( internship 2022 ) Guide to Catalan food

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If you like good food, you’ll love tasting it during your internship.

To talk about gastronomy is to talk about history, culture, creativity and the generations that have lived through the years from its beginnings to the present day. Catalan cuisine is no stranger to this premise, whose creations have had a great impact on the world’s gastronomic development, as well as on culinary history.

To give an example of the latter, Catalan cuisine has stood out in history thanks to an anonymous author who wrote one of the five oldest culinary manuscripts in 1324.

Moreover, Catalan cuisine (perfect for your internship), a worthy representative of Mediterranean gastronomy, serves as a showcase that shows the world the richness of its people and the privilege they received by settling in the Catalan territory.

On the one hand, with respect to the people, Catalan cuisine demonstrates the evolution of its people, with recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation, allowing this gastronomy to formulate its own culinary options without forgetting its roots and adapting to modern trends, which has allowed it to reach a maturity with great refinement that makes it a unique heritage in the world.

On the other hand, the environment and above all the geography have given it a unique diversity and identity.

We can therefore say that Catalan cuisine has been able to make the most of its varied landscape, with a gastronomic richness that involves mountains, orchards and the coastal coastline of its territory.

Now, to close this introduction, we will present a brief gastronomic guide to some of the rich and different dishes that make the most of the landscape they represent. So let us begin this immersion in flavours, innovation and tradition.

Escalivada

One of the most traditional dishes and one of the most common in homes and restaurants in Catalonia. It consists of a mixture of vegetables, such as onion, tomato, pepper and aubergine, accompanied by olive oil, also known as liquid gold, an ingredient that is very present in Mediterranean food. It is also sometimes served with olives and anchovies, and can be served cold or warm. In addition, its name derives from “escalivar”, as this cooking technique is used for its preparation. However, it can also be baked in the oven.

Xató

Also called Xatonada, it is a typical dish from the Catalan coast whose origins go back to the times of festivities for the arrival of the new wine. Its preparation requires products from the province of Barcelona such as tuna, anchovies, escarole, cod, olives and anchovies, with romesco sauce as a dressing.

Empedrat

If you are looking for dishes to enjoy in hot weather, a very good option to consider is empedrat. If your intention is to go for a more traditional option, empedrat with white beans is the choice, otherwise, there are also recipes with other legumes, as well as being accompanied with different vegetables and esqueixat, which is a salad based on crumbled cod, peppers, onions, olives, tomato, olive oil and vinegar, whose contrast of flavours has made it one of the most referential dishes in Catalan food despite its simplicity.

During your internship you can’t forget that

Coca de recapte

A delicacy that used to be enjoyed with the arrival of produce from the market garden when all the ingredients that could be provided by local families were collected and then shared out among everyone. In order to understand the concept of the dish, it could be described as a homemade pie made from baked flatbread dough, together with roasted vegetables and other complements such as tuna, sardines, sausage, herring, among others.

Trinxat

We have already talked about an exponent of hot seasons, in contrast to this option and focusing more on the autumn and winter season, we find one of the most traditional dishes of Catalan food, the trinxat. This option is without a doubt a recipe that can satisfy anyone’s hunger. It is a mixture of potatoes, cabbage, garlic and bacon, whose final presentation is similar to that of an omelette.

Espinacas a la catalana

From emerging in the Middle Ages to becoming one of the most popular dishes in Spain. This massive presence in Spain is mainly due to the great mixture of ingredients, contrasts, textures and flavours. As for its preparation, it is based on spinach cooked in salted water and then served with sultanas, ham, garlic and pine nuts.

El cocido catalán o escudella

A dish whose heritage dates back to the 14th century, which has made it a recipe for special occasions.

especially in winter and at Christmas dinners. Moreover, it has transcended the kitchen to become a synonym of celebration, family togetherness and happiness. Among its ingredients are meatballs prepared in the same broth, cabbage

The ingredients include meatballs prepared in the same broth, cabbage, potatoes, chickpeas and thick noodles, rice or galets. Regarding the latter, it looks similar to a galette soup, the difference with escudella is that the galettes in this preparation are stuffed with a

galets in this preparation are stuffed with meat. (You have to try this in your internship).

Zarzuela/Sarsuela

This is undoubtedly an option that envelops you in the essence of Catalan culinary history. It is a marine stew, based on fish and seafood whose inspiration comes from the fish or seafood suquet, (a dish common among fishermen) and which is nowadays seen as a high-level recipe, which is why it is usually eaten on holidays. However, it can be suitable for all budgets, depending on the quality of the product chosen. In addition to the seafood, a crushed tomato sauce is used to simmer the ingredients and it can be served with onions, garlic, parsley, bay leaves, paprika or saffron.

Cargols a la llauna

Also known in Spanish as Caracoles “a la llauma”, this dish comes from Lleida, in the province of Catalonia, where the Aplec del Cargol, a gastronomic event focusing specifically on snails, has been held since 1980. It is a typical recipe, based on snails cooked on the grill or in the oven, and it is common to see them accompanied by aioli sauce. To complement this, the use of snails in cooking is a beneficial option for health, as it contains magnesium, potassium, sodium and calcium, as well as being a low-fat food.

Crema catalana

You can show all this to your friends during your internship:

We could not conclude this little guide without including one of the quintessential representatives of Catalan pastries

Crème brûlée has become increasingly popular over the years and can now be found in practically all the restaurants in Catalonia. As for the dish itself, this is a pompous and delicious portion, similar to a custard with the difference that the cream is accompanied on top by a crunchy layer of caramelised sugar. you can now try them during internship.