Mediterranean Seafood Recipes

There is a wide variety of seafood cuisine in Spain. It ranges from stews and sauces in the north to fried dishes in the south, as well as distinct fish and rice dishes in Catalonia and Valencia.

Before the arrival of industrial refrigeration in the second half of the 19th century, the main way of preserving food was using salt. The consumption of dried, salted fish is deeply rooted in the recipes of traditional Spanish cookery.

Salted cod, or bacalao, was introduced from the faraway New World. But other species were also salted before being eaten, including bonito, frigate mackerel, blue whiting, mako shark, and sardines.

Religion played a part in the increased consumption of dried fish in Spain. The Christian calendar marked the practice of fasting and abstinence on quite a few days in the year. Eating meat was prohibited, so it was replaced by fish (usually dried), as well as vegetables and pulses. There were many dishes to be eaten with a spoon, and plenty of dessert recipes. This gave rise to a collection of recipes for Lent.

One of the species most valued for its salty meat is the Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus). Salting specialists distinguish up to 16 different parts of the tuna that can be salted. These include cuts from the top of the head, the cheeks, different sections of the loin and tail, the belly, tripe, air bladder, roe, sangatxo (along the spine) and heart. The parts that are best known and have the highest market value are the loin (mojama) and roe.

Salted, dried tuna has been a highly prized product for as long as anyone can remember. Phoenicians and Greeks set up salting industries in the south and east, respectively. In fact, the Roman Empire set up factories all along the coast of Spain (or Hispania, as it was known) to catch the fish. They used it to make the salted products that sustained their armies, as well as the legendary and lavish garum sauce—renowned in ancient times and reserved for the most privileged in society.

They are dishes that used up the parts of the tuna that shipowners and operators did not want. Since they had no value at market, the fishermen took them home to cook.

These distinctive dishes are seldom found in cookery books—they have been preserved through word of mouth, and are today considered an indulgent treat. These age-old, modest dishes originated from Almadraba fishermen.

Dried, Salted Tuna Air Bladder (Bull), Sweet Onion, Oil, and Paprika

To make bull amb ceba, desalt and chop the tuna, julienne and lightly fry the onion, and then add a teaspoon of paprika. The result is an intense contrast of sweet and savory flavors, reminiscent of oriental cuisine.

The old fishermen's neighborhood in Villajoyosa attracts a lot of tourists with its beaches and colorful houses along the seafront. These houses, set along the coastline, were where the fishermen lived. This is where the profession's cuisine began, making the most of what was available to produce recipes that are unique to the region, such as pebrereta tallaeta.

Peppers, Pumpkin, Tuna Sangatxo, and Tomato

Pebrereta tallaeta is a stew that made its way from the sea into people's homes, and a tradition that still lives on today. It is even at the heart of a popular annual contest. Hundreds of people participate in the festival with their slow-cooked pebrereta.

The fishing ships did not load up with much food. When the fishermen ran out of rice, or simply wanted to add some variety to the their monotonous diet, they used noodles. This resulted in seafood dishes that have become part of popular cuisine, such as noodles with frigate mackerel (tallarines con melva).

Strangely, although the dish is known as noodles with fresh frigate mackerel (tallarines con melva fresca), it is actually made with salted frigate mackerel.

On the fishing boats, popular appetizers were invented out of necessity, and to make use of the fish that offered little or no value at market. The fishermen would remove the fish's guts, bury it in salt for half an hour, and then air-dry it in the sun. It was common to see different types of fish hanging from ships' bows. Longhorn cowfish, catshark, and spined loach are some of the species more widely consumed in Valencia.

Fresh Catshark, Potatoes, Garlic, Parsley, Olive Oil, Wine, and Paprika

Fresh catshark is used to make a potato stew known in Catalan as guisaet de mussola. The gelatinous fish is also perfect for making unctuous rice dishes.

Fishermen's wives traveled to inland towns where they would exchange their fish for other basic foods like vegetables. The lack of meat (which was expensive and reserved for special occasions), both on the coast and inland, led people to make putxero de polpinstead.

Octopus, Potatoes, Rice, Thistle Stalks, Cabbage, and Saffron.

Putxero de polp is a particular kind of stew in which octopus is used instead of meat, making it much cheaper and more readily available.