Today’s post is especially aimed at you, foodies all over the world 😉 Costa del Sol is no exception to Spaniards’ love of good food and the so-called sobremesa (table talk). Read on to find out more on the gastronomic delights Costa del Sol offers.
When it comes to Málaga’s gastronomy , tradition, innovation and a pinch of international flavour, all merge together. When thinking about Andalusian dishes the first ones that comes to our mind are probably the wold-famous gazpacho, a cold soup made of tomato, cucumber, pepper, garlic, bread, olive oil, salt and vinegar, and the pescaÃto frito, deep-dried fish. However, Costa del Sol is a truly melting pot and this multiculturalism is reflected in its cuisine, hence the great number of international dishes which are served up at local restaurants. Baklavas, a Moroccan sweet pastry, is easily found all along the coast and the British Carrot Cake can be considered to be a traditional cake of Western Costa del Sol.
Sit down on any of the terraces of the local restaurants set along the coastline and enjoy the tasty tapas while taking a cooling sip of any of the local wines. Tapas are an excellent option to sample the variety and high quality of Costa del Sol’s cuisine. They are small portions of food which can be eaten any time of day. The idea is to order different tapas and share them with your partner, family or friends. The so-called chiringuitos are beach bars set along the seafront promenade or even on the beach itself. They serve up pescaÃto frito and other savoury fish dishes as well as a wide range of cooling drinks. Enjoy a piece of crunchy fish spiced up with a scent of salty air.
If you really want to soak up Spanish culture, a visit to local markets is a must. You will find different stalls offering an exquisite selection of fresh meat and fish, colourful fruits and vegetables and crusty and delicious bakery and pastry products. Grab some stuff here and there, and dare to cook some of the local dishes listed down below.
Here you have a selection of 5 regional dishes. All of them are based on traditional recipes using fresh ingredients and offer a unique punch of flavour. They will make you want to lick your fingers!
Espeto de Sardinas: sardine skewers which are grilled in the salt air in a sand-filled boat on the beach. They are simply yummy! Here is how to do it at home. You will need:
- Sardines
- Olive oil
- Salt.
Sardines to be grilled must be super fresh and we recommend cooking them outdoors. Leave them whole and sprinkle them with a pinch of coarse salt. Heat the grill, add some olive oil and cook the sardines until roasted. Serve hot. Perfect for BBQ’s with friends J
Berenjenas fritas con miel de caña: fried eggplant with cane honey. Ingredients:
- 2-3 eggplants
- Milk
- Flour
- Olive
- Honey
Slice the eggplants, cover them with milk, add a pinch of salt and let soak for 1 hour. Drain and cover the slices with flour, shake to remove the excess and fry them in a deep pan with olive oil. Drain on paper towels. Drizzle with honey and serve hot. Watch out! They are highly addictive.
Ensalada de pulpo: a refreshing octopus salad perfect for the hottest days of summer. You will need:
- A medium-sized octopus
- 1 red pepper
- 1 green pepper
- 1 onion
- 4 tomatoes
- Sea salt
- Olive oil
- Jerez vinegar
Dip the octopus into a pot filled with boiling water for 5 seconds, repeat this 4 times. Let the octopus cook for 45 minutes. When done, place it on a plate or board to cool. Chop the vegetables into cubes and the octopus into slices and mix them all in a bowl. Dress with olive oil, vinegar and season with sea salt.
Jibias con garbanzos: cuttlefish stew with chickpeas. A delicious strew with an unmistakable sea flavour.
- 1kg chickpeas
- 1 or 2 cuttlefish
- 2 onions
- 2 tomato
- 1 green pepper
- 1 potato
- 1 head of garlic
- Bay leaves
- Black pepper
- Sweet paprika
- Salt
- Olive oil
Put the chickpeas to soak the night before. Chop the cuttlefish into squares. Put the chickpeas, the cuttlefish, the potato, the roasted head of garlic, 1 onion, the bay leaves and the tomato into a steam pressure pot. Season with salt and blak pepper and add water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 40 minutes. Chop the onion and green pepper into cubes. Fry the minced vegetables in a frying pan drizzled with olive oil and let it cook for a few minutes. When cooked, sprinkle with paprika, add the sofrito into the pot and stir. Serve hot.
Roscos de vino: wine ring cookies for those who have a sweet tooth. Eat just one
- 6 cups of plain flour
- 1 cup of sugar
- 30ml sweet Spanish aniseed liqueur (or 2 tbsp. of anise extract)
- 1 cup of olive oil
- 1 cup Muscat grape wine
- 2 dessertspoons sesame seeds
- Grated lemon rind
- 1 cup icing sugar
Pre-heat oven to 180ºC. Add sesame seeds and lemon rind onto a frying pan and heat for 1 minute, set aside. Mix all dry ingredients + seeds and lemon rind in a bowl. Slowly add the oil, wine and liqueur and mix gently. Take out a small amount of dough and roll out on a floured board. Cut pieces out of the dough and form a ring/ doughnut shape. Bake for 15 minutes. Let cool and toss the icing sugar to coat the tops. ¡Qué aproveche!Â
Would you like to know more about Costa del Sol? 👇👇👇
