Fish and seafood zarzuela. From Barceloneta to Menorca

Bep Al·lès/Ciutadella - Although it is not originally a dish from our gastronomy, fish and seafood zarzuela is a preparation we have adopted and that forms part of our maritime culinary tradition. It appears in several Menorcan cookbooks such as “Cuina de Menorca”by Jaume Fàbrega and Carme Puigvert, and “Sa cuina des poble de Menorca” by Bep Al·lès.

Zarzuela is a refined preparation, one of the great dishes of Catalan cuisine, made with various rock fish and seafood traditionally cooked in a clay pot, although it can also be made in a paella pan, but never in a deep pot. It includes a sofrito and a “picada” (ground mixture), which varies depending on whether it is made in Menorca, Mallorca or mainland Catalonia. Ingredients may include hazelnuts or almonds, crushed biscuits or even dark chocolate.

This visually appealing dish is typical of coastal areas such as Empordà, La Selva, Baix Maestrat, La Plana, Ribera Baixa, Safor, Marina Alta, Barcelona, Northern Catalonia and also the Balearic Islands. It reached Menorca in the 1950s through footwear factory representatives who began ordering it in inns and restaurants in Ciutadella’s ports, gradually becoming part of menus in the 1960s.

In Ciutadella, the zarzuelas prepared by Juan Antonio Moll at “Mare Nostrum” were especially renowned, as well as those at Fonda Faner, Can Diego and Sa Figuera.

In Mahón, Rocamar stood out, where chef Josep Borràs gained great recognition.

Traditionally, zarzuela is a dish for Sundays and festive occasions, shared among family and friends. It was often served during celebrations or when hosting important guests.

Because it is labor-intensive, it has gradually disappeared from many restaurant menus, replaced by grilled seafood, rice dishes and stews, although it can still be found in some traditional seafood restaurants. Today, due to its ingredients, it is considered an expensive dish.

According to chef Manel Marquès, its origin is clearly Barcelona, specifically Barceloneta at the beginning of the 20th century. Ferran Agulló and Jaume Fàbrega suggest it was created in “modernist Barcelona.”

A more luxurious version, known as “Opera,” is made with lobster, increasing its value.

According to Juan Antonio Moll, the keys to a great zarzuela are local, high-quality, varied ingredients: grouper, monkfish, red mullet, scorpionfish, along with mussels, squid, red prawns, Norway lobsters, clams, and a picada with almonds or hazelnuts, saffron and crushed biscuits, plus a good sofrito, olive oil, quality brandy and time at the stove.