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Faves a la Catalana is a traditional dish originating from Catalonia. The dish is made with fava beans (broad beans) that are cooked in stock with a bit of botifarra negra (blood sausage). Apart from those key ingredients, the dish also contains bacon, onions, garlic, tomatoes, white wine, olive oil, and paprika.
Faves a la Catalana was prepared since ancient times, and some of the recipes date back to the mid-19th century. Nowadays, this hearty stew is typically consumed during the harvest season (from February to late June), and it's traditionally served in an earthenware dish.
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Endives au jambon is a traditional dish that's especially popular in the region of Seine-Maritime. The dish is usually made with a combination of endives, lemon juice, milk, flour, butter, ham slices, nutmeg, Neufchâtel cheese, salt, and black pepper.
The endives are cut in half lengthwise and boiled in a mixture of salted water and lemon juice. Béchamel sauce is made in a saucepan, with the addition of Neufchâtel cheese. The endives are refreshed in cold water, drained, wrapped in ham slices, and placed into a buttered baking dish.
Lacón con grelos is one of the most famous Galician meat dishes, made with turnip greens and ham hock as the main ingredients. They are boiled together, and the dish is then traditionally served with potatoes and sausages. This hearty meat dish is usually prepared and consumed during winter.
Fagiolata is a true feast for bean lovers: a thick soup made with many different types of beans, each contributing to the final flavor and texture of the dish. Red beans, black beans, borlotti, cannellini, or any other varieties are slowly simmered and flavored with salt, pepper, and olive oil.
Nowadays, fagiolata is served with toasted bread, but originally it was a great way to use the old, hardened bread which was placed on the plate before pouring the hot soup in it. The soup would soak the bread, thus making it delicious and soft once again.
The star ingredients in this hearty Portuguese stew are sliced squids, white beans, and sliced chouriço sausage. These ingredients are simmered in a flavorful broth with tomatoes, carrots, white wine, and different spices such as bay leaves or chili peppers.
Feijoada de lulas is a Portuguese classic that is eaten throughout the country. It is typically served garnished with fresh cilantro and accompanied by rice.
MOST ICONIC Feijoada de lulas
Tombet is a traditional Mallorcan vegetable dish consisting of baked layers of aubergines, red bell peppers, and potatoes which have previously been fried in olive oil. When served, tombet is typically topped with a combination of fried tomatoes, garlic, and parsley.
Visually, when presented, the dish looks like a crustless pie. Although tombet is usually served as a main vegetarian dish, it can also be used as an accompaniment to fish or meat. Nowadays, it is available at most Mallorcan restaurants.
MOST ICONIC Tombet
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Sagne e fagioli is a rustic Italian dish that's often enjoyed in Abruzzo and Molise. It's made by cooking beans in tomato sauce, while strips of homemade pasta are added to the pot near the end of cooking. The homemade pasta noodles are made with flour and water, while the sauce is usually made with tomatoes, celery, carrots, onions, chili peppers, and olive oil.
If desired, the dish can be enriched with pancetta or pork rinds. It's recommended to serve sagne e fagioli with a glass of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo wine.
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Samfaina is a Spanish dish that is closely related to the French ratatouille. Originating from Catalonia, samfaina is made with eggplants, tomatoes, onions, peppers, and olive oil. Of course, there are as many variations as there are cooks, so some prefer to add garlic or roast the peppers before making the dish.
Samfaina is both a sauce and a side dish, and nowadays, it can even be served on its own as a vegetarian dish. When served as a sauce or a side dish, it usually accompanies meat, rice, or fish (especially cod). The name of the dish means symphony, possibly referring to the symphony of various vegetables and flavors.
Choucroute Garnie is a typical winter dish coming from the French Alsace region. At its base is the silky, pungent, fermented cabbage known as sauerkraut, infused with flavors of goose fat, onions, garlic, juniper berries, caraway, and white wine such as the local dry Riesling.
Sauerkraut is garnished with a hefty number of ingredients such as smoked or fresh beef and pork sausages, pork loin, pork shoulder, and bacon. The ultimate version of the dish, called choucroute royale is served with added calf or pork liver dumplings that are poached and sautéed with onions.
MOST ICONIC Choucroute garnie
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Piperade is a traditional dish from the region of French (and Spanish) Basque Country, consisting of tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, Espelette pepper, and garlic, while ham, and eggs are sometimes added to the dish to enhance its flavors. The dish can be traced to the early 1800s, when the word piperade referred to ground pepper.
Red is the color of Basque, and it is evident in their cuisine, which is heavily dominated by peppers. Every year in October, there is a fair in the town of Espelette, featuring traditional Basque specialties, with piperade being one of the main attractions.
MOST ICONIC Piperade
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