Gastronomy in Huelva: from the sea to the land

Huelva’s gastronomy is based on a fusion of products that vary from the inland to the coast. Thus, we could say that Huelva’s cuisine is seafood in the south, while in the interior it is oriented to Iberian pork products and mushrooms, and in El Andévalo region to game and lamb.

And that’s right, because in Huelva you can enjoy in one place the most delicious white shrimps or eat the best Iberian ham in the world.

The climate of this province of Andalusia, with its 3200 hours of sunshine a year, makes life in the open air easier and of course, the immense enjoyment of tapas! On a terrace overlooking the sea or in any of its white villages, accompanied by a glass of Condado wine.

Here are two star products from Huelva which, like the rest of the Andalusian provinces, stand out for their delicious gastronomy based upon the quality of its products.

It’s important to note that both of them can be eaten by hand with the pleasure that comes with it.

El Jamón de Jabugo or The Jabugo cured ham

The ham deserves a separate chapter when we talk about the gastronomy of Huelva, because saying Jamón PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) Jabugo is equivalent to saying Iberian Ham. Already at the end of the 16th century Lope de Vega wrote in his verses that “in the seventeen villages of the famous Sierra de Aracena hams were produced by the inhabitants of this town”.

The flavour of the Sierra de Aracena and Picos de Aroche, the microclimatic conditions and the feed based on acorns and natural grasses in the pastures during the montanera period impregnates these hams from 100% black Iberian pigs and gives them an extraordinary flavour, texture and aroma.

The truth is that, once you try this delicacy, you get an instant hit. This is due to the fact that it has the 5th taste or “Umami”, which induces salivation and causes a velvety sensation on the tongue that stimulates the throat, the back of the mouth and the palate.

There is no more irresistible and tasty combination than a dish of Jabugo ham paired with a good glass of wine.

And it doesn’t all end up on the palate. Apart from being a natural and highly nutritious product, Jabugo ham is also known to have healthy properties. It’s beneficial to combat certain diseases such as osteoporosis and arteriosclerosis, as well as containing oleic acid and unsaturated fats, what many call the good cholesterol, as it helps to lower LDL levels.

La gamba blanca de Huelva or Huelva’s white shrimp

We continue with Huelva’s gastronomy and we go from the inland to the coast and to the best shrimp in the world: la gamba blanca de Huelva.

Captured in the Atlantic waters of the coastal areas of Huelva, what differentiates Huelva’s shrimp from the rest of its species is its intense but at the same time delicate flavour, full of sea and its freshness and juiciness.

The best way to eat them is to boil them – in just three minutes – but they are also delicious in a brothy rice of prawns or in a good shrimp salad, whose trick is to cook the potatoes in the same water in which the shrimps have been cooked.

On the other hand, just like ham, they are very healthy as they are rich in protein, vitamins and minerals such as phosphorus, calcium and iron which makes them perfect for people with anemia.

One of the best places to taste them is in the fishing village of Isla Cristina, 5 minutes from AMA Residences Andalucía, as the catch arrives directly at its port.

The gastronomy of the Costa de la Luz

We will devote another post to this topic but just to get a taste of it we can say that the cuisine of the coast tastes like the sea and from Isla Cristina to El Terrón – a few minutes from AMA Residences Andalusia – we can taste the most delicious fishes that arrive daily at its fishing port: cuttlefish, “coquinas”, “acedías”, soles, sea bass, sardines … and especially tuna.