Typical food of Cordoba

La typical food of Cordoba It is the product of two influences. On the one hand, the Andalusian derived from its Muslim past and, on the other, the Christian arrival from the north of the Iberian Peninsula. To the first he owes the abundant use of spices such as oregano, mint or tarragon, while numerous traditional recipes have been taken from the latter.

The Products of the earth are its main ingredients. Among them, an equally essential role is played by the olive oil of their fields. But also the cattle of its mountains. Precisely, we can distinguish two variants in Cordovan gastronomy. The call courtesy Due to having developed in these agricultural centers, it is basically made up of soups and stews. Instead, the from the countryside It is based more on hearty dishes. If you want to know better the typical food of Córdoba, we are going to take a tour of its most popular recipes.

Cold soups, a classic in the typical food of Córdoba

The weather always influences the gastronomy of a place. And Córdoba was not going to be an exception. Its hot weather invites the preparation of soups or cold creams that refresh the body. For this reason, these types of recipes are traditional in Cordovan cuisine.

Possibly his great classic in this sense is the salmorejo. Its basic ingredients are crushed bread, olive oil, garlic, salt and tomato. The result is a delicious cream that you are served with shavings of ham or hard-boiled egg. Also, due to its composition and way of drinking it, experts include this recipe among those of Andalusian gazpachos.

But it is not the only cold soup typical of Córdoba. So is the White garlic, which is made with water, garlic, salt, olive oil, bread, ground almonds and a touch of vinegar. Likewise, they will serve it accompanied by pieces of melon or grapes. On the other hand, it is believed that its origins are even older than those of salmorejo, since it could date back to Roman times and even to Greek cuisine.

Stews and starters

But not everything is cold dishes in the typical food of Córdoba. It also has more hearty recipes that you will find delicious. Among them, the stew of dried beans or boronia and country paella. The latter has, in addition to rice, ham, bacon, chicken and chorizo, as well as paprika and cloves. Similarly, other stews are bitter asparagus, migas and porridge.

But more indigenous is the cordovan pot, a chickpea stew made with paprika, pork bacon, onion, garlic, salt and cabbage. As a forceful recipe that it is, it used to be prepared to feed day laborers, but, over time, it has become a classic of the gastronomy of the Andalusian province.

local meats

Cattle are raised especially in the Córdoba mountains. In fact, it has one of the largest cabins in Andalusia made up of cattle, sheep and goat breeds. It will not surprise you, therefore, that meat is another of the main ingredients in the area's stew.

Regarding them, there are two dishes that make up the typical food of Córdoba. Is about the flamenquines and the oxtail. The first ones also have a very simple preparation. These are slices of Serrano ham rolled up in a strip of loin and, later, breaded and fried. As a curiosity, we will tell you that the name, as it is believed, comes from the stretched aspect of its appearance. Likewise, gastronomy experts place the origin of this dish in the Cordoban town of bujalance, although it has spread throughout Spain.

For its part, the oxtail is also a common dish in other parts of our country. In his case, the recipe has been known since Roman times, although the current preparation dates back to the XNUMXth century. As its name suggests, it is prepared with bovine tail (bull or cow) and also has tomato, onion, carrot, pepper, garlic, salt and bay leaf. Also, add olive oil and a glass of red wine.

These two dishes that we have explained to you are the most characteristic of the typical food of Córdoba in terms of meat. But there are others like beef with artichokes, rabbit stew, Lamb stew or kid suckling pig. The chanfaina is also appreciated, which is also made with lamb and its blood, onion, garlic, bay leaf and chilli pepper. But this recipe also belongs, with variations, to other spanish kitchens and even Latin American.

Other dishes that appear in the typical food of Córdoba

Along with the above delicious preparations, there are other equally tasty recipes in Cordovan cuisine. For example, you have the San Jose omelette, which mixes beaten eggs with breadcrumbs and a special saffron sauce that gives it a unique yellow colour. And, likewise, the Baena scramble, with tender garlic sprouts.

It is also exquisite cordovan salad, similar to the Russian, but with black olives from the land. And, as for the vegetable dishes, you have the fried eggplants with honey and Montillana-style artichokes, which are prepared with wine from the Montilla-Moriles appellation, hence its name.

More curious is the garlic lettuce, also called Cordovan heart, which is made by dressing the vegetable with a sauce made of fried garlic, paprika, salt, vinegar and pieces of Serrano ham.

Snails, a classic of Cordovan gastronomy

It is curious what happens with snails in Spain. While in some areas they are hardly consumed, in others they are considered a delicacy. Among the latter is Córdoba, which has turned them into everything a banner of its gastronomy, to the point that they are even sold in street stalls.

In fact, there are many elaborations that have been developed in the Andalusian city. You can try them with a wide variety of sauces. But, they almost always include products such as tomato, onion, red pepper, garlic, wine, mint and other spices in their preparation. Also, the most common are usually the spicy, although some cooks have launched into creating new and daring recipes. For example, Roman style snails, sautéed with eels, drunk with ham threads and even carbonara.

Fish from an inland province

As you know, Córdoba does not have a sea, although it does have rivers. But this does not prevent fish from also being present in some of its gastronomic recipes. As in other parts of Spain, quite a bit of the rin-ran, a tuna stew with potatoes and peppers. Sometimes, it is also prepared with salted cod. The latter is also used to cook the souped garlic, which accompanies it with tomato.

However, more common are marinated fish, especially the palometa, which in Córdoba is given the unique name of "japuta". It is seasoned with sweet paprika, garlic, vinegar, oregano and flour and then fried in abundant olive oil. But also the marinade and the vinaigrette are used to dress these dishes. With the latter, much is consumed anchovies.

Confectionery from Cordoba

As for desserts, they are also very varied in the gastronomy of this Andalusian province. There are good cheeses, among which the one from Pedroches, which is made in the homonymous valley, already bordering on Extremadura. But, above all, confectionery is very important within the typical food of Córdoba.

The sweetness of Cordovan cuisine combines typical Andalusian elements with others of La Mancha roots. To the latter belong, for example, pan-fried fruits such as fried flowers, originally from Campo de Calatrava and that have even reached Mexico and Colombia. Instead, they are more local Aguilar meringues, donuts from Priego and quince paste from Puente Genil.

In any case, the ingredients of Cordoban confectionery are honey, sesame and matalahúva. However, one of the most typical desserts of the Andalusian province is the cordovan cake, a delicacy made from angel hair and puff pastry. In its individual version, it receives the name of manolete and identical padding carry the shortcrust pastry cakes.

Finally, if you want to enjoy another Cordovan delicacy, you can order some Sweet porridge. In this case, they are made with flour, sugar, milk, anise, lemon, olive oil and cinnamon.

Drinks to accompany the typical food of Córdoba

We cannot finish our tour of Cordovan gastronomy without talking about drinks. We have already mentioned in the past the denomination of wine origin of Montilla-Moriles. In it you will find excellent wines.

If you combine a glass of fino with another of dulce (for example, Pedro Ximénez), you will have a fifty-fifty, which is widely consumed in the city as an aperitif. And, to finish off a good meal, you can order a glass of Rute brandy, which is made from anise and is world famous.

In conclusion, we have shown you the ingredients and traditional dishes of the typical food of Cordoba. However, we cannot fail to mention other wonders such as the Serrano ham from the Pedroches Valley, Pozoblanco sausage, Black pudding from Fuenteovejuna or, in the vegetarian field, the cordovan hash, which only has cucumber, onion, pepper, tomato, olive oil, salt and vinegar. Don't you feel like visiting the beautiful Cordova and enjoy these gastronomic delights?