 Culinary Javea Since it is a coastal town, fish and shellfish dishes prevail. Try the delicious fish stews "cruet de peix" and "suc roig", or fried dishes such as "peix fregit". Also typical are fresh salted anchovies, tuna and the tasty "borreta de melva" as well as Xàbia´s delicacy "bogamarins" (sea urchins).
Rice is a main ingredient of many dishes, such as "arròs al forn" (oven-baked rice), "arròs amb costra"(covered with a crust of omelette), "arròs amb fesols i naps"(rice with beans and turnips),"arròs a la marinera"(literally, fixherman´s rice), or "arròs a banda"(rice with fish stock), "arròs amb bledes"(rice with beet) and, of course, the traditional Paella. Also typical of Xàbia are "cocas", small pizza-like pastries with pepper and tomato, or oil and anchovies, and "empanadillas", pasties filled with vegetables such as peas or spinach, or with pepper, tomato, tuna and boiled egg, "putxero", a hearty stew with local vegetables and meat balls, snails, salted fish and sausages. Two basic elements of any dish are garlic and olive oil, essential ingredients of a healthy Mediterranean diet. United they form "All i oli", garlic mayonnaise which brings its intense flavour to a multitude of dishes. As for desserts, local fruit is predominant (oranges, apples, pears, grapes, watermelon, melon, strawberries, pomegranates and figs) as well as almonds, raisins and dried figs. Pastries include "Pastissets de moniato", pumpkin fritters, Easter cake, and almond tarts to name but a few. |
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