Typical Recipes
MAHÓN
Typical dishes of Menorcan gastronomy
Typical Recipes
Lobster Stew
750g of ripe tomato, one onion, two cloves of garlic, a piece of green pepper, oil, parsley, 2 kg of lobster, the necessary amount of salt, and cognac.
Once the lobster and other solid ingredients are properly chopped, place everything in a pot with salt and six soup plates of water, and boil over high heat for thirty to forty minutes, at which point it should be cooked. Once ready, add a minced mixture (picada), previously prepared with the lobster roe, three cloves of garlic, parsley, an egg yolk, and a little water, all well combined, taking care to mix it well with the contents of the pot. Another way to improve the flavor is to sauté the lobster slightly with oil, then use that same oil to sauté the other ingredients, and from there add the water and the lobster, allowing it all to boil together for half an hour before adding the mentioned minced mixture and a glass of cognac. Serve the hot broth first over slices of bread already in the bowls, and for the second course, eat the lobster accompanied by our popular mayonnaise. It is acceptable to use one's fingers to get to the delicious flesh, especially in the legs.
Mahón Cheese
The "Guide to Spanish Cheeses" defines Mahón cheese as: "Cheese made from cow's milk, occasionally mixed with very small percentages of sheep's milk. Parallelepiped in shape, with rounded edges and corners, a compact rind, and a variable color between yellowish-white and brownish-yellow. With a very compact, white or yellowish paste, possessing a distinct aroma and flavor. Its 'eyes' (holes) are found in the center of the matte and irregular-looking mass..." This rigorous definition says little about the subtle finesse of the flavor of a young piece or the aromatic depth of a cured cheese. The quality of Menorca cheeses is unique. Its flavor is what only artisanal cheeses can fully offer, made with traditional care and now protected by the designation of origin. The cheese-making tradition of Menorca is ancient. In the 5th century, a pastoral letter from Bishop Severus cites "caseum" as food for the Menorcans. An old document from 1360 relates how Menorca offered cheese to Kings James I and Peter II. During the 15th century, Italian merchants were responsible for exporting it to other lands. An excellent combination of rain, humidity, and pastures—pastures that give Menorca the greenery that is the best and most lush setting for the peaceful life of its cows—is the foundation of the cheese's quality. Traditionally, the cheese-making process, which can result in mild, cured, or aged cheese depending on the time, is carried out by the "madonas" (farm women), following an ancestral rite or formula that requires the process to begin immediately after milking, which aids coagulation. In short, it is a delight for the most demanding palate and an important source of income for the island's economy.
Mayonnaise
Two cloves of garlic, two egg yolks, oil, salt, and a little vinegar or lemon juice.
Place the minced garlic cloves, yolks, and salt in the container, whisking vigorously and without stopping while adding a thin stream of good oil until the desired consistency is reached, at which point a spoonful of vinegar or lemon juice can be added. It is very useful for accompanying appetizers, salads, lobster, and other fish, as well as grilled meats, etc. If using a blender, you can include the egg whites.
All i Oli
Six cloves of garlic, oil, and salt.
Once the garlic cloves are crushed, place them in a blender container with salt, and blend while slowly drizzling in good oil until it thickens; this must be done firmly to prevent the sauce from breaking. It can be improved by mixing in an egg yolk. It goes well with many foods, especially snails.
Angel Hair Jam
Ingredients for 4 jars: one pumpkin weighing one kilo three hundred grams (angel hair pumpkin). 1 kilo of sugar. One grated lemon peel.
Cut the pumpkin in two and put it in a large pot. Cover with cold water and place the pot over high heat. Let it boil until the pulp (when scratched with a wooden fork) comes out in thick threads. Let cool and drain. Scrape all the pulp out with a wooden fork until you reach the rind, which should be clean without any trace of pulp. Discard the seeds. Place the angel hair in a clay pot with the sugar and the grated lemon peel. Place the pot over high heat. Stir often with a wooden spatula. It sticks easily. When it starts to boil, lower the heat and continue cooking very slowly. On the first day, cook for one hour. Let rest all night. On the second day, cook for half an hour. Rest all night. On the third day, cook for ten minutes. Pack into very clean glass jars while the angel hair is still slightly warm. Cover the jam with a circle of white paper dipped in alcohol. Close the jar with a paper cover, secured with a rubber band or a lid. NOTE: If the angel hair is to be eaten within fifteen days, the slightly longer cooking time of the first day will be sufficient.
Gin
"Gin" is undoubtedly the most popular drink in Menorca. Connoisseurs know that by the end of the Middle Ages, the use of stills to obtain what the mystics and alchemists of the time called "aqua vitae" began to gain popularity. Known since Galen's time are the beneficial effects of juniper for the kidneys; so much so that old pharmacopeia used products like juniper honey or wine boiled with juniper berries. From "aqua vitae," they moved on to "aqua juniperi," the result of distilling alcohol with juniper berries. The invention was a resounding success under the reign of King William III of England. The abuses were so great that the English Parliament passed the "Gin Act" in 1736, prohibiting the distillation and consumption of gin, the name the drink had received. It is more likely that the British, settled in Menorca since 1708, ignored the prohibition and continued to distill the gin for their own consumption, taking advantage of the distance from the metropolis. The fact is that, since those remote dates, gin has been a traditional and popular drink on the island. Menorcan gin, clearly distinct from other gins possibly because it is made with grape wine alcohol rather than cereal, is flavored with beautiful, shiny juniper berries, which provides that unforgettable, fine, and penetrating flavor that is clean and smooth. Menorcans, perhaps to increase the number of occasions to enjoy their gin, lower its strength by mixing it with a little soda and adding a piece of lemon peel: the result is called a "pellofa" and is delicious as an appetizer. During popular festivals, it is customary to drink gin with lemonade, the famous "pomada."