We like fried ones. Yes. Above all, the sailors. Anchovies, puntillitas, cuttlefish, squid, acedías, hake or monkfish cubes ... That is, fried fish, a
popular
genre
of
uncertain origin
, whose technique is believed to have been born in Egypt, around 2,500 BC. they ate with their
famous garum
and during the Arab occupation of Spain it was common to find
fish cooked with oil at high temperature
in
the souks
. There are even theories that hold that the famous
Japanese tempura
comes from Andalusian frying brought by
Christian missionaries
in the 16th and 17th centuries. In any case, we are facing a classic of Spanish gastronomy and a
winning bet
, either in its
traditional
version
or in other more contemporary ones, which even present whole fish.
In Madrid, there are a good number of bars, taverns and restaurants where the
Andalusian
seafood frying
is one of its stars.
Squid legs, in La Giralda. © LA GIRALDA
We started with tradition and
La Giralda
, a house with 45 years of history in Madrid that had four headquarters in the capital and that after the last years of crisis keeps this place on the
golden mile open
(Claudio Coello, 24. Tel. : 91 576 40 69), inaugurated almost three decades ago. What fish are eaten here? "For everyone, well, not exaggerate, almost everyone. Boqueroncitos, bienmesabe,
squid jigging
, shrimp fritters, puntillitas,
anemones
, now in season, ... Andalusian" says Paco Viller, in
charge of this area, where he works since the beginning.
With so many years of experience, here they master the secret of a rich frying: good product, white wheat flour and quality and "clean" oil.
"That is the key for it to
have a fresh flavor
. We use extra virgin olive oil, the same that we serve to dress salads," concludes Viller.
The dish 'Poquito de tú', in La Gaditana. © LA GADITANA
We arrive at
La Gaditana
, a bar-restaurant with the air of an Andalusian patio, located in the Salamanca district (Fuente del Berro, 23. Tel .: 91 115 37 51), where frying also reigns. It could not be otherwise, since its specialty is Cadiz cuisine ("A little corner of Cádiz in Madrid is its motto", well, two, because the brand has another restaurant at Paseo de la Castellana, 56). In its offer there is no shortage
of fried anchovies from the bay
; Shrimp fritters; chopitos or puntillitas from Sanlúcar; dogfish in marinade in
the style of Conil
; Hake delicacies with sautéed prawns and, one of the hits,
Poquito de tú
, a marine assortment accompanied by shrimp omelettes.
Andalusian tradition can be found in
Los Pescaítos
(Nicaragua, 9. Tel .: 91 359 15 84).
The specialties of this space
with a southern aesthetic with a bar
are seafood rice dishes, Andalusian recipes and, of course, the marine product that gives it its name.
For something, they have been
frying for
more than 40 years
.
These days they serve anchovies,
heartburn
,
pijotas
(small whiting), squid, chopitos, sole ... Crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.
All, battered with flour and passed through oil over high heat.
Fried anchovies, in Lambuzo.
The Moreno family
masters the art of Andalusian frying and this is demonstrated every day in
Lambuzo
, the house where they have put their 40 years of experience in the hospitality industry of Cádiz, their hometown. Its two taverns, the Opera one, with a beautiful wrought iron bottle rack (Conchas, 9. Tel .: 91 143 48 62), and the largest one, in Retiro (Menéndez Pelayo, 59. Tel .: 91 199 84 88) They are a must for fans of deep-fried seafood. Along with the tuna salad from Barbate and the salmorejo with melva canutera, the pescaítos are its hallmarks. " We
now offer
adobo
, cuttlefish, anchovies,
plaice
, pijotas, anemones ... And out of letter, other pescaítos found in the market. For example, last week,
mullets
", says
Diego Moreno
, for whom the most important thing, in addition to the quality of the fish and flour, is the
cleanliness of the oil
.
El Espigón
opened its doors in Madrid 26 years ago (Poeta Joan Maragall, 58. Tel .: 91 579 32 32) and, since then, frying has been one of the pillars of its menu.
"We have nettles, which are in full season, anchovies, dogfish marinade, squid, sourdough, red mullet, shrimp tortillas ... Most come from the
Isla Cristina fish market
(Huelva), and we batter them
only with flour, and to the fryer
, with extra virgin olive oil ", they explain from the dining room, a classic of Andalusian cuisine, whose premises were renovated in 2020.
Squid from the coast, in Surtopía.
Frying in a contemporary key is
Surtopía's
latest bet
(Núñez de Balboa, 106. Tel .: 915 63 03 64), a house specializing in fish and seafood from Cádiz, escorted by a wide range of Jerez wines. The cuisine of Sanluqueño José Calleja is an
author's proposal
, from his land, which he combines with seasonal products and, although until now one did not go there to eat fried fish, since July the tables have changed, almost by popular request. "I don't usually have frying, except for shrimp tortillas, but since people demand it so much, I have launched
frying month
"explains José Calleja. Six dishes that, starting in September, will be included in Surtopía's offer. Note: mackerel roe in amontillado tempura, anchovies in Moorish marinade,
whole roasted coastal squid
with aioli, broken
sprigs
with egg campero, pata negra dogfish with chamomile and cuttlefish squid in ajilimón.
"We use different fried foods, some fish go with flour, others with tempura to which we add amontillado or chamomile ... In addition, each product has its own
cooking time
: the anchovy in adobo requires a very light frying, while the squid, as it is whole, it needs more time and a greater crust of flour ", points out José, who uses an
Arbequina
EVOO
from the Sierra de Almería
, a very aromatic oil, but with a soft palate so that" it does not hide the taste of the fish or stain the frying bitter flavors, "he concludes.
Whole redfish, in Lobito de Mar.
Nor does
Dani García from
Marbella
miss the opportunity to make a place for Andalusian frying in
BiBo and Lobito de Mar
, with establishments in Marbella and Madrid.
Of course, in a modern key.
The first's menu (Paseo de la Castellana, 52. Tel .: 91 805 25 56) includes shrimp from Sanlúcar wrapped in fresh basil;
Whole sea bass marinated in "my mother's" marinade with a touch of sage and tempura prawns soaked in chef's special sauce and sorrel leaves.
In the second (Jorge Juan, 10. Tel .: 91 088 94 40),
Lobito de Mar
in marinade, squid in rings, Victorian anchovy, fried glass shrimp with roasted vegetables and fried eggs.
And, a classic of this urban chiringuito and
resalao
,
the fried redfish
whole.
We continue in a contemporary key with two proper names, that of the Cordovan chef
Manu Urbano
and that of
La Malaje
(Plaza de la Paja, 10. Tel .: 91 364 25 87).
The menu of its southern cuisine includes an
Andalusian
bienmesabe
;
fried squid, eggs and roasted garlic aioli and fried octopus slices with yogurt and mint sauce.
And frying of the day, which depends on what the market brings, for example, small
fish
, anchovies ...
Crystal prawns with egg, in Candeli.
We put up in one of the most gastronomic streets of the capital, Ponzano. At number 47, the
Rivera brothers
opened
Candeli
(Tel .: 91 737 70 86), a house specializing in market cuisine, fish and seafood. Its offer ranges from
crystal prawns with free-range eggs
and caviar salt and fried parrochas
to Andalusian
squid
and its pipirrana of peppers, through cod fritters and hake cubes.
We are going to Majadahonda, to
La Renta
(Rosalía de Castro, 1. Tel .: 916 38 12 43), where they also bet on seasonal cuisine, with a prominent presence of marine frying, rich, dry and
not greasy
.
With a perfect cooking point, anchovies, pijotas, squid squid and its seafood assortment are essential in this charming place.
Ortiguillas, in La Ardosa.
We close with a century-old tavern, specialized in national snacks, which usually has everything -in tapas and portion format-, these days also fried fish.
La Ardosa
(Colón, 13. Tel .: 91 521 49 79).
For example, netiguillas, that marine delicatessen that they prepare here
crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside
;
squid and dogfish in marinade.
We said it at the beginning, we like fried ones and more if they are small fish.
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