Cuisine of Basque Country

The Basque Country is a pleasure for the senses. Its regional cuisine, its avant-garde, its sea and garden produce, its beef, and its "pintxo" tapas have made it one of the world's most interesting tourist and gastronomic destinations.

"Txangurro" (spider crab) and baby eels, which are popular with more refined palates, are also typical of its cuisine.

Its beef, which bears the European Protected Geographical Indication mark, is another great ingredient in Basque cuisine, with delicious cuts such as the "txuleta" or "villagodio" rib steak, which comes from the primal rib.

Idiazábal cheese and Gernika peppers are other local products with certified quality.

Other staple ingredients among the Basque Country's revered supply include "guindilla" chili peppers from Ibarra, Tolosa black beans, and "tear peas" produced from its vegetable gardens.

The proximity of the mountains and sea supplies the region with a vast wealth of raw materials. This is something that Basque society takes great pride in, providing a vital impetus for people's appreciation of the area's great cuisine.

Baby squid in its ink, "marmitako" stew with bonito, and San Sebastian "txangurro" or spider crab, not to mention grilled fish and meat—which are almost a ritual in the Basque Country—are some more of the region's most typical dishes.

Then there are stews, each with their own name, such as "piperrada" (a pepper garnish), "porrusalda" (a leek and potato broth), or "zurrukutuna" (a garlic and cod soup).

The region's best desserts include "pastel vasco" (a cream or jam pastry tart); "goxua" (a custard, cream, and sponge cake dessert); "mamia" (curd made from sheep's milk); "pantxineta" (custard and almond puff pastry); and "canutillos" (rolled pastry filled with custard).

All these desserts demonstrate the importance of livestock and milk in the most popular Basque recipes.

The counters in bars in the historic centers of Basque cities are laden with miniature offerings that visitors go crazy for.

But the ones recommended on their blackboards should not be ignored: the choice widens, with a selection of bite-size hot meals, which are almost more interesting than those on display.

"Gildas"—little skewers with an olive, a "guindilla" chili pepper, and an anchovy—are the Basque Country's quintessential "pintxo." However, today you can find a huge variety of these snacks, making this miniature cuisine that is typical of local bars one of the area's most important foods.

Led by the chefs Luis Irizar, Juan Mari Arzak, and Pedro Subijana, the cornerstones of this mini-revolution were recovering forgotten recipes, reworking the ingredients of popular ones, and being innovative.

"We learned the French technique, but we injected excitement and passion into it," says Juan Mari.

The groundwork laid in the 1970s was vital for what was to come later. Refining dishes, questioning the foundations of the cuisine itself, and promoting authentic and seasonal produce are just some of the things that this group of chefs from Gipuzkoa can be thanked for.

The result is that, today, the Basque Country is one of the most highly acclaimed gastronomic destinations in the world. Without these chefs, there would probably have been no El Bulli—the restaurant run by Ferran Adrià, who led the second great gastronomic revolution in Spain more than 15 years later.

However, the roots of its more traditional cuisine have not been lost in favor of creativity. "Marmitako" (a fish stew), "kokotxas," (the lower part of a fish's chin) and "txipirones" (baby squid) in their ink are all dishes that may never disappear from Arzak's menu, despite it being one of the top restaurants in the world.

It is a similar story at chef Víctor Arguinzoniz's restaurant, Etxebarri, which has managed to earn a place on the most coveted lists with its broiler concept.

"Kokotxas" also still feature on the haute-cuisine menus of chefs such as Andoni Luis Aduriz and Martín Berasategui, while turbot with its "kokotxa" is a legendary dish by the chef Pedro Subijana.

The younger generation of chefs, such as Eneko Atxa, also keep tradition in their sights in order to continue innovating. Some of his dishes are proof of this, including his spider crab bonbon, and baby squid grilled over vine shoots.