Castilla y Leon

Historical influences play a major part in the varied gastronomy available in this region. Jewish, Arab and Christian based cuisine is on offer across the region. In places such as Leon, Salamanca and Valladolid. Stews based on Christian cooking would include pork. Those based on ancient jewish or arab recipes would use lamb.The famous stews, cocido and olla podrida, originate from the high plateau of Spain. Meat is a must in many traditional Castillian dishes. Food is prepared and cooked here as it has been for centuries. Fancy sauces or elaborate means of preparing meals are largely unheard of in Castilla y Leon.Popular dishes include so called ‘lacquered’ pork ribs (Costillar de Cerdo Lacado) or Catalan meat and vegetable stew (Escudella I Carn D’olla). And don’t forget to dip locally baked bread in all those stews. The Pan Candeal is enjoyed all over Spain, but it is here where it is most treasured. It is a Castillian round loaf that has a diamond shape carved into its surface. The area also produces some of the best lentils, legumes and pulses on offer at Spanish markets. If you want cheap, wholesome and filling food, then a Castillian meat or vegetable stew mopped up with local bread is for you. And there’s no better place to enjoy such traditional Spanish fayre than in Castilla y Leon.

Carrot Puré0

Carrot Puré

Up here in the north of Spain, you’re much more likely to be served a Puré than any other type of vegetable soup.

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Morcilla de Burgos1

Morcilla de Burgos

I well recall the day I tried to encourage a squeamish friend to eat Morcilla. He had no wish to taste blood sausage. Now, for me, good Morcilla is a delight. It may be calorific. I don’t care. It’s a triumph of Spanish food. It gets even better when it comes in the form of Morcilla de Burgos. Here the [...]

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Bean Pot with Chorizo, Chicken and Beef0

Bean Pot with Chorizo, Chicken and Beef

Chickpeas are a central ingredient of this famous stew from the city of Burgos. It’s called Podrida & is not a meal suitable to vegetarians.

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Soup with Crayfish and Lamb1

Soup with Crayfish and Lamb

Here’s another recipe exploiting the wonderful snow crab. Warming and so easy to make. Here’s the recipe for Sopa Burgalesa .

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Baking Spanish Bread1

Baking Spanish Bread

Spaniards eat a kilo of bread a day including the barra and colin (bread sticks) and pan candeal, the typical Castilian round loaf.

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Beans means Spain0

Beans means Spain

In Spain Legumes (legumbres) are everywhere. That's chickpeas, lentils and beans of many colours to you and me. But not beans of the canned variety. Beans in Spain are much healthier than anything Heinz ever sold. As winter draws near, more and more Spanish kitchens will be serving up broths and stews that contain legumes. A poor name for an [...]

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Leon – The Gastronomic Jewel in the Castillian Crown1

Leon – The Gastronomic Jewel in the Castillian Crown

We're pleased to help you extend your Spanish food knowledge with this information. Of course, we'd love to welcome you at the online store where you can buy the products typical of Castilla y Leon that you've read about here. Just a suggestion… Leon, a compact city home to around 140,000 and located about four hours drive north west of [...]

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