typical dishes

Meanwhile, internationally known is the Paella, a dry rice dish that is traditionally prepared in a large metal pan over an open fire. There are many recipes, but the original version from the Valencia region consists only of rice, chicken or rabbit, long green beans ( ferraduras ) and snails ( vaquetas ); the yellow color is replaced by the traditional rice by adding saffron. The seafood paella was introduced in the Catalan kitchen, but not in Valencia. About the internationalized paella the Catalan writer and El País columnist Manuel Vázquez Montalbán says sarcastically: " La paella internacionalizada es un guiso de arroz en el que se mezcla carne y pescado y cualquier vegetal, con la del Excepción plátano. " ( The internationalized Paella is a rice dish, which is mixed meat, fish and all kinds of vegetables together, with the exception of bananas. )

Rice generally plays a big role in this regional cuisine. A book, published in Spain cookbook mentioned over 100 different rice dishes from the Comunidad Valenciana.

Another dish that is prepared in the same way in the same pan as paella, is the Fideuà, which is sometimes referred to by foreigners as falsely noodle paella; But based on a paella is always rice. They come with thick and thin noodles. Typical ingredients are fish and squid, now often seafood. The noodles are colored black with either yellow or saffron with the Sepia cuttlefish.

Especially in winter, many stews the ollas, olletas, putxeros or tarongetes are traditionally prepared, hot. Key ingredients include beans, rice, pork, various sausages, pumpkin and chickpeas. Cocido suculento is a stew with meat broth. Near shore fish naturally play a greater role than in the rear, also the fish stew ( cassola ) and fish soups originated. The fish has been inserted past mostly for preservation in salt or dried, and preserved for as fish, there are many methods of preparation. Dried Tuna ( mojama ) is considered a particularly tasty.

For dessert fruit plays a major role, as the region is a fruit -growing region; There are, among others, numerous orange groves. A typical dessert of the area is Turron, which is manufactured in Xixona and Alicante. It is eaten mainly in winter. As a drink Horchata de chufa which must be mentioned, a drink made from tiger nuts, which are generally cold today is prepared as a milkshake. When pastry is often eats to fartons.

Main courses (selection)

The names of the dishes are presented in Valencian or Catalan.

  • Paella
  • Fideuà
  • Arròs al forn, cooked in the oven rice dish. Although it is eaten throughout the region, it is particularly popular in Torrente and in Xativa; in these places every year there is a competition in which the best Arròs al forn will be awarded. In Spanish, this dish Arroz al horno.
  • Arròs amb crosta, rice dish with egg, which is baked in the oven at the end
  • Guiso de anguiles all i pebre, a fish dish with eel, peppers and garlic
  • Bullit, a stew with potatoes, beans, onions and chard
  • Olla churra, a pork stew with potatoes and vegetables
  • Olleta, a stew with rice, pork, various cold meats and vegetables
  • Minxos, flatbread with oil and sardines
  • Suquet de peix, a fish dish (many variants)

Source

  • Manuel Vázquez Montalbán: La Cocina Valenciana
Valencian Community Thunnus Torrent (Valencia)
797762
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