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6 Mallorcan dishes you can make at home

Mallorca is the largest amongst the 4 Balearic Islands and makes a great holiday destination. Sun and sand aside, the gastronomic scene of this island is also something you should look forward to during your Mallorcan holiday. The island’s cuisine mainly features pork, spices and plenty of olive oil. In this article, we will give you some pointers on some of the local food you should not miss out. These are simple yet delicious and can be easily whipped up at home if you crave for some Mallorcan flavours.

1) Sobrasada: Mallorcan spreadable sausage

If you are a fan of sausages, you can’t miss sobrasada, a type of sausage made of minced pork, bacon, paprika, salt and spices, Sobrasada is tasty, spicy and addictive. The ingredients are combined and stuffed into pig’s innards, then cured for at least 40 days. The dish is soft, has a pate-like consistency and is usually served as a toast spread. This savoury snack is best accompanied with a cold beer or some local cheese and a honey.

2) Tumbet

Fresh, simple yet delightful, tumbet can easily turn anyone into a vegetable lover! The dish is quite similar to France’s ratatouille. It is made with eggplant, potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, garlic, onions and olive oil. It’s easy to make at home since it doesn’t require special ingredients, so you can learn the recipe and bring some Mallorcan flavour back home. To make tumbet, thinly slice your vegetables, then lightly fry them  in olive oil one by one until fully cooked, then put on paper towel to drain excess oil. Once you have fried the vegetables, assemble them in a baking dish like how you would lasagna and bake in the oven. Tumbet makes a lovely side dish or a vegetarian entree. You can enjoy it with toast or pair with a meat or fish dish.

3) Coca Mallorquina

Coca is another highlight of Mallorcan cuisines. Simply explained, it’s flatbread baked with vegetables toppings, so many tend to refer to it as “Mallorcan pizza”. Coca is often enjoyed as a snack, so you can easily find single serving of this bready dish at the local bakeries. The toppings vary from season to season, depending on what’s available at the time. A great way to make use of the local produce indeed!

4) Sopas Mallorquinas

Sopas Mallorquinas is a traditional soup that can be found in any Mallorcan home. It’s a type of dense, warm, hearty soup that’s the perfect go-to option on chilly days. The soup is made from seasonal produce, meat and botifarron, a type of Mallorcan blood sausage. Simply stir-fry finely chopped onions, add in your chopped vegetables and meat of choice, broth and simmer until cooked through. Sopas Mallorquinas is served with thinly sliced toasted bread and a good drizzle of high-quality olive oil. It’s a cosy dish that you can learn easily and make your own version at home. The key is to make good use of seasonal ingredients and good olive oil.

5) Tapas

Mentioning Spanish food, the image of tasty tapas immediately pops up in our mind. The name of this type of food comes from the word “tapar”, meaning “to cover”. In the medieval time, when people had a drink, they would place a slice of bread and ham on their glass to protect the drink from flies. Tapas can be eaten at any time of the day as a snack and is also a great bar food. You can find plenty of excellent tapas bars in Mallorca. Options can be as simple as salami and cheese spread to the finest gourmet creations. To make tapas at home, you can start with the basic: toasted bread, cheese and ham, or simply dip crispy toasts in extra virgin olive oil. The world of tapas is wide and diverse, so you have plenty of room to explore and be creative.

6) Arroz Brut

In the Mallorqui language, Arroz Brut means “dirty rice”, and it’s the Mallorcan’s way to express their love with rice. This dish is made of rice, meat and seasonal vegetables. The traditional version uses rabbit or chicken liver, but you can use any type of meat, depending what’s available at your local store. The rice is cooked with an excessive amount of water, which is then seasoned to make a tasty broth. Then various spices and meat will be added to give the rice its flavour and aroma. Delish!

Peter Ranson

Peter has been a keen blogger and amateur food critic for over 20 years.  When eating and drink Peter loves spending time with his family and friends.

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