Paella is one of Spain's signature dishes.
Spain's cuisine reflects its long history of war, invasion and conquest. The Greeks, Celts, Romans and Moors all laid claim to the country and brought with them a variety of culinary influences that still echo in the different types of food common in Spain today.
Paella
Possibly the most well-known Spanish dish is paella, a rice stew that has its origins in Valencia on the Mediterranean coast. Rice is the main ingredient of the dish, which has many variations. Paella may include chicken, shellfish, sausage, vegetables and rabbit. The dish is further flavored with garlic, wine, onion and broth. Saffron adds both color and flavor.
Tortilla Española
Tortilla española, or tortilla de patata, is a popular potato omelet that Spaniards slice like a pie and eat cold or hot for any meal and often as a "tapa" in between. It contains eggs along with potatoes sliced thin, pan-fried and flavored with onions.
Gazpacho
Gazpacho is a chilled tomato soup. It contains fresh or canned tomatoes, green pepper, cucumber, white onion and garlic. The cook places the ingredients in a blender and purees them. The soup is flavored with red wine vinegar, sugar and tarragon. It has its origins in the southern part of Spain.
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