FOOD

Vegetarian Dishes

Pa Amb Tomaquet (Pan Con Tomate): Bread rubbed with fresh tomatoes and drizzled with oil and salt. A true Catalan staple.
Calçots: These baby leeks are very specific to Spring - traditional parties known as 'Calçotadas' take place during this period. The vegetables are normally barbecued and served with Romesco Sauce (see below).


Escalivada: A warm side dish of grilled vegetables (normally aubergines, red peppers, onions and tomatoes) skinned and de-seeded and served with oil.

Meat Dishes

Butifarra: An uncured spiced sausage with similarities to Cumberland sausage. Used both in cooking and as a tapa with 'pa amb tomaquet' (see above).
Escudellla: Catalan stew made with a piece of meat, beans, potatoes, cabbage and sometimes pasta. It is made into three courses of food: a broth, followed by the meat course, followed by the vegetable course.
Xai Rostit Amb 12 Cabeçes d'All: Literally translated this means "Lamb Roasted with 12 Heads of Garlic" - it does what it says on the tin!
Embutidos: This is the collective name for a platter of cured meats, including fuet (pork) and jamon from the Vic region.

Fish Dishes

Esqueixada: A salad made with peppers, tomatoes, onions, red wine vinegar and shredded 'bacalao'. Bacalao is salt cod and is very typical to the region - cod preserved in salt and soaked before serving.
Fideuas: Like a seafood paella, but served with short noodles, rather than rice.
Suquet de Peix: A Seafood Stew with potatoes, garlic and tomato. A wide variety of fish can be used in the stew, depending on what has been caught that day.

Sauces

Romesco: A sauce made from almonds, roasted garlic, olive oil and dried red peppers.




Alioli: A sauce made from garlic and olive oil. The ingredients are whipped up for a long time to make a white paste.

Desserts

Crema Catalana: Similar to the French Crème Brulée. It is made with sugar, egg yolks and cinnamon and burnt on the top.

Mel I Mato: A soft, unsalted goats cheese served with honey and sometimes walnuts.

Panellets: Small round sweets made with almonds, sugar, eggs and pine nuts. They can be rolled in any number of coatings, but the traditional ones are rolled in pine nuts.

• How to make Crema Catalana

Easter Monday

-Day Mona at half
-Easter Traditions | La mona de Pascua