Legend has it that in the mountains lived a shepherd and in the sea a mermaid. While the mermaid begged the shepherd to join her palace of emerald and coral, he invited her to see the sun from his mountains. One day, they both succumbed to love, and with their union, they created the Empordà region. A spectacular corner of the world just minutes from Barcelona, where cliffs crash into the Mediterranean, lapping waters slip through the landscape, and long beaches call for tranquility.
Costa Brava – Michael Cadieux
It’s well known that geography exerts a strong influence on local cuisine. This beautiful legend also forever changed the cuisine of Catalonia, giving rise to the dishes of “Mar i Muntanya” (Sea and Mountains). It’s not surprising to find dishes in this area that combine seafood with meat, a testament to the love between these two worlds. Chicken with prawns, snails with seafood, chicken with cod, or the most traditional of all: cuttlefish with meatballs (Sèpia amb mandonguilles in Catalan). Today we prepare this recipe together.
Ingredients:
- 500 gr de sepia
- 1 onion
- Whole milk
- 150 ml of crushed natural tomatoes
- 1 glass of white wine
- 100 g of frozen peas
- 600 g minced beef and pork
- 1 egg
- 2 cloves of garlic
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs
To prepare the picada:
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 12 toasted almonds
- 4 strands of saffron
- Fresh parsley
Preparing this traditional dish is very easy.
1. Prepare the meatballs
To do this, mix the minced meat with the egg, add a splash of milk, and mix well. Add the breadcrumbs and mix again. Shape the meatballs with your hands, coat them in flour, and fry them. It’s recommended not to let them cook completely.
2. Prepare the sauce
Use a little of the oil you used to fry the meatballs and add it to another pan. Fry the chopped onion in this pan. Add the crushed tomatoes and let it cook until the sauce thickens.
3. Prepare the picada
Use a mortar and pestle to grind the almonds, garlic, saffron, and fresh parsley until you have this delicious picada.
4. Finalize your preparation
Add the cuttlefish to the sauce and sauté for one minute. Then, add the wine and peas, stir, and let it reduce. Now it’s time to add the meatballs. Cover them with water, add the picada, and let it cook for 10 minutes.
This is just one of the delicious traditional recipes you can cook in the private kitchen of your Casagrand apartment. Visit our website to book your apartment now and enjoy an authentic local experience.
