MOONINSPAIN

Inspired by my recent travels and past articles here on Mooninspain.

Another of my favorite refreshing dishes from Andalucia is Ajoblanco (translates to white garlic). Ajoblanco is originally made from mashed almonds, garlic, olive oil, and bread. It is garnished with white grapes or sometimes melon. The use of almonds in this dish reflects the Muslim and Jewish cultures who frequently used almonds in their cuisine. . Every September there is a festival to celebrate Ajoblanco in the town of Almáchar, Malaga. Here you can enjoy all the Ajoblanco you can drink, along with the. moscatel grapes from this area that are harvested in September and October.

At the restaurant and tapas bar Arte Cozina, in Antequera, the chef celebrates the origin of the local dishes from the time of Al-Andalus. Along with the traditional ajoblanco, they also offer an Ajoblanco made from dried fava beans. Instead of the white grapes, they garnished it with a frozen slice of prickly pear fruit.

The substitution of dried fava beans for almonds was common after the civil war when almonds were too expensive for most people. Fresh fava beans are a staple in Andalucia, often sautéed with bits of serrano ham or served in their pods during Spring festivals such as Las Cruces de Mayo.

In Southern Spain, during the summer months through early fall, you can purchase the peeled prickly pear fruit from street vendors. Thus making it a perfect seasonal garnish to this unique ajoblanco.

Stay tuned for Part 3 where you will meet Ajoblanco’s delicious cousins.

Feel free to reminisce with me viewing my video about Antequera.