What to eat in Mojácar

The red shrimp from Garrucha is one of the most highly valued seafoods in the whole of the Mediterranean for its intense flavour and incomparable appearance. But the boats that fish daily in the waters of the Bay of Almeria from this port, one of the most important in Andalusia, unload every afternoon countless species of top quality local fish and shellfish.

Norway lobsters, John Dory, redfish, groupers, snappers, bream, cuttlefish and sea bream... are some of the most consumed species, traditionally cooked on skewers or directly grilled. The people of Almeria are true masters of this way of grilling fish, which allows the quality and flavour to be appreciated in its natural state, with no more seasoning than salt.

Starting with a very tasty fish broth and using potatoes as the base of the dish, there are countless variations of seafood stews that are cooked in the houses of Mojácar depending on the season.

Cuttlefish in sauce and “Ajo Colorao” are perhaps the most representative. The latter is a typical stew based on mashed potatoes with paprika, seasoned with natural tomato and with skate as the main ingredient. It is truly unique! And the fact is that, in short, the main attribute of Mojácar's culinary tradition is the quality of the raw materials, always from kilometre 0, that it uses.

In the area you will find hearty dishes of traditional cuisine full of flavour and history whose main ingredients combine garden produce with local meats. Here are some examples.

Gurullos are a kind of stew accompanied by wheat semolina pasta which is shaped by hand to emulate grains of rice and served with partridge or rabbit. Known as Trigo, another very popular dish is this stew with crushed wheat and typical local vegetables. Another dish that is not to be missed is Caldo con Pelotas, which is a traditional meatballs with pine nuts, or Migas, a dish made with leftover bread and eaten with fried aubergines, black pudding or even anchovies and sardines.

As a good destination in the Spanish Mediterranean, seafood rice dishes, especially those with broth, are a must on the tables of Mojácar. With such a high quality raw material as the Bay of Almería has to offer, it would be a sin not to take advantage of it to cook one of our favourite recipes: paella.

Recently, paella has been distinguished as an asset of cultural interest, not only because of its irresistible flavour or because it has travelled around the world carrying the name of Spain, but also because of its historic role as a unifying element for the families of the Levant, who since time immemorial have sat around a paella to share their most special moments. How marvellous!