Concept in Definition ABC

In the north of Spain the dish of fried squid or squid a la romana is known as rabas. Is denomination is originally from Cantabria, an autonomous community with a large tradition gastronomic. For the Cantabrians, the true raba is that of "mangano grande", the term used to refer to squid in this Spanish region.

How are they cooked?

Before cooking the squid it is necessary to clean the squid or squid. First, the head is detached from the body of the mollusk and then the inside is cleaned. Then it is peeled off on the outside. To make the squid, cut the squid tube into thin slices (the squid's tentacles and tail can be used for other recipes, such as a risotto or a pickle).

It is a very easy dish to prepare: the squid rings are floured and then fried in oil hot. Connoisseurs claim that the key to its preparation It is in the frying process, which has to be intense and at the same time brief. Before serving the dish it is convenient to drain the oil well. This product is usually accompanied by a slice of lemon.

Fried squid or squid have two fundamental characteristics: a golden color and their crunchy sound when bitten.

Other dishes and typical products of Cantabria

To the margin of the typical rabas, the gastronomy Cantabrian has other very popular dishes. The mountain stew, the lebaniego stew, the Santoña anchovies and the tuna pot or sorropotún stand out. Among the desserts there are two that stand out above the rest: the sobaos pasiegos and the quesada.

The Cantabrian Sea has a great fishing tradition. In this sense, the most representative dishes are bocartes a la casserole, maganos with onions and hake in green sauce.

Squid in Spanish gastronomy is very popular in the capital of Spain and in Andalusia

The tradition of aperitif and tapas among the Spanish is part of the National identity. In regions such as Cantabria, Asturias or the Country Basque, squid are usually eaten as an aperitif. The drink that accompanies the squid can be beer or red wine. In the rest of Spain the word rabas is not used to refer to squid rings.

This product is also consumed in other parts of Spain. Squid sandwiches are very popular in the city of Madrid and in Andalusia squid is one of the favorite ingredients to prepare fried foods.

Photo: Fotolia - skabarcat