A typical Catalan meal

When in Barcelona you must try the typical Catalan/Valencian dish of Arros Negre- Black Rice.

The dish’s dark color comes from squid ink which also enhances its seafood flavor.

Fideuà negra (black noodles in Catalan) is a variation made with noodles instead of rice and is usually served with aioli.

Below is a recipe for the dish, why not try it!

BLACK RICE

Ingredients:
– Rice (about 80 grams per person).
– 400 grams of “sepionet” (tiny squid).
– 150 grams of raw, peeled shrimp.
– 2 garlic cloves.
– 1 green pepper.
– 2 ripe tomatoes.
– 2 sachets of squid ink.
– 1 liter of fish stock.
– salt
– olive oil.

Instructions:
In a paella dish fry the very finely chopped garlic in oil without burning, add the diced pepper and fry until softened. Add the prawns and squid for 2 minutes to brown. Remove the shrimp and keep to one side.

Next add the skinned tomato cut into small pieces. The next step is to add the ink and stir. Add the rice, distributing it evenly across the pan, then add the fish stock. Check the salt if necessary. Lower the heat and leave so that the rice absorbs the liquid (approximately 15 to 20 minutes depending on the type of water and rice).Five minutes before the end add the prawns on top. Turn off  the heat and leave to rest for about ten minutes whilst covered.

And for desert how about the typical ‘Crema Catalana’

Crema Catalana or Crema de Sant Josep, is a Catalan dish similar to crème brûlée. It is traditionally served on Saint Joseph’s Day, March 19, although nowadays it is consumed at all times of year.

Ingredients:

1 litre milk, 8 egg yolks, 50g cornstarch, 150g of sugar plus a little more to burn on top, 1 cinnamon stick and the skin of one lemon without the white part.

Directions:

Put the milk in a saucepan apart from one cupful which you should keep to dissolve the cornstarch. With the milk, add the cinnamon stick and lemon peel. Heat over a medium temperature.

In a large bowl pour the egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch, mix well. When the milk is about to boil, remove from heat and pour through a strainer into the bowl of yolks. Be sure to stir with a wooden spoon to mix well and ensure there are no lumps, you can do with a whisk.

Now incorporate the entire contents of the bowl into the saucepan and put over low heat, cook stirring constantly until desired consistency. Then pour the crème brûlée in earthenware pots. Allow to cool to room temperature and keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.