CALÇOTADA

The Calçotada is one of the best-known Catalan traditions. It is a celebration of the seasonal vegetable, the calçot, similar to a leek or large spring onion. In the feast calçots are typically barbecued and dipped in Romesco sauce. They are usually accompanied by grilled meats, and side dishes of white beans and escalivada.

READY IN

COOKING TIME

PREP TIME

SERVES

ingredients

Calçots

OUT OF STOCK

Romesco sauce

IN STOCK

Salt

2 aubergines

2 medium red peppers or Navarrico piquillo pepper strips

IN STOCK

2 medium onions

2 medium tomatoes

4 cloves of garlic

4 tablespoons Brindisa Arbequina Olive Oil

IN STOCK

1 tablespoon Unio Moscatel Vinegar

IN STOCK

White beans

IN STOCK

Morcilla with onions

IN STOCK

Parrilla cooking chorizo

IN STOCK

Panceta

IN STOCK

CALCOTS

Method

Fire up the grill.
Lay the calçots in the grill. Make sure they are not on top of each other so all of them cook evenly.
Cook on high heat for a few minutes and when they are charred flip them to cook on the other side until they are thoroughly blackened.
Take them out of the grill and wrap them in newspaper so they continue cooking for another 15 minutes.
Unwrap them and serve them with Romesco sauce.

Little tips

Don’t cut the tips or roots, these will keep all the juices and flavours inside the calçots while cooking.

To eat them, with one hand hold the inner green ends and with the other peel the blackened outer skin, pulling down from the tip, then dip in Romesco sauce. To avoid a mess, we recommend you eat them wearing a bib!

See the video here.

ESCALIVADA

Method:

Heat the oven to 200º C/gas mark 6.
Cut slits in the whole aubergines and place in a roasting tin with the whole red peppers, tomatoes, onions, tomatoes (optional) and garlic, coating them all well with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Roast for about 45 minutes or until the skins have turned black - they should be charred on the outside and soft to touch. Then take the vegetables out of the oven until they are cool enough to handle.
Remove the skins carefully and cut the vegetables into rough strips, except 2 cloves of the garlic, and arrange in a serving dish.
Mash 2 of the garlic cloves and combine with the rest of the olive oil, vinegar and seasoning to make a dressing and toss through the vegetables.
Serve warm or allow to marinade in the fridge for a couple of hours, as you prefer. Scatter with some chopped parsley before serving.

GRILLED MEATS AND WHITE BEANS

In your grill cook your chorizo, morcilla and panceta. Serve them with white beans as a side dish.