Once the cradle of a fabulously wealthy empire, Spain is also the common ancestor of the cuisines of all the countries it once ruled. And as such, its culinary influences have travelled across much of the world. Today we’ll see some immortal classics, as well as finding some new ones.
Paella: The Spanish classic that’s taken the foodie world
by storm. And an original Spanish street food!
I’ll bet you thought, if you’d explored South American, Central American and Mexican food, you also, by association knew all about Spanish food. hat’s not the case at all! In fact, some of the country’s most popular street foods are little known outside the Iberian Peninsula. Today we’ll contrast the familiar with the new and exciting.
One thing you’ll notice right off the bat is the reliance of Spanish cuisine on the pig and on seafood. The latter should be no surprise, since the country is surrounded on three-and-a-half sides by salt water!
On our menu today
Bocadillo: The hands-down favourite of all Spanish street food. A simple but savoury ham sandwich on a baguette-like bun that’s made to grab-and-go. It’s really just ham, sometimes with cheese, and always with a bold sauce such as mustard, tomato sauce, or mayo.
Folks go-to the Bocadilo for lunch, supper and substantial snacks. It’ll fill you up, for sure! Goes equally well with beer, wine or coffee.
Chorizo: Cured, dried, smoky, peppery-hot sausage. Folks eat it like we might a Hot Shot or a strip of jerky. It may also be boiled in apple juice and served hot or sliced into sandwiches. This old favourite travelled well to central and south America and is featured in Mexican and other regional cuisines.
Pinchitos: Spanish Kebabs. Not native to Spain, it probably arrived with the Moors. Simple marinated chicken or pork chunks on a skewer grilled over an open flame.
Evderybody eats ’em. Everybody loves ’em. Every Spanish cook has their own tweak on this imported classic.
Empanadas: Classic pastry-pocket hand pies. They originated here and versions of them can be found across the former Spanish Empire. I often describe it as a miniature cousin of the Italian Calzone. They may be filled with beef, chicken, pork, tuna, shellfish, cheese, and / or vegetables, then baked or fried. Empanadas may be flavoured with a little hot pepper, but the predominant spice used is cumin.
Paella: Classically, seafood and / or game simmered with spicy rice. Featured proteins usually include shrimps, mussels or chopped cuttlefish. Inland, up-country Paella recipes call for chicken, duck, or rabbit. It’s a take-away fave at bull fights and other sporting events. I have my fave recipe, as do all Spanish cooks.
Patatas Bravas: Chunked Fried Potatoes. This dish is the Spanish version of Deep Fried Potato Wedges – French Fries, in a more general comparison.
Found all over Spain, they’re topped with any of a variety of spicy sauces. Great with a cervesa!
Tortillitas de Camarones: Crispy Shrimp Fritters. They’re simply concocted of chickpea powder, wheat flour, parsley, and shrimp, and deep-fried them in olive oil. A fave side with many mainstream Spanish meals, and great with dips as a street food.
Espetos: Grilled Sardines are iconic faves in southern Spain (think Costa del Sol). Whole fish skewered, sprinkled with sea salt and grilled over an open flame.
Couldn’t be easier. A tapa of the south, so to speak. A classic street snack!
Rabas: Fried Squid Rings. Another coastal classic. Battered squid rings deep fried to a golden brown. They’re a ubiquitous finger food in northern Spain, and are consider the premiére tapa of the region. Served with a squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of salt.
Torta Española: Spanish Potato Omelet. Predominantly potatoes and eggs, they also get onions. Other additions may include Chorizo, fresh peppers, a variety of veggies and other toppings.
The Spanish version of the French classic – but amply-differentiated from it! A great grab-and-go bite!
Is your mouth watering, yet?
As promised, we’ve visited some well-known classics as well as some little-known Spanish favourites. And, as with Indian street food, we’ll have to saw off here for this week and come back for a second helping a little down the road. Meanwhile, get Googling for recipes and try making some of the street treats that were new to you today! Everybody in the family will be glad you did!
~ Maggie J.