Eating and Drinking Well in Castile and Extremadura

In Spain's central meseta, an arid, high plateau, peasant cooking provides comfort and energy. Roast lamb, pork, and goat are staples, as are soups, stews, and dishes made from scraps, such as the classic migas, bread crumbs fried with sundry meats and sausages.

Classic Castilian dishes include cordero (lamb) and cochinillo (suckling pig) roasted in wood ovens, and other prized entrées include perdiz en escabeche (marinated partridge) and perdices a la toledana (stewed partridge, Toledo style). Broad-bean dishes are specialties in the areas around Ávila and La Granja (Segovia), while trucha (trout) and cangrejos de río (river crayfish) are Guadalajara specialties. Some of Castile's most surprising cuisine is found in Cuenca, where a Moorish influence appears in such dishes as gazpacho pastor, a stew made with several meats and a matzo-like flatbread. Wild mushrooms enhance aromas in meat dishes and stews or are served on their own in earthenware dishes.

Don Quixote Food

“Somewhere in La Mancha, in a place whose name I do not care to remember...” begins the epic tale of Don Quixote, and yet the wines and hearty dishes here are quite unforgettable. Cervantine menus are favorites at taverns and inns throughout Quixote country southeast of Madrid. They usually feature gachas manchegas (a thick peasant porridge based on fried grass-pea flour and pork) and duelos y quebrantos (scrambled eggs and bacon), dishes mentioned in the novel.

Lamb

Roast lamb, cordero asado, is a favorite throughout Castile. Lechazo, or milk-fed lamb, is handled with great care and roasted slowly to render a mild, ultratender meat that's a true delicacy.

Partridge

Perdiz a la toledana is one of Castile–La Mancha's most sought-after dishes. Toldeo partridges are neither estofada (stewed) nor escabechada (marinated) but, rather, cooked on low heat in wine with vinegar, olive oil, onions, garlic, and bay leaves until the sauce is thick and rich. October to February is the hunting season for partridge and the best time to try it.

Vegetable Stew

La Mancha has moist vegetable-growing pockets along the Tajo River. Pisto manchego, a ratatouille-like vegetable stew with peppers, onions, tomatoes, and zucchini, is a classic. Served in an earthenware vessel with a fried egg on top, it makes a wonderful light lunch.

Migas

Translated as "shepherd's bread crumbs," this ancient dish is made with stale bread that's been softened with water and fried in olive oil with lots of garlic and (sometimes) eggs, as well as finely chopped bacon, chorizo, peppers, and potato. Fresh grapes are a traditional accompaniment.

Gazpacho Pastor (Shepherd's Stew)

Andalusian gazpacho is a cold soup, but in La Mancha, especially around Cuenca, gazpacho is a thick, hot braise made with virtually everything in the barnyard. Partridge, hare, rabbit, hen, peppers, paprika, and tortas de cenceña (flatbread made especially for this dish) complete the stew.

Castilian Wines

In Toledo, Carlos Falcó (aka El Marqués de Griñón) has developed excellent Dominio de Valdepusa wines using petit verdot and syrah grapes. In Ribera del Duero, winemakers from Pingus and Protos to Pago de Carraovejas offer full-bodied wines using tempranillo, while Bierzo, northwest of León, is a region to watch for its herbaceous, multilayered wines made from the local mencía grape.