Gastronomy in A Death Coast
A Death Coast is a great example of marine cousine of our country. It is simple in its methods but with an excelent quality of their products. Recently, restaurants have started to offer more sophisticated recipies, but always with products from A Death Coast.
It is still possible to get ingredients right from its source. Enjoy aromas which embody the ocean from our fresh fish, range eggs with and incredible yellow yolk, "grelos" from the backyard or bread from a wood oven. Take a look in the local markets and avoid the big groceries chains, with a stop to enjoy a glass of wine (Alvarinho, during the summer) or beer, while looking for these excelent products.
We will start talking about our "humildest" ingredients. They are always present on our tables but we always forget to talk about them... and they are worth it.
Potatos
We are a potato-eating country. Manuel Rivas, a popular writer, says about our relationship with this tuberculus:
The most radical expressión of saudade is the potato saudade.
Of course, in A Death Coast we have great potates to cure you from saudade. The ones from Coristanco are the best, but you can find excelent potatos in all the region.
This potato with a high starch content, when fried forms a golden cover which hides the whitest pulp and full of flavor. Grab some range eggs and you can make unveliebable tortillas (you have to come to Galiza to know what a tortilla is!).
Egg braid
It is a bread enriched with eggs, milk and sugar. It is typical all around and you will find it at any "panadería", specially during the Holy Friday. On this day, godparents give their "afillados" a doughnut made of the same dough.
Barnacles, longueiróns, king crabs, crabs, lobster and other shellfish
Without doubt, the fame of the local gastronomy comes from its excellent shellfish and fish.å
The best barnacles are picked on stones were the ocean beats them. They are boiled for less than a minute and have a deep ocean flavor. The most famous ones are from Roncudo.
Longeiróns are grilled and should be eaten with your hands. They are very popular in Fisterra.
You will also find other kinds of shellfish, like crabs our "ourizos". If you want to cook them yourself, which we highly recommed, go to local markets where it is easier to find them (in the bigger groceries chains, they come from outside which is just senseless!!). But, please DO NOT BUY UNAUTHORIZED SHELLFISH.
Fish
The variety is huge. Here you have a sample of them:
Maragota
Pinto
Pescada
Sargo
Robaliza
Faneca
Escacho
Escarapote
Ollomol
Badexo
Linguado
Sardiña
Xurelo
We grilled them or make a caldeirada, a stew with potatos, peas (not always) and enriched with a gravy made of olive oil, garlic, paprika and fish stock.
Do you want fresh fish? the best to get is going fishing.
Cocido: o Bolo do Pote
The Mazaricos City County is trying to recover and old recipe: o bolo do pote (the ball from the pot, literrally). It is a dough made of corn flour, wheat flour, bacon or onions and stock. After being shaped, it is boiled in more stock and served with one of our national dishes: cocido (boiled of assorted meats, grelos or cabbage and potatos, similar to the Corned-beef)Do you want to know more about our food? in Corcublog we will blog about it in the Gastronomy category.