www.villascostabrava.net: Villa rentals in Barcelona and Costa Brava

Paella...

First course/starters

  • amanida catalana- a salad of lettuce, tomato, peppers, onions and carrots, topped with charcuteria, eggs, anchovies, tuna, or whatever the chef thinks he can spare.

  • calçotada- grilled fresh green onions served with a piquant sauce made with almonds, tomatoes, garlic, chili powder and oil.

  • canalons- like Italian cannelloni, the pasta is stuffed with a variety of meats and baked in bechamel topped with Parmesan cheese

  • escalivada- charcoal or oven roasted eggplant, red pepper and onions, smothered in olive oil, and sometimes chopped garlic.

  • escudella i carn d’olla- a stewed hodge-podge of meat, sausages, turnips, chickpeas, cabbage, pasta and so forth.

  • escudella- Catalan broth based soup with pasta or rice.

  • espinacs a la catalana- lightly boiled spinach, then chopped and fried in oil with raisins and pine nuts.

  • exqueixada- shredded salt cod salad, with olives, tomatoes, onions, peppers, topped with olive oil

  • faves a la catalana- broad beans fried in olive oil with garlic, mushrooms and ham. Sometimes served with fresh mint.

  • fideos con almejas- noodles with clams.

  • fideujat- noodle stew with fish.

  • gazpacho- Andalucian soup of tomatoes, green peppers, cucumber, and onion, served chilled with a garnish of chopped egg, croutons, and/or vegetables.

  • pa amb tomàquet- the preferred way of eating bread... rubbed with tomato (and sometimes garlic), and sprinkled with olive oil, salt and pepper

  • pa de fetge- pork pâté

  • paella- originally from Valencia, comes in many variations, but in Catalunya is apt to have as much chicken and pork rib as fish and shellfish.

  • pimientos de piquillo- red peppers, oven baked, peeled, and stuffed with any variety of ingredients before batter frying in oil.

  • pincho or pinchito- marinated pork kebab

  • salpicón de mariscos- a cold shellfish salad with onions, peppers, and olive oil.

  • sopa de ajo- garlic soup, Castillian variety with egg drop and shredded bread.

  • sopa de bolets- strong-flavoured wild mushroom soup, (as opposed to the bland cultivated variety).

  • trinxat- minced cabbage and potato fried with coldcuts.

  • tortilla (de patatas)- Spanish omelete of potatos and onion. Also available made of all sorts of vegetables, including spinach, zucchini, mushrooms, etc.

  • cargols a la llauna- oven baked snails served with variety of sauces.

  • xató- cod, tuna and anchovies tossed in a salas with romesco sauce.

Go on to second course