Situated in the western half of Spain, on the Northern Plateau, is the ancient City of Salamanca, Spain. Known as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, University City and culinary hot spot, its roots stretch back to the Iron Age. Although there is certainly a lot that could be said about the Castile-Leon Region’s popular destination, today, we wanted to highlight its cuisine.
Here’s a quick look at 5 local foods to enjoy when visiting Salamanca.
1. Hornazo
Tops on our list is the dish known as hornazo. It is a flavorful meat pie that has been a part of Salamanca’s culinary consciousness since at least the 16th century. It was at that time people adopted the tradition of preparing the dish during Lundes de Aguas, which translated means Festival of Waters. The festival marked the annual spring migration of the region’s prostitutes. So portable foods, like meat pies, were the order of the day. In this case, the pies frequently contained hard-boiled eggs, sliced pork loin and chunks of chorizo sausage
2. Chanfaina
Next on our list is chanfaina. It’s another dish with ties to cultural celebrations. Only this time, the main ingredients are lamb offal, rice, onion, broth and spices. They are typically placed together in a sauce pot and slow cooked until the mixture is thick, aromatic and ready to be ladled into a bowl. Afterward, many Portuguese residents like to dress up the dish by adding chunks of hard-boiled eggs and a variety of olives. It is traditionally served on holidays, including Christmas and the Fuente de Cantos. It’s a festival that takes place in western Spain each April.
3. Farinato
We’d be remiss not to include farinato on our list too. It is a special, horseshoe shaped sausage that is commonly prepared in Ciudad Rodrigo, which is located in within the province as well. It’s usually made with onions, Spanish seasonings, pork lard and bread crumbs. Because of the high lard content and spices, it has a luscious mouth feel that can sometimes leave the tongue tingling. People often incorporate it into a variety of dishes including pizzas, skewers, paella and breakfast platters.
4. Morucha Beef
In America, people hold Black Angus beef on a pedestal. The Portuguese, on the other hand, love Morucha. It comes from a special breed of cattle that is indigenous to Salamanca. Unlike some other forms of beef, it is juicy, firm, tender and well marbled. It is well suited for everything from hearty, stuffed hamburgers to succulent steaks.
5. Iberico Ham
Last but not least, it would be shame to visit Salamanca and not try a plate filled with Iberico ham. It is one of two different types of ham served in the province. The other is Serrano. We recommend trying the Iberico because it comes from a special breed of pig. Known as the Black Iberian, it is indigenous to Portugal and has the best tasting, most marbleized meat around.
Salamanca is one of the stops on our Port Wine & Flamenco River Cruise. Join us to taste the food and wine of the region.
