Gastronomy of Castilla y León

The gastronomy of Castella and León is based on stews and roasts, a variety of sweets, sausages and cheeses.

The roast lamb and suckling pig, lamb stew, black pudding (black pudding from León, Burgos, Palencia or Valladolid), legumes (beans from Saldaña, beans from El Barco de Ávila, beans from La Granja, lentils from La Armuña, chickpeas from Fuentesaúco, etc.) and the humble and excellent garlic soups stand out.Although they are present throughout Castile and Leon, the pigs and sausages, have all their popularity in Salamanca with Guijuelo ham or chorizo Cantimpalos in Segovia or jerky from Leon.

The largest autonomous community in Spain, located in the northern part of the plateau, has the following provinces: León, Palencia, Burgos, Salamanca, Ávila, Segovia, Soria, Zamora and Valladolid, the latter being its capital.

Well-known vegetable and legume stews, which in the past were eaten almost daily. Garlic soup, which was traditionally a peasant meal based on garlic, eggs and bread, now appears on the menus of all restaurants. Fundamental ingredients in Castilian and Leonese cuisine are lard, olive oil, garlic, almonds, saffron, sausage, chorizo, stews, chickpeas, paprika, hot peppers and cheese.

In addition, as an accompaniment to the meal, a wide selection of wines could not be missing: red, rosé, claret, white and sparkling wines are undisputed protagonists at the good table in León and Castile. It is not surprising, therefore, the quantity and quality of the different Denominations of Origin in this community, such as Toro, Cigales, Cebreros, Bierzo, Tierra de León, Arribes D.O. Ribera del Duero, Rueda, etcetera.

The desserts of the Leonese and Castilian regions offer a remarkable variety, mantecadas from Astorga or Arcos de Jalón, the empiñonada from Aranda de Duero, the nuts with cream from Salamanca, the rebojo from Zamora, the suspiros de monja from Cuéllar are some of the delicious desserts of the region.

DESIGNATIONS OF ORIGIN OF CASTILLA Y LEÓN

Among the variety of products offered by Castilla y León, we highlight some of its denominations for their recognition, such as:

La Bañeza-León BeansThe characteristics of these beans are linked to the climatic and edaphological characteristics of the production area, as well as to the plant material adapted to the environment. This product is made up of local varieties of beans called Canela, Plancheta, Riñón and Pinta. All four are marketed packaged at origin as dried beans or precooked dishes.

Arlanza WinesThe appellation was established in 2005 for all wines produced in the middle and lower valley of the Arlanza river, in the provinces of Burgos and Palencia.

Arribes WinesIn 1998, it was named “Vino de la Tierra de Arribes del Duero”, thus unifying two areas of winemaking tradition located between Zamora and Salamanca and geographically linked by the course of the Duero River. In 2007, it was granted the D.O.

Botillo del BierzoSince time immemorial, it has been the king of Bierzo gastronomy and the main dish at festivals and celebrations. It is a meat product that has remained in popular culture as an emblematic sausage. The basic ingredients of this product are the rib and the pig's tail, although sometimes it is modified, adding tongue, cheeks, backbone...

Meat from AvilaIGP named, comes exclusively from the Avileña-Negra Iberian breed. It is an evolved specimen of the Serrano breed, crossed with other breeds of the region, which has resulted in an animal of uniform black color.

Morucha beef from SalamancaWithin this variety, we distinguish the following types: Veal; whose slaughter is carried out with a maximum age of 12 months, Añojo; animal destined for slaughter of minimum 5 months and maximum 18 months and Novillo, whose age of slaughter would be between 18 and 30 months.

Cecina de LeonCatalogued since 1994 as PGI, It is estimated that 95% of cecina exports to other countries and even within Spain are produced from León. Garnet in color, with a very characteristic flavor and not very salty, it is considered one of the best beef hams in Spain.

Cigales WinesIts production area is located between the provinces of Palencia and Valladolid. Geographically linked to the Pisuerga river and with D.O. designation since 1991. The elaboration of its grapes is obtained from the grape varieties of: Tempranillo, Garnacha, Verdejo and Albillo.

Chickpeas from FuentesaucoIGP, the chickpea is characterized by a medium to large size, with a creamy color, a curved and pronounced beak and an intermediate roughness of the skin. After cooking, the chickpeas remain intact, the skin is soft and smooth.

D.O Guijuelo: In 1996, the Guijuelo DO was recognized by the European Union. In the southeast of the province of Salamanca, the pig production area is made up of oak and cork oak pastures.

Beans from El Barco de Ávila: They are dried beans separated from the pod, from plants of the legume family, with the following varieties: Blanca riñón, blanca redonda, arrocina, planchada, morada redonda, morada larga and judión del Barco.

Suckling lamb from Castilla y León: It is difficult to talk about Castilian gastronomy without talking about lamb from Castilla y León. As for its characteristics, the PGI requires a carcass weight of 4, 5 to 7 kilos (without head, offal and omentum), being slaughtered between 25 and 30 days after birth.

The color of its meat is white or pale pink, with a rich and mild flavor. The breeds are churra, castellana and ojalada.

Armuña lentils: Produced in Salamanca, these lentils are richer in protein, fiber, iron and calcium than other lentil varieties, with a calcium content 50% higher than other varieties. Light green in color, they are marketed in the “Extra” and “Primera” categories.”

Mantecadas de Astorga: One of the best known confectionery products in our country, with a soft and spongy texture, an ideal accompaniment to any type of coffee, chocolate or infusion. The tradition of mantecadas dates back more than 200 years.

Zamorano Cheese: Made and cured in the province of Zamora, from the milk produced by sheep of the Churra and Castilian breeds. It has had the Denomination of Origin since 2002.

Ribera del Duero wine: It is the oldest and most relevant appellation of origin in Castilla y León, having this title since 1983. It is made up of 200 companies, its location starts in San Esteban de Gormaz and extends to Quintanilla de Onésimo, with red and rosé wines, with a minimum alcohol content of approximately 11.5º.

Rueda wine: The Rueda Denomination of Origin has a very favorable natural environment for the production of high quality wines, being an area specialized in the production of white wines, of wide international recognition. Likewise, since August 5, 2008, red and rosé wines are protected by the Rueda Denomination of Origin.

MAIN TRADITIONAL DISHES OF CASTILLA Y LEÓN GASTRONOMY

There are many dishes that we can find in this autonomous community, highlighting among them:

Garlic soupIt is a very typical dish in all the provinces of Castilla y León. The ingredients are simple: garlic, onion and paprika. Halfway through cooking, bread is added so that the soup takes consistency. It is ideal as a starter to warm up the body.

Judiones de SegoviaThey are typical of La Granja, a village in Segovia where this special variety of beans is grown. In Avila we can also find a stew made with beans from El Barco, also of large size, and in the province of Zamora we can eat the cocidos de habones, another exquisite dish from Castilla y Leon.

Roast lamb:. Generally prepared in wood-fired ovens, the quality of the raw material is added to the know-how of the Castilian-Leonese cooks to offer us the best roast lamb in Spain.

Hen in pepitoria: It is one of the most typical dishes of Valladolid. The pepitoria sauce is made with a special sauce of onion, garlic, bay leaf and flour, which is seasoned with a little Brandy or Cognac.

Maragato stewTraditional from the province of León. It was formerly eaten by people who worked in the fields, as it was their only meal for the whole day. Its main characteristic is that it is eaten upside down, that is to say, it starts with the meat of the stew and ends with the soup.

Zamorano riceis the most consumed dish in all Segovian restaurants. Its ingredients are rice; pig's ear, tail and trotter; chorizo, bacon, oregano, onion, garlic, olive oil, salt and paprika.

Roast suckling pigThe dish par excellence of the Segovian gastronomy. It is a crime to visit its great Aqueduct and not taste its delicious suckling pig. Its preparation is practically the same as the roast suckling lamb.

Serrano limeSalad: This is a kind of salad that is very common in the province of Salamanca. It contains lemons, oranges, boiled eggs, cured ham, garlic, parsley, olive oil, vinegar and salt.

Hornazo: very typical in the province of Salamanca. It is eaten on what is known as “lunes de aguas”, which takes place on the Monday after Easter. It is characterized by friends getting together to eat in the countryside. The hornazo is an empanada with a filling of chorizo, loin, boiled egg and ham.

Leon black puddingAs its name indicates, it is consumed in this province of Castilla y León. It differs from the others in that it is prepared only from pork blood and onion, although there are recipes that incorporate bread crumbs and pork fat to give it more consistency.

Potatoes to the importanceVery typical in Valladolid and Palencia, it is a traditional dish that never goes out of fashion. It is potatoes in batter with a simple sauce of garlic, parsley and white wine.

Asparagus from Tudela de Duero (Valladolid): every year the “Exaltación del Espárrago y de la Artesanía” (Exaltation of Asparagus and Craftsmanship) is celebrated, where tourists and people from the surrounding area take the opportunity to purchase and taste such a typical product as this one.

Mantecados de Portillo: we can't leave behind such famous pastries as these. They are also known as “slippers”. They have an ellipse shape and are covered with a large layer of powdered sugar.