Cabbage with Garlic and Sardina de Casco (Traditional Salt-Cured Sardine)
The dishes created by Chef Aitor López of El Citrus del Tancat restaurant embody a traditional rural cuisine that draws upon the ingredients provided by the surrounding landscape and makes them the foundation of everyday sustenance. The produce of the market gardens, together with the bounty of the sea and the Ebro Delta, defines the chef’s cooking. Peppers, aubergines and cabbage, alongside sardina de casco and eel in its various forms, such as xapadillo, form the basis of his reinterpretation of these traditional dishes. This reinterpretation remains faithful to the original logic of local consumption while placing particular emphasis on the identity and provenance of ingredients in their most authentic local form.
VIDEO RECIPE
Method
The cabbage is finely shredded and cooked slowly in a frying pan with a small amount of olive oil. During cooking, it is covered so that it releases its own moisture and does not burn, thereby preventing any bitterness from developing. It is cooked gently over a low heat until deeply browned, almost caramelised, at which point the cabbage develops its full depth of flavour and its texture is transformed completely.
This base is topped with a pil-pil sauce made primarily from sardines, to which a small amount of fish suquet is added to give it greater body and depth. The pil-pil is prepared by infusing the heads and bones of sardina de casco in the fish stock, thereby intensifying the flavour and highlighting this deeply traditional product, renowned for its distinctive salty and robust character.
The sardina de casco is carefully prepared by cleaning it thoroughly, removing the scales and bones, and leaving it ready to serve. Smoked sardine is also incorporated to provide a contrasting flavour and lend a more contemporary touch to the dish, while preserving the essence of the traditional recipe. The gentle smoking, carried out using wood, adds both aroma and depth to the overall composition.
The dish is assembled by placing the trinxat at the base and coating it with the sardine-infused pil-pil sauce. Small pieces of sardina de casco and smoked sardine are then arranged on top. This combination offers a reinterpretation of a traditional local dish—cabbage with sardina de casco—preserving its character while presenting it in a more contemporary way. Finally, the dish is finished with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, preferably a locally produced Arbequina variety, which adds aroma and balance to the overall composition.
