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Spanish food is celebrated the world over – a Mediterranean diet rich in vegetables, nuts, legumes and olive oil. However, a closer look at its culinary culture reveals the lopsided influence of Andalusian cuisine, with an overwhelming number of the country’s signature dishes originally from this region. Meanwhile, tapas culture, so entwined with our image of Spain, is never more alive than in the South, where in some cities, such as Jaen and Granada, they are served free with each drink.
A fascinating - and delicious - mixture of cultures and influences, the food of Andalusia offers refreshing cold soups, sumptuous seafood and jamon to die for.
We take you on a culinary tour of Andalusia.
With the mercury regularly rising to above 40 degrees in Andalusia during the summer months, the need to cool down and take on some liquids is huge. Thankfully, you have a selection of delicious cold soups to choose from. The classic, gazpacho, is made from tomatoes, cucumber, onion and green peppers, along with a little olive oil and sherry vinegar. Meanwhile, it’s creamier, Cordobes cousin, Salmorejo, sees the substitution of cucumber and pepper for breadcrumbs, which leads to a thicker, heavier soup, usually served with a sprinkling of boiled egg and/or jamon ibérico on top.
Those looking to try something a little different might opt for a gazpacho made using mango or watermelon, for added freshness, while the more adventurous among you might wish to try Ajoblanco – a white gazpacho, made using ground almonds and garlic. Interestingly, it is opined that this is ‘the original gazpacho’, before the introduction of tomatoes from the Americas.
That’s aubergine with honey to you and me. This delicious tapa sees aubergine cut into fingers and then fried in a dry batter of gram flour and spices before being served with a drizzle of honey. One of the finest tapas around!
An eye-watering price for a mouth-watering treat! Recently voted the world’s best ham, only 80 legs of this acorn-fed jamon are produced per year, costing over 4000 euros each! Part of the reason for the price is the particularly long process involved in their creation: with the pigs raised to three years (instead of the typical one year) and the curing process taking an incredible six years. That’s around 10 years for it to reach your plate.
That being said, the majority of the jamon ibérico produced and sold throughout the region is exquisite, and you won’t necessarily need to break the (piggy) bank for a slice.
Not as famous as the oft-celebrated Manchego, this nutty cheese hailing from Cadiz is made using goat’s milk (and for best results, combined with sheep’s milk too) and is a wonderful complement to any cheese board.
If you get the opportunity to try the blue payoyo azul, then do not miss out; its rich flavour is something akin to a creamier gorgonzola.
Perhaps the most typical food of Seville, it’s a medley of slow cooked meats (usually beef or pork, with chorizo and morcilla) that eventually fall to pieces and are eaten within a long bap, served as a montadito. A real favourite with locals.
This simple dish – literally, ‘poor man’s potatoes’ - is a combination of thinly-sliced, slowly shallow-fried potatoes with sliced onions and bell peppers, seasoned with salt and pepper. It’s as tasty as it is filling.
This sort of roulade of pork (or other meats) wrapped in jamon ibérico and doused in breadcrumbs before being deep-fried is utterly delicious. A favourite of Cordoba.
This meaty treat comprises pork sirloin slow cooked in whisky and lemon juice, with a little onion and garlic and olive oil to create a rich gravy. A typical tapa of Sevilla.
Particularly common in and around Malaga, this dish sees fish (usually sardines) grilled over a barbecue set in the form of a boat.
In Malaga, such is the popularity of these delectable anchovies in vinegar that the local population is known by the moniker ‘los boquerones’. A classic tapa throughout Spain.
These crunchie bites of sea anemone in batter taste like a cross between oysters and seaweed and are so popular that people travel to Cadiz just to sample them.
The Sevillian classic is prepared by cooking mussels with onions, garlic, parsley, paprika, tomatoes, olive oil, and sherry vinegar.
These flat prawn tortillas look a little like a sort of rosti but are bursting with the familiar flavours of the sea.
The local produce can leave you spoilt for choice at times. So why choose, when you can enjoy an array of fishy flavours in one sampler? Problem solved!
These super-sweet sponge cylinders are akin to mini swiss rolls topped with toasted cream and drenched in syrup and are a staple of Granada, especially at Christmas time. They take their name from Pope Pious (Pio) IX, who we can only assume was fain to turning a blind eye to gluttony.
This thick custard flan-like slice, topped with caramel was first produced in the 1300s by the monks of the Monastery of Jerez de la Frontera, and enjoys popularity throughout Andalusia to this day.
Well, of course! This fortified wine is typical of the region, originating as it does from Jerez. There are a range of different sherry’s produced in Andalusia, from the lighter table wines, such as Fino, to the darker, heavier tones of Oloroso. Be sure to sample on any trip to Andalusia.
This popular cocktail typical of Andalusia, is prepared using sherry (what else?), lemon or lime soda and fresh mint. There are a number of variations available throughout the region, including iterations made using lemon zest or tonic water.
