Canned snails

It's perhaps the most characteristic and recognizable dish of the city of Lleida. Although it's not to everyone's taste, those who enjoy a good caracolá will thoroughly enjoy its incredible and succulent flavor. But, in addition to being a traditional local dish, a festival has sprung up around it, held since 1980: the Lleida Snail Gathering (or Aplec del Caragol), which has been declared a Festival of National Tourist Interest. For this reason, many tourists come to this city exclusively to attend this festival and eat snails a la llauna.

*Vinaigrette: 6 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of vinegar and salt. Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix them well with a fork until they are all perfectly integrated 

Detailed recipe

To make snails in the Lleida style, the snails must always be bled, at least for a week.

Wash the snails, with water only, in order to remove any sand they may have and other impurities from the shell.

Cover the bottom of a tin (baking tray) with coarse salt and arrange the snails on top, with the fleshy part facing up, without leaving any space between them.

Salt them with normal salt and you can put them on a high heat, preferably wood. If you cook them at home, they are best in the oven at a high temperature, using the grill and the oven simultaneously.

After 5 minutes, take them out, season them with black pepper to taste, sprinkle them with a pinch of oil, garlic and parsley and put them back in the oven.

They will be ready when the fleshy part takes on a golden color.

They are accompanied by aioli and vinaigrette.

Panadons

Panadons are a type of large pastry, a bread dough filled with vegetables, such as spinach and pumpkin.

They originate from Lleida and are prepared according to each family's recipe. There is evidence that their origin dates back to the Middle Ages, when wheat was grown, so it is believed that the recipe originated during that time. Despite being a very typical dish from Lleida, the southern regions of Catalonia also make similar dishes with other fillings.

Tradition says that this recipe was usually prepared during Holy Week, since meat was not allowed during those days, and in large quantities to last for several days. But you can enjoy panadons all year round!

4. Take advantage of the time the dough rests (approximately 10 to 20 minutes) to cut the pumpkin into thin slices.

5. Place a sheet of baking paper on the baking sheet and pour a generous amount of olive oil over it. This will prevent the panadons from sticking.

6. Dust the marble with flour and roll out a portion of the dough without kneading it. If it sticks to the rolling pin or the marble, dust it with flour. The dough should be thin. If it breaks, be more careful next time, but this time pinch the dough to repair the hole ;). Place a layer of spinach in the center, season with salt and olive oil, and sprinkle with raisins and pine nuts to taste. Seal one part first, then the other, crossing over the first, and finally, seal the edges. Lift the panadon with both hands and, without wasting time, place it on the oiled baking sheet. Watch the video to make this explanation clearer.

7.- To fill the pumpkin panadons, place a layer of sliced ​​pumpkin to your liking and season with a pinch of salt, sugar, and olive oil. Seal it and, without further delay, place it on the oiled baking sheet.

Detailed recipe

1. If you're using fresh spinach, start by blanching it. Simply place it in a pot of boiling water and, as soon as it starts to boil, remove it with a slotted spoon to a tray to cool while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

2. Pour the water and oil into a bowl. Add salt and then add the flour little by little, mixing with a spoon. Add flour until you have a thick dough that's difficult to work with with a spoon.

3. Sprinkle the marble with flour and pour the dough onto it. Knead it with your hands for two or three minutes. Add the flour as needed (with the measurements given in the ingredients, you should have plenty left). Once kneaded, divide it into 6 portions and roll them one by one into small rolls. Place the rolls on a little flour and cover them with a cotton cloth to protect them from light and air

9. To fill the pumpkin and spinach panadons, spread a layer of spinach over the dough, season with salt, then spread a layer of pumpkin over the dough and season with sugar and olive oil. Once sealed, transfer to the baking tray.

10. Sprinkle sugar over the pumpkin panadons and drizzle with a generous amount of olive oil. Place the baking tray in the center of a preheated oven at 220°C (420°F). When they dry out, drizzle generously with olive oil as often as you like. This will make the dough extra crispy. When the dough turns golden brown, remove from the oven, and your panadons are ready to enjoy.

The origin of this dish dates back to the times when farmers didn't have the means of transportation we know today and worked in the fields from dawn to dusk. As a result, they had to bring food from home to eat there. There, they would meet with neighbors from nearby farms and make a casserole with produce they brought from home or ingredients they could find in the garden. From this emerged the first ways of cooking country casseroles, with a wide variety of ingredients and each with their own recipe. Today, two types can be distinguished, depending on the seasonal produce: winter, with spinach and potatoes; and summer, with onion, pepper, and eggplant. 

Juneda Country Casserole 

Juneda Country Casserole (Cassola de Tros de Juneda) is a typical dish from the town of Juneda, located in the Las Garrigas region of Lleida. It is made primarily with pork and, above all, uses a clay pot, a three-legged casserole, and firewood.

Although there's no single way to prepare cassola de tros, there are some ingredients that are often repeated. Pork is the base, with cuts such as belly, ribs, and different types of sausage. Snails, very typical in Catalan cuisine, are also added, along with potatoes, legumes, and spices such as thyme, pepper, and chili pepper, which give it an unmistakable flavor.

A recipe without fixed rules 

It's impossible to define the ingredients of a country casserole, as there is no single recipe, and there are many ways to make it, which make its preparation unique. Its basic ingredients are potatoes, snails, spinach, and pork, to which we will later add the rest of the ingredients.

Preparing a country casserole is a delicate process that determines the true quality of the final product. Of great importance is the correct control of the degree of thickness and the evolution of the flavor tone, which is controlled with salt, pepper, and other spices. Another important factor is the cooking process, which must be carefully and patiently controlled.

The cooking process is key to achieving an optimal result. First, sauté the meat in olive oil until browned and set aside. Then, in the same oil, cook the onion and garlic along with the thyme and chili pepper, adding depth of flavor. Add the grated tomato and, after a few minutes, add white wine to deglaze the casserole.

Next, add the potatoes and spinach (or summer vegetables), along with the snails and a little water or beer for cooking. After a while, add the meat and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Finally, when the potatoes are almost ready, add the black sausage and legumes, allowing everything to rest before serving.

Ingredients:

Virgin olive oil (2 dl)

Pork belly (250 g)

Pork ribs (4-5, sliced)

Sausage (900 g)

Garlic (5)

Onions (3 medium)

Tomatoes (500 g, ripe or crushed)

Thyme (one sprig)

Chili pepper

White wine (1/4 L)

Water (1/2 L)

Potatoes (1.5 kg)

Fresh spinach (2 kg) or frozen spinach (1.6 kg)

Snails (600 g)

Black sausage (500 g)

White beans (500 g)

Salt

Pepper

1. Heat the oil in a clay pot and add the bacon, ribs, and sausage, all previously chopped.
2. Remove the browned meat from the pot and set aside. Add the chopped garlic and onion to the pot, add the thyme and chili to taste.
3. Sauté for 10 minutes, then add the chopped tomato and sauté for 3 more minutes.
4. Add the white wine and the chopped potatoes; let it cook for about 10 minutes.
5. Add the cleaned and chopped spinach, the washed snails, and the water.
6. Simmer for about 15 minutes, then add the reserved meat, season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Cook until the potatoes are almost cooked, then add the sliced ​​black sausage and the white beans.
8. Remove the pot from the heat and let it rest for at least 20 minutes before serving