The cooks of Sils
Sils is an unobtrusive village between Barcelona and the French border, with about 3000 inhabitants, a secluded pond on the outskirts, a stately plane tree promenade in the center and pine forests all around. Everyone understands Spanish, but hardly anyone speaks it. Because here, in the heart of Catalonia, you talk Català together.
Fifteen years ago, the community organized a meal in honor of the local seniors. The councilor Francisco Anoro, called Xicu (and pronounced Chiku), was sitting late at night with a group of grandmothers who were passionately talking about the best way to prepare the green peppers of the area. In the course of the discussion, one historical recipe after another was revealed. In the end, Anoro decided to call the women together on a regular basis to create a sort of culinary encyclopedia of the place. For a year, 18 experts met in a two-week rhythm and supplemented the mutual detailed knowledge. After all, all that was missing was the photos of all the recorded dishes. So a big banquet was organized.
47 women cook for Sils
Forty-seven women (and two men) cooked each of the previously agreed recipes, and the whole village ate. The photographer took great pictures, and the initiative was hugely successful. The "Cuineres de Sils", the cooks of Sils, were born. A first cookbook was created. A press conference was called. Brave housewives suddenly gave interviews, and their husbands remained amazed? sometimes jealous, sometimes proud? in the background. The television visited the cooks, bringing them together with Catalan three-star chefs such as Ferran Adrià or Carme Ruscalleda. The Cuineres were invited to culinary congresses and carried their casseroles to festivals throughout Catalonia. They presented their specialties for a week at Barcelona's Hotel Ritz and cooked politicians in Madrid.
Nobody can earn with the "Cuina a Sils". Who belongs to it, does it out of passion, not because of the money. Yet, or perhaps because of that, 90 women, most of them of retirement age, and a handful of chef-inspired men belong to the club today. You have now published three books. Carmen Barrios is one of the most active and comes to about 30 missions a year. Since she is one of the 18 founding mothers, she also has long been the badge of honor of the Association, a full-size papier mache doll, which represents a smiling country woman with a basket of vegetables under her arm. After ten years in the club, after dozens of rich casseroles, after hundreds of hours at the stove and numerous trips. The doll is standing in the living room, where her husband is watching television with his legs up.
First to the barber, then to the kitchen
Next door in the kitchen Carmen puts meatballs to fry in the casserole with 40 centimeters in diameter, which she has specially purchased for the Cuina a Sils. She prepares for the Sopar Gastronòmic, the big feast that the cooks organize once a year in the village. A banquet with dancing, to which more than 500 people come to taste the nearly hundred homemade casseroles. For this she prepares a classic of Catalan cuisine: "octopus with meatballs and peas". Carmen lets the dish in the mighty gravy pass through overnight. The next morning she makes another, smaller casserole for the kids' table and besides? like all ? a tortilla as a starter. In the afternoon before the party she will have an appointment with the hairdresser. "You will not recognize me," she says with a smug smile. Then she takes care of the picada.
Experiments are taboo in the cooking club
The Picada is the magic element of many Catalan dishes. Hardly any of the casseroles from Sils do without this sauce, for which you grind almonds and hazelnuts, garlic, parsley and some dry white bread. If there is a hint of cinnamon in the mixture, if saffron is essential, how it stands with walnuts and pine nuts, if biscuits are better than dry bread, if you should liquefy the sauce with wine vinegar, wine or water? this can be argued in Sils long.
Rosa Ciurana prepares a fish pan for the big party, with picada of course, with different fish and prawns and also with a few potatoes. "That's what the fishermen needed at that time to get full. I would rather have renounced that.? Rosa does not want to come in the Ruch, she might even stretch her Suquet de Peix with potatoes to save on the fish. That was quite common at the time. Today it is no longer necessary. Rosa, however, is committed to tradition? and the specifications.
Traditional cuisine is not for nervous minds.
Because the Cuina a Sils does not modernize any recipes.She cooks traditional rural Sunday cuisine. Only a few innovations are accepted: For example, to replace the traditional lard in the pan with olive oil; or occasionally use a blender instead of a mortar. Otherwise: no experiments, no shortcuts, no finished products. That can be tedious at times. "But who wants to cook traditionally, just needs patience," says the Cuinere Josefa Muñoz, "this is not for hurried or nervous minds, angelic patience is the one and only."
Josefa is also in the middle of the preparations for the festival. As calm as she is persevering, she stirs tiny onion cubes in a large casserole. Conxita Gómez, the second expert on the stove, nods in agreement as she turns Catalan salsa into salsa and then fumes. She takes a look at the sofregit, a leisurely simmering tomato and onion sauce that, like the picada, belongs to almost every dish.
Usually, the two are not together at the stove. But at the festival they help each other. Finally, many guests are expected, even from Madrid? although the capital is a good 500 kilometers away. "Fans of our recent trip," says Xicu Anoro, the group's tireless coordinator, volunteer in action like everyone else.
Chance determines what the guests get to eat
This year, Anoro also runs as mayor of the village. In case of victory he would have one more honorary post. The cooks of Sils definitely choose him. "Without Xicu, the group would not exist at all - or not anymore." Everyone thinks that way or something similar. He himself says, "I used to study for the priesthood, which helps me now, because it takes sensibility to keep the group peace." When trench warfare threatens, Anoro simply puts the opponents on their next trip to the same hotel room. "Some people have to go to the parade, but others have to help overcome their shyness." For some still find it very strange that they ask them for a podium, suddenly hold out a microphone or direct a camera at their casserole. And many are still excited to serve up one of their standard family meals to strangers.
On the evening of the next day all casseroles are brought to the festival hall. The hall has long since been set up, the tables are set, and there are two dozen large gas stoves waiting in the storerooms to reheat the 94 received dishes. Volunteers from a nearby hotel school have taken over the service in the fully occupied hall. Randomness decides what the guests get and what table is first. From there it goes in turn: On each table are finally two different casseroles, for example, "rabbit with snails? and? monkfish with mushrooms? or? pig's feet with Norway lobster? and? stockfish with pine nuts and raisins ?. The cooks peer through the hall. You try to find out where your own casserole went? and if it tastes good too. The guests also throw curious glances into the pots of the neighboring table. Everywhere is tasted. And much praised. At the end is also pastries enough? self-made, of course. But it is only sparsely frugal. Because soon the band starts to play, and the dance floor fills up.
Dozens of flower-printed blouses and dresses weighed through the center of the room. It's not until two o'clock in the morning that the hall empties slowly. On the way home there is a chat: about the food, the guests and the next casserole that you want to send on trips.
I have not eaten such delicious for 40 years.
The Cuina a Sils is a great tribute to the folk cuisine. Here no extra fine ingredient, no refined composition serves a spoiled palate. Here a lovingly prepared family pot meets a hearty table society. One enjoys the hearty food and at the same time has the feeling that it also tastes a little bit safe. Because in these courts something is preserved from the hard country life of earlier times: Such opulent food was always the exception? and therefore a special happiness. The nicest and most accurate praise for the cooks are therefore words like those of an elderly lady from Madrid: "I have not tasted such delicious for forty years? since my grandmother died.?
Recipe Sofregit
Meatballs: 11? 2 stale bread rolls, 3 garlic cloves, 1 bunch of parsley, 1 kg mixed minced meat, 4 eggs, salt, freshly ground pepper; 50g of rolling flour, 10 tablespoons of olive oil; Sofregit: 1 large onion, 1 kg of tomatoes, 800 ml of broth, 750 g of ready-to-eat seafood (squid pieces, shrimp or similar), 500 g of frozen peas;
picada: 1 slice of toasted bread, 30 g peeled almonds, 4 stalks of parsley, 3 garlic cloves? For the meatballs: Soak the rolls in cold water. Peel off garlic and chop. Rinse the parsley, shake dry and chop the leaves.Mix the minced meat, eggs, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. ? From the meat dough with wet hands form about 36 balls and roll into flour. Slowly fry the meatballs in two portions in the hot oil around for about 10 minutes. Remove. ? For Sofregit: Peel onion and dice. Brew tomatoes with hot water, rinse off cold, skin and cut small, removing the stalk. ? Heat 8 tablespoons of fried meat (from the meatballs) in a wide casserole. Fry the onion in a glassy sauce. Add tomatoes and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes. ? Add meat stock and bring to a boil. Rinse off the seafood, pat dry and, if necessary, cut into small pieces. Peas and seafood in the hot Sofregit and depending on the type of seafood for 10 to 15 minutes stew. ? For the Picada: Dice the toast. In a frying pan, first toast the almonds, then toss bread cubes. Rinse the parsley, shake dry and peel off the leaves. Remove garlic. ? Crush all prepared ingredients in a mortar or blender. ? Picada and meatballs to Sofregit and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes (the Picada gives flavor and binds the sauce at the same time!). Sofregit with salt and pepper to taste. The recipe, translated from Spanish, comes from a cookbook of the Cuineres of Sils.
