Foods to Eat in Spain - Madrid

- Oreja de Cerdo -

Oreja de Cerdo, also known as Oreja a la Plancha (Plancha meaning grilled on a hot metal surface, not over charcoals) is a common tapas dish in Madrid (and is popular in the neighbouring regions of La Mancha and Andalucía also). This tapas consists of pig's ear (which can either be marinated or grilled as is), cut into slices or cubes and grilled. 

While the general cooking procedure is much the same all over Spain, the accompaniment of Oreja de Cerdo and the way it is served varies widely across the country. Some common, popular sauces include a spicy tomato sauce (Brava sauce, the same sauce used in the popular Patatas Bravas dish) or a garlic and parsley sauce (where it is known as al Ajillo). In certain tapas bars of Madrid, it is popularly served with chopped bacon and mushroom, as well as a wedge of lemon. Another variation native to the Basque region, is a la Vizcaína, whereby it is served with a sauce made from red peppers, onions, stock and a thickening agent such as flour.

Oreja de Cerdo a la Vizcaína

From my personal experience, the best part of Oreja de Cerdo lies in its myriad of textures from the chewy skin to the crunchy cartilage. In terms of taste, like many tapas dishes, the meat adopts the taste of the sauce and so the marinated version has but a small hint of pork whilst the non-marinated version (which I prefer) had a much more in depth meaty flavour, with the slight 'grill burns' further enhancing the flavour and like most tapas, this one also pairs well with a cold Cerveza (beer) or even wine (if you're feeling fancy).

To those that want to know where to try it (if the thought doesn't put you off), try Casa Toni, near the Puerta del Sol. They are well known for their offal dishes (such as Zarajos) as well as Oreja de Cerdo. The pig's ear here is well made as sometimes, the pig's ear can be a bit greasy or sticky. But in Casa Toni, it is nice and crisp on the outside and doesn't feel very heavy at all (as it can be when it isn't prepared as well).

Another tapas bar to go to would be La Oreja de Jaime which is practically next door to Casa Toni and as their name suggests, specialises in pig's ear. They also have about 20 other popular tapas dishes (as well as seafood tapas) and the food there in general is reasonably priced and tastes pretty good. Overall, a good general tapas bar.