Galicia’s culinary highlights
Best seafood in Europe
Octopus a la feira
Galicia’s waters are home to some of the world’s finest seafood. To get your juices flowing, why not start by trying delicious shrimp, which makes a much-appreciated starter, and squid and cuttlefish, fried or served in their ink, or the small crab, followed by the shellfish that are eaten raw such as the clam and the oyster. Another group of shellfish appear in main courses, such as the spider crab with its three flavours, the crayfish, the lobster, prawns, scallop and clams in their innumerable sauces or the nutritious and plentiful mussel… all simply prepared but with the most complex flavours.
Then there is the octopus, a mollusc which deserves a special mention because of its humble nature and because it is eaten all year round and at every fiesta in Galicia as octopus a la feira, where it is boiled, chopped into pieces, seasoned with paprika and salt and sprinkled with olive oil.
Then there is the octopus, a mollusc which deserves a special mention because of its humble nature and because it is eaten all year round and at every fiesta in Galicia as octopus a la feira, where it is boiled, chopped into pieces, seasoned with paprika and salt and sprinkled with olive oil.
Percebes (goose-barnacles) are Galicia’s most celebrated seafood, prised off rocks at the bottom of cliffs on the windswept Costa da Morte. It’s a risky job when the surf’s up, hence the high prices – the best (short, fat ones) fetch about £48 per kilo in markets.
What do they taste like? Lobster-ish. Fish The range of fish is extensive to say the least, with the most tasty being, unquestionably, those caught in the rías (estuaries) or just off the coast: hake, turbot, sea-bass, grouper, sole, etc. They are served in classical ways, a la plancha (grilled), a la gallega (Galician style),or in in a caldeirada (fish stew). Among freshwater fish, you can eat trout and salmon, eels, shads, sea-trout, lampreys, etc. |
Wine
Albariño,the star variety of Rías Baixas in the south of Galicia, it offers a limey, grapefruity zest and a soft, yeasty texture. The wine is unusually light and is perfect paired with the region’s seafood.
Vines are trained on distinctive granite pergolas, their horizontal trellises well above shoulder height to accommodate, typically, 30 to 40 buds per vine. The landscape on which they are grown is similarly unique: irregular Atlantic inlets (rías) framed by pine and eucalyptus-covered hills.
Overall, Galicia produces mainly white wines, including both varietals and blends.
Apart from Albariño, the main white grape varieties are Loureiro, Caiño Blanco, Torrontés, Godello and Treixadura. Inland areas also produce light red wines from the Mencía grape.
Vines are trained on distinctive granite pergolas, their horizontal trellises well above shoulder height to accommodate, typically, 30 to 40 buds per vine. The landscape on which they are grown is similarly unique: irregular Atlantic inlets (rías) framed by pine and eucalyptus-covered hills.
Overall, Galicia produces mainly white wines, including both varietals and blends.
Apart from Albariño, the main white grape varieties are Loureiro, Caiño Blanco, Torrontés, Godello and Treixadura. Inland areas also produce light red wines from the Mencía grape.
Pimientos de Padrón
Greenhouses adorn the hillside just above the town of Padrón, 22 km south of Santiago de Compostela, in which peppers as green as the surrounding hills are grown. Fried in olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt, these are a Galician tapas staple. Most are mild though one in 10 makes your eyes water. They can be very spicy:
"Os pementos de Padrón, uns pican e outros non" ("Some are hot, others are not").
You should play this gastronomic Russian Roulette at least once.
"Os pementos de Padrón, uns pican e outros non" ("Some are hot, others are not").
You should play this gastronomic Russian Roulette at least once.
Queimada: Galicia’s magic beverage
f you get the chance, we recommend you take part in the queimada, a ritual that guarantees to keep witches and spirits of the night at bay.
Aguardiente (a type of colourless brandy) is poured into a punch bowl, followed by sugar, orange and lemon rind and coffee or red wine (according to taste).The liquid is then set alight and a spooky incantation is read out as the flames climb higher to keep witches, demons and ghosts at bay. Once the flames have burnt themselves out, all that remains is to taste the brew. This special experience is a sure-fire way to learn more about Galician traditions and many restaurants offer the opportunity to take part. |
fish or meat pies
Empanadas deserve their own special section.
A wide variety of fillings can be used and one of the characteristics of the Galician empanada is its soft, light and high quality pastry, especially in coastal areas. Saffron, oil, pepper and lots of onion are always mixed in with the cold fish, seafood or meat.
You can buy them fresh every day in most bakeries, either a whole one or just a piece, which makes the empanada the perfect "take-away" for your picnic, as a snack or to accompany you on social visits.
A wide variety of fillings can be used and one of the characteristics of the Galician empanada is its soft, light and high quality pastry, especially in coastal areas. Saffron, oil, pepper and lots of onion are always mixed in with the cold fish, seafood or meat.
You can buy them fresh every day in most bakeries, either a whole one or just a piece, which makes the empanada the perfect "take-away" for your picnic, as a snack or to accompany you on social visits.
Cheeses
To round off this brief look at Galician cuisine let us not overlook the goodness of its fresh cheeses . There are three cheeses--Queso gallego, Tetilla, and San Simón.
The gallego cheese is unbelievably creamy and slightly acidic, Tetilla is also a creamy, soft cheese, but not quite as rich as queso gallego. It also does not have quite the twang of the acidity.
San Simón is much like a tetilla in shape and even flavor, except it is lightly smoked, which gives the rind a deep gold color and the cheese a slightly firmer texture. the smoke taste of San Simón is natural, subtle and pleasant.
The gallego cheese is unbelievably creamy and slightly acidic, Tetilla is also a creamy, soft cheese, but not quite as rich as queso gallego. It also does not have quite the twang of the acidity.
San Simón is much like a tetilla in shape and even flavor, except it is lightly smoked, which gives the rind a deep gold color and the cheese a slightly firmer texture. the smoke taste of San Simón is natural, subtle and pleasant.
Bread
Bread gets served with everything and always, and it is just wonderfully delicious.
Traditional Galician bread has a crackly crust with sweet interior that is light and airy. The thin, crisp crust surrounds light yeasty dough with many holes and just the right texture. It is certainly the unsung treasure of Celtic Galicia. |
To round off this brief look at Galician cuisine let us not overlook its superbly prepared filloas (a type of crepe); and the Santiago almond tart, the most original and delightful cake that Galicia has to offer.