The best calçotades in El Maresme!

We can now find many restaurants in El Maresme with the first calçots!
Do you want to come to El Maresme to make a luxury calçotada? But of course…you’ll have to get your hands dirty!

Brief history of calçots

They say that it was a farmer from Valls, at the end of the 19th century, who prepared some onions over the fire. They burned and instead of throwing them away he tried them, thus discovering the Calçots de Valls.

It is in Valls (Alt Camp, Tarragona) where the popular calçotada has been celebrated since 1982, so much so that Valls is known as the capital of Calçot. During this festive day, you can enjoy demonstrations of “cooking caçots”, eating them, tastings… It is a delicious and essential dish on our tables, which we can taste anywhere in the territory.

Maresme’s calçot has nothing to envy that of Valls. The climate and land of this area is essential for the crop to be good, and in Maresme the equation is optimal

But… what really is a calçot?

Calçot is a variety of tender, white, soft and sweet onion that is eaten cooked over high heat accompanied by a typical sauce: the romesco sauce, based on toasted hazelnuts and almonds, ñoras, oil… This accompaniment is what gives it the touch of flavor more characteristic of calçotades.
​

ROMESCO SAUCE:

Ingredients:

• • 1 ñora (a small variety of pepper, typical from southeastern Spain)
  • 4 mature tomatoes
  • 1 head of garlic
  • 1 glass of olive oil
  • 150 gr of almonds
  • 1 slice of stale bread

We have to leave the ñora in water a day before so that it softens. We will separate the skin and put the meat in a mortar with the almonds and bread, until the ingredients are combined. We blanch the tomatoes and garlic in the oven for about 40 minutes. Once cold and peeled, we will mix all the ingredients already mentioned in the mortar with a glass of olive oil. Pass through the blender to achieve a finer texture and add oil if we see that it is necessary.

The most complicated part of this traditional dish is peeling the calçot

We give you some useful tips below, but above all… enjoy your meal!
​

El Maresme, a region of towns with history, with traditions of yesteryear, known for its restaurants and its gastronomic festivals and its local products make this typical food a true luxury.

Come to any of these restaurants to celebrate your calçotada!

Some good restaurants in El Maresme:

• • Restaurant Sant Antoni (Premià de Dalt)
  • Can Roca (Tiana)
  • Can Carreras (Dosrrius)
  • Xeflis (Cabrils)
  • El Racó de Can Feliu (Vilassar de Dalt)
  • Cals Frare (Cabrera de Mar)

Do you want to make a calçotada among vineyards? In Alella you will find guided tours, wine tasting and calçots.

and also to take away…

• L’Hort de la Xinesca (Vilassar de Mar)