A Guide to Spanish Food
Spanish food is widely appreciated for its delicious taste and colourful varieties. Many people consider Spanish food to be exotic, unique and delicious. Spanish cuisine is centred on meats and potatoes. Most dishes are served with bread, although rice is a relatively more popular side dish. Spanish cuisine almost completely depends on potatoes and tomatoes for sustenance. Vegetables and seafood play an important role, too, but the bulk of the population in Spain and in the rest of the Spanish speaking world tend to stick to meat and potatoes. Olive oil is also heavily utilized in Spanish cuisine, which is why it’s the staple of so many recipes.
Some famous Spanish dishes include the classic paella, also known as chicken-and-rice or pork-and-pepper, that features rice and beans, along with vegetables like broccoli, radishes, garlic and bell pepper. Spanish dish that uses vinegar instead of lemon juice is called a “tapas” dish. A tapa is any type of fish dish that’s served with a sauce of either garlic or vinegar. A typical Spanish dish can include meat, fish, seafood, vegetables and even rice if it’s really good. Other dishes that are considered tapas are tacos, which are small Spanish sandwiches that include cheese, onions, bell peppers and other ingredients, as well as chips and dips.
A typical tapa dish may consist of grilled, steamed, or barbecued chicken, fish, vegetables and rice. A typical dish will usually contain mild red or yellow sauces, either with cream or garlic. “Barbacoa” is a Spanish word for bean soup, which you’ll find on the menu of most tapas restaurants. It typically includes bean curd, meat, onions, potatoes, cabbage and spicy red or yellow sauces with it. The classic ingredient of Barbacoa is garlic, which makes the dish extremely healthy.
Another well-known Spanish delicacy is the olive oil tortilla. It’s often served cold, but can also be warmed if desired. There are many different versions of this dish all across Spain. One example is the “tortilla” which is basically a thin piece of bread with a scoop of filling in between. Another version of this is the “churros” that are made in a round shell.
Other seafood delicacies available in Spain are squid, octopus and crab cakes. Squid and octopus are commonly found in the grilled section of Spanish tapas bars. Crab cakes are also a favourite delicacy found throughout Spain. “Ceviche” refers to fish dishes cooked with various seafood seasoned with lemon, olive oil and lemon juice. Some popular seafood and churros combination’s include shrimp cocktail (which are very similar to a shrimp cocktail found in the United States), and salmon and tuna casserole.