# Native dishes of Valencia



## pizzaboy (May 17, 2011)

Can anybody help me with some info about the most delicious treats in Valencia? I am interested in Valencia street food, desserts, drinks, etc.


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## DunWorkin (Sep 2, 2010)

In terms of drinks you could try Horchata (made from ground nuts). I am not keen on it but when the family visit from UK the kids love it.

There is also an orange cake but I cannot remember what it is called.


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## Happyexpat (Apr 4, 2011)

Well of course Paella is the traditional 'peasants' (and I don't mean that in a nasty way) dish. 

To quote "_According to The Paella Company, paella was originally a laborers' meal, cooked over an open fire in the fields and eaten directly from the pan using wooden spoons. Seafood is rare in the fields of Valencia, which is why they used chicken, rabbit, duck and snails. 

According to the La Paella Website, snails were the most commonly used meat as they were cheap; for special occasions rabbit or duck would be added and the well-off would have chicken. Anyone that tries to tell you that the original paella was a seafood dish is wrong._

We still see people in our village just after it has rained going out and collecting snails for their Paella. We are in the middle of our Moors and Christians Fiesta and at dinner last night at the Compasa we had traditional Valencian Paella with Rabbit and snails, excellent!

As for drinks I guess it would have to be Horchata made from Chufa - Tiger nut. It is not strictly a Valencian drink as it has been around since the times of Eygpt but it ihas been accepted here for 100's of years as a local summer drink. Actually I am told it is also now heavily drunk in America and Mexico.

Finally for sweets and ice cream it has to be Turron. True Turron (made from Almonds) is only available from a town in Valencia called Jijona, sometimes spelt xixona. It is made into Fudge, Brittle, Ice cream, sauces etc. It is very sweet but superb, just don't eat it if you are on a diet!It was first produced, they think by the Moors who settled here. Info can be found on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turrón

Valencians are very proud of the origins of Paella and in particular Turron.


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## littleredrooster (Aug 3, 2008)

Paella, paella and more paella, oh yes and the turron.

Can't say I'm greatly impressed with the traditional snail, rabbit or sometimes pigeon paellas or with any of the others Valencian style come to that.

I don't know if it's down to the huge quantities of oil they use or the type of rice but it always lies on my stomach like a block of lead for hours afterwards.
Had much better paellas at numerous other places and much easier on the stomach.

Much the same with the turron which is too heavy and rich for my liking.
However everyone to there own.


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## djfwells (Sep 28, 2009)

I prefer Puxero to Paella.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

I love _horchata amb fartons_ - horchata as described by DunWorkin with fartons to dip into it - a sort of finger/sausage shaped sweet bread










I don't know if _fideua_ is particularly valencian - but I love it, & some days prefer it to paella - & I really love paella!


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## chrisnation (Mar 2, 2009)

*Arroz al Horno*

My pal Fernando, from Xativa, Valencia, is very proud of the local dish arroz al horno. In fact, Xativa as a whole is so proud of this local speciality that they have an annual festival of same.

It's a baked rice dish. In a frying pan you brown off some pork ribs and an onion, chuck in some thick slices of morcilla, then some sliced potatoes which have had some time sauteing in o/oil, tomatoes and chick peas. In a deep casserole dish or similar, add rice as per however many servings, cover generously with water [preferrably + chicken stock], pile in the chicken, morcilla and stuff, stir it all up, bung it in a medium hot oven for about an hour.

And here's one that Fernando made earlier. He's a stickler for tradition, Fernando. He won't eat vegetables so he makes this dish according to the Xativa recipe - and then extracts the tomatoes and chickpeas. He's also appalled if you suggest chorizo or seafood in paella. Funny lad..


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

chrisnation said:


> My pal Fernando, from Xativa, Valencia, is very proud of the local dish arroz al horno. In fact, Xativa as a whole is so proud of this local speciality that they have an annual festival of same.
> 
> It's a baked rice dish. In a frying pan you brown off some pork ribs and an onion, chuck in some thick slices of morcilla, then some sliced potatoes which have had some time sauteing in o/oil, tomatoes and chick peas. In a deep casserole dish or similar, add rice as per however many servings, cover generously with water [preferrably + chicken stock], pile in the chicken, morcilla and stuff, stir it all up, bung it in a medium hot oven for about an hour.
> 
> And here's one that Fernando made earlier. He's a stickler for tradition, Fernando. He won't eat vegetables so he makes this dish according to the Xativa recipe - and then extracts the tomatoes and chickpeas. He's also appalled if you suggest chorizo or seafood in paella. Funny lad..


That looks brilliant - it should go in our recipes thread! What is the stock-to-rice ratio? I'd worry about it drying out. Does it have a lid on so the rice cooks in the steam (like a biriani)?


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## chrisnation (Mar 2, 2009)

*Arroz al Horno*



Alcalaina said:


> That looks brilliant - it should go in our recipes thread! What is the stock-to-rice ratio? I'd worry about it drying out. Does it have a lid on so the rice cooks in the steam (like a biriani)?


Oh gawd! I can't remember if you put the lid on. I think [but you must check] that you leave it off. It takes ages to cook, so the oven is not on a high setting. Same with the rice/stock ratio.... It's a bit like paella in so far as it's a combo of the rice absorbing the stock and being cooked off. There are recipes for this out there on the web. Or I can ask Fernando!

I said that Fernando was a stickler for tradition - well, so is his mum. She is from Almeria and _never_ makes paella because paella is not from Almeria. But she makes A al H all the time because it comes from the very town where she now lives.

Bit limiting, that. I've had a load of chicken tikka marinating in the fridge for this past 24 hrs now. I was born in Catterick Camp Military Hospital, Yorkshire. I'll cook anything.


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## littleredrooster (Aug 3, 2008)

chrisnation said:


> My pal Fernando, from Xativa, Valencia, is very proud of the local dish arroz al horno. In fact, Xativa as a whole is so proud of this local speciality that they have an annual festival of same.
> 
> It's a baked rice dish. In a frying pan you brown off some pork ribs and an onion, chuck in some thick slices of morcilla, then some sliced potatoes which have had some time sauteing in o/oil, tomatoes and chick peas. In a deep casserole dish or similar, add rice as per however many servings, cover generously with water [preferrably + chicken stock], pile in the chicken, morcilla and stuff, stir it all up, bung it in a medium hot oven for about an hour.
> 
> And here's one that Fernando made earlier. He's a stickler for tradition, Fernando. He won't eat vegetables so he makes this dish according to the Xativa recipe - and then extracts the tomatoes and chickpeas. He's also appalled if you suggest chorizo or seafood in paella. Funny lad..



Arroz al horno is fairly common in the menu del dias around here, though it does vary a bit from one place to the next.

Three course menu del dias with a bottle of wine are still available from 5 euros and upwards, though the 5 euro ones are often advertised as crisis menus now.


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