Products of spectacular quality and an ideal location next-door to the Pyrenees but on the Mediterranean coast, that gets the best of the land and of the sea, have both marvelously sustained Barcelona’s thousand-year-old culinary tradition. Barcelona’s cuisine goes above and beyond the famous Mediterranean diet, offering both visitors and residents a culture of good food; one that is indispensible for understanding the region’s quality of life and overall well-being.
With this kind of cultural legacy, it’s easy to see why the city boasts 16 Michelin stars, and why Catalonia is home to three three-star restaurants, among them, El Bulli de Ferran Adrià, often referred to as the finest restaurant in the world. Indispensible to Barcelona’s cuisine, wine is the worthy protagonist in Tarragona, the home of some of the finest wines and cavas (sparkling wine similar to champagne).
Traditional Catalan Recipes: "Mute Duck from Penedès shire"
Traditional Catalan recipe, original from Penedès shire (region of very important winery production).
Goose and duck are very common on Catalan recipes.
Difficulty: High
Ingredients: (4 people)
1 mute duck (female).
1 Onion.
25 prunes.
50grs. of pine nuts.
1 Carrot.
1 Glass of Penedès white wine.
1 glass of broth (optional). | Olive oil.
Salt and Pepper.
1/2 glass of Muscat Wine.
1/2 glass of Anisette liquor.
Garlic.
250grs. of fried tomato sauce.
Aromatic Herbs: thyme, bay laurel, rosemary,... |
Elaboration:
Step 1: Prepare the duck, adding salt and pepper and removing the non-eatable parts.
Step 2: Start the oven, medium heat.
Step 3: Place the duck into the oven, together with the aromatic herbs, the onion, garlic, carrot and tomato sauce. Let it cook for 45 minutes, moving it to ensure a proper cooking by all sides. After the 45 minutes, add the white wine, the anisette and the Muscat wine.
Step 4: Leave the duck 35 minutes more in the oven at the same temperature, carefully watching it. Add the broth if you feel the meat is starting to get too dry.
Step 5: Open the oven and take the duck outside. Cut it into 4 parts, and place it again in the oven. Allow 10 minutes more cooking
Step 6: Strain all the vegetables and herbs, together with the tomato sauce using a Chinoise (utensil). Cover the duck meat with this vegetable sauce, and add the prunes and pine nuts around. Allow again about 10 minutes more cooking.
We wish you a pleasant meal with this traditional Catalan recipe. Enjoy your meal!
