Leonese cuisine
Encyclopedia
Castilian-Leonese cuisine refers to the typical dishes and ingredients of the region of Castile and León
in Spain. This cuisine is known for its cooked dishes ("guisos") and its grilled or roasted meats ("asados"), its high-quality wine
s, the variety of its dessert
s, its sausage
s ("embutido
s"), and its cheese
s. In addition, in certain areas of Castile and León, one can find the important production of apple
s, almond paste
, etc.
Castilian-Leonese cuisine is built around stews and asados, as well as a large assortment of desserts. The major dishes in this cuisine are of veal
, morcilla
s, legumes (such as green bean
s, garbanzos, and lentil
s), simple soups with garlic
, and select wines. Other major dishes include pork
and embutidos, found all over Castile and León, but that reach their peak in Salamanca
(specifically in Guijuelo
and Candelario); several types of empanada
s; roast lamb and suckling pig
; morcilla; haricot
s; cocido maragato (eaten in reverse order); botillo
of Bierzo; jamón
from Guijuelo; and queso castellano (a sheep's-milk cheese).
Major wines in Castilian-Leonese cuisine include the robust wine of Toro, reds from Ribera del Duero
, whites from Rueda
, and claret
s from Cigales
.
Ávila
Burgos
León
Palencia
Salamanca
Segovia
Soria
Valladolid
Zamora
Castile and León
Castile and León is an autonomous community in north-western Spain. It was so constituted in 1983 and it comprises the historical regions of León and Old Castile...
in Spain. This cuisine is known for its cooked dishes ("guisos") and its grilled or roasted meats ("asados"), its high-quality wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
s, the variety of its dessert
Dessert
In cultures around the world, dessert is a course that typically comes at the end of a meal, usually consisting of sweet food. The word comes from the French language as dessert and this from Old French desservir, "to clear the table" and "to serve." Common Western desserts include cakes, biscuits,...
s, its sausage
Sausage
A sausage is a food usually made from ground meat , mixed with salt, herbs, and other spices, although vegetarian sausages are available. The word sausage is derived from Old French saussiche, from the Latin word salsus, meaning salted.Typically, a sausage is formed in a casing traditionally made...
s ("embutido
Embutido
An embutido , enchido or embotits is a generic term for sausages found in Spain, Portugal, the Philippines, and Central and South America....
s"), and its cheese
Cheese
Cheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms....
s. In addition, in certain areas of Castile and León, one can find the important production of apple
Apple
The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family . It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many members of genus Malus that are used by humans. Apple grow on small, deciduous trees that blossom in the spring...
s, almond paste
Almond paste
Almond paste is made from ground almonds or almond meal and sugar, typically 50-55%, with a small amount of cooking oil, beaten eggs, heavy cream or corn syrup added to bind the two ingredients...
, etc.
Castilian-Leonese cuisine is built around stews and asados, as well as a large assortment of desserts. The major dishes in this cuisine are of veal
Veal
Veal is the meat of young cattle , as opposed to meat from older cattle. Though veal can be produced from a calf of either sex and any breed, most veal comes from male calves of dairy cattle breeds...
, morcilla
Blood sausage
Black pudding, blood pudding or blood sausage is a type of sausage made by cooking blood or dried blood with a filler until it is thick enough to congeal when cooled. The dish exists in various cultures from Asia to Europe...
s, legumes (such as green bean
Green bean
Green beans , also known as French beans , are the unripe fruit of any kind of bean, including the yardlong bean, the hyacinth bean, the winged bean, and especially the common bean , whose pods are also usually called string beans in the northeastern and western United States, but can also be...
s, garbanzos, and lentil
Lentil
The lentil is an edible pulse. It is a bushy annual plant of the legume family, grown for its lens-shaped seeds...
s), simple soups with garlic
Garlic
Allium sativum, commonly known as garlic, is a species in the onion genus, Allium. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, and rakkyo. Dating back over 6,000 years, garlic is native to central Asia, and has long been a staple in the Mediterranean region, as well as a frequent...
, and select wines. Other major dishes include pork
Pork
Pork is the culinary name for meat from the domestic pig , which is eaten in many countries. It is one of the most commonly consumed meats worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BC....
and embutidos, found all over Castile and León, but that reach their peak in Salamanca
Salamanca (province)
Salamanca is a province of western Spain, in the western part of the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is bordered by the provinces of Zamora, Valladolid, Ávila, and Cáceres; and by Portugal....
(specifically in Guijuelo
Guijuelo
Guijuelo is a municipality located in the province of Salamanca, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2007 census , the municipality has a population of 5593 inhabitants.-See also:*CD Guijuelo, the football club of this municipality....
and Candelario); several types of empanada
Empanada
An empanada is a stuffed bread or pastry baked or fried in many countries in Latin America, Southern Europe and parts of Southeast Asia. The name comes from the verb empanar, meaning to wrap or coat in bread. Empanada is made by folding a dough or bread patty around the stuffing...
s; roast lamb and suckling pig
Lechon
Lechón is a pork dish in several regions of the world, most specifically Spain and its former colonial possessions throughout the world. The word lechón originated from the Spanish term leche ; thus lechón refers to a suckling pig that is roasted...
; morcilla; haricot
Common bean
Phaseolus vulgaris, the common bean, is an herbaceous annual plant domesticated independently in ancient Mesoamerica and the Andes, and now grown worldwide for its edible bean, popular both dry and as a green bean. The leaf is occasionally used as a leaf vegetable, and the straw is used for fodder...
s; cocido maragato (eaten in reverse order); botillo
Botillo
Botillo , Botelo or Butiellu , is a dish of meat-stuffed pork intestine. It is a culinary specialty of El Bierzo, a county in the Spanish province of León and also of the region of Trás-os-Montes, in Portugal...
of Bierzo; jamón
Jamón
Jamón is the Spanish word for ham. In English it refers to certain types of dry-cured ham from Spain. There are two primary types of jamón: Jamón serrano and Jamón ibérico ....
from Guijuelo; and queso castellano (a sheep's-milk cheese).
Major wines in Castilian-Leonese cuisine include the robust wine of Toro, reds from Ribera del Duero
Ribera del Duero
Ribera del Duero is a Spanish Denominación de Origen located in the country's northern plateau and is one of eleven 'quality wine' regions within the autonomous community of Castile and León...
, whites from Rueda
Rueda
Rueda may refer to one of the following.*Rueda , the Spanish wine producing region in the province of Valladolid*Rueda de Casino, a round dance variant of salsa...
, and claret
Claret
Claret is a name primarily used in British English for red wine from the Bordeaux region of France.-Usage:Claret derives from the French clairet, a now uncommon dark rosé and the most common wine exported from Bordeaux until the 18th century...
s from Cigales
Cigales
Cigales is a Spanish Denominación de Origen for wines located to the north of Valladolid along both banks of the River Pisuerga....
.
Some typical dishes
- Sopas de ajo
- Cordero asado
Ávila
- Tostón asado o cochinillo
- Yemas de Santa TeresaYemas de Santa TeresaYemas de Santa Teresa or Yemas de Ávila is a pastry that is identified with the Spanish province of Ávila...
- HornazoHornazoHornazo is a Spanish meat pie eaten in the provinces of Salamanca and Ávila. It is made with flour and yeast and stuffed with pork loin, spicy chorizo sausage and hard-boiled eggs....
- Chuletón de Avileño
- Judias del Barco con chorizo
- Cuchifrito
- Torreznos
Burgos
- Lechazo asado (Ribera del DueroRibera del DueroRibera del Duero is a Spanish Denominación de Origen located in the country's northern plateau and is one of eleven 'quality wine' regions within the autonomous community of Castile and León...
) - Chuletillas de cordero (Ribera del DueroRibera del DueroRibera del Duero is a Spanish Denominación de Origen located in the country's northern plateau and is one of eleven 'quality wine' regions within the autonomous community of Castile and León...
) - Morcilla de Burgos
- Olla podridaOlla podridaOlla podrida is a Spanish stew made from pork and beans and an inconsistent, wide variety of other meats and vegetables, often including chickpeas, depending on the recipe used. The meal is traditionally prepared in a clay pot over several hours...
- Queso de Burgos
León
- BotilloBotilloBotillo , Botelo or Butiellu , is a dish of meat-stuffed pork intestine. It is a culinary specialty of El Bierzo, a county in the Spanish province of León and also of the region of Trás-os-Montes, in Portugal...
- CecinaCecina (meat)Cecina de León redirects hereIn Spanish, cecina means "meat that has been salted and dried by means of air, sun or smoke". The word comes either from the Latin siccus or from the Celtic ciercina related to modern Spanish "cierzo" or Northern wind.The best known cecina is Cecina de León, which is...
- Morcilla de León
- Sopas de ajo leonesas
Palencia
- Menestra de verduras
- Lechazo asado
- Patatas a la importancia
- Cangrejos de río con tomate
- Morcilla de Fuenteandrino
Salamanca
- HornazoHornazoHornazo is a Spanish meat pie eaten in the provinces of Salamanca and Ávila. It is made with flour and yeast and stuffed with pork loin, spicy chorizo sausage and hard-boiled eggs....
- Tostón asado o cochinillo
- Limones
- Amarguillos
- Chochos de yema
- Farinato
Segovia
- Cochinillo asado o tostón
Soria
- Culeca
Valladolid
- Lechazo asado
- Mantecados de Portillo
- Morcilla de Valladolid
- Gallo turresilano
- Salchichas de Zaratán
Zamora
- Rebojo
- Arroz a la zamorana