If you plan on doing the Camino and walking through Galicia, you might wonder about what you can order to try typical food and taste the local gastronomy.
Galicia is located in the North West tip of Spanish peninsula, right between the Atlantic Ocean and the mountains of the Macizo Galaico. It’s secluded location makes it the perfect place to try different recipes which cannot be found anywhere else.
In this post, we will take a look into some of the most iconic ingredients, while also reviewing helpful Spanish vocabulary for your stay. Are you hungry yet?
1- Grelos
Grelos is a vegetable that is a bit amargo (bitter). It comes from the leaves of turnips and it is used to prepare lacón con grelos which is boiled ham, grelos and potatoes.
It is almost unknown in all other Spanish regions, so why not try it while you are here?
2- Pimientos del Padrón
When you hear about Pimientos del Padrón, one thing comes to your mind: “unos pican y otros no” (Some are hot and some are not).
These small green peppers are fritos (fried) and come with a pinch of sal (salt). The best season to try them is during summer.
3- Pulpo
Octopus. For some of you, this may seem an atrocity, but I would dare you to try it before you judge it.
Pulpo a feira is probably the most typical recipe in Galicia. It is simply hervido (boiled) and sprinkled with pimentón (paprika) and aceite (olive oil).
This recipe might seem very simple, but getting the cooking time right makes all the difference: a well-cooked pulpo should be soft and tender. It is usually accompanied by another iconic ingredient: cachelos (potatoes).
4- Navajas y zamburiñas
If you like seashells, you must try navajas (razor clams) and zamburiñas (small scallops). They are found in most restaurant by the seaside and the simplest way to eat them is a la plancha (grilled).
5- Xoubas
These small little sardines are commonly used to prepare another iconic dish in the Galician gastronomy: empanadas (patties).
If you want to try empanada de xoubas, I particularly recommend those made with corn as it tastes great!
Empanadas are also made with bacalao (cod), atún (tuna), carne (meat).
6- Cerdo
El cerdo (pork) is eaten in many different ways in Galicia, and as I mentioned in the section about food in this previous post, all the parts are used.
My favorite recipe is raxo, which is a dish made of seasoned pork and patatas fritas (French fries).
7 – Almendras
Almonds make one of the best and most famous desserts in Galicia: la tarta de santiago (Santiago’s cake). It dates back to the XVI century and it is nowadays protected by a Geographical indication.
8- Queso
There are many varieties in Galicia, such as San Simón and Arzúa-Ulloa. However, one of the most typical is the queso tetilla. It’s a delicious soft and creamy cheese to be eaten with pan gallego (Galician bread) o pan de brona (corn bread).
9- Vino
Galicia is famous for its wines, both tinto (red) and blanco (white). For tinto, you can try Mencía from Valdeorras. For blanco, I would recommend Godello or Albariño from the Rias Baixas.
10-Orujo
Last but not least, the most famous liquor: orujo. This alcohol is made from pomace (the solid remains of grapes after pressing for its juice) and it can have many types of flavors added to it:
- Crema de orujo (cream based liquor)
- Orujo de hierbas (herbs liquor)
- Orujo de miel (honey liquor)
One of the most surprising things about this ingredient is that it is used in queimadas, a punch that is prepared while burning the alcohol and reading spells… It is said it has magical powers!
Have you tried any of these? Would you recommend others? Comment below and I hope you enjoy your Camino de Santiago.
