Destination of Focus: Barcelona
The dynamic nature of Barcelona’s restaurant scene mirrors the energy and identity of the city itself. Just as residents celebrate the eclectic mix of past and present architecturally, so too do they embrace the combination of cutting edge cuisine and traditional fare that exists in its dining culture. After indulging in the classic flavors of Catalan cooking, you will find yourself craving the tastes once you return home.
To satisfy this longing for Barcelona’s food, our menu focuses on tapas—small plates with big flavors—that you and friends can savor over wine as the weather heats up and days get longer. This feature covers our crema catalana recipe:
Crema Catalana Recipe:
Crema Catalana is Barcelona’s take on crème brûlée—thick custard is laced with cinnamon, lemon or orange before sugar is “burnt” on top, traditionally under an iron broiler. Our version combines cinnamon and lemon zest, and should be made ahead of time—the longer you allow it to chill, the stronger the flavors will develop.
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
1 ¼ cups whole milk
¾ cup heavy cream
½ tablespoon lemon zest
1 vanilla bean
2 cinnamon sticks
1 cup superfine sugar
4 egg yolks
Directions:
Add milk, heavy cream, lemon zest, 1/3-cup sugar and cinnamon sticks to a heavy saucepan. Slice vanilla bean in half, scrape out seeds, and then add both seeds and bean to the pan. Turn heat to medium-high, and stir consistently so the milk does not burn, until mixture comes to a boil. Turn the heat off, and remove vanilla bean and cinnamon sticks.
Whisk eggs in medium-sized bowl. Add ¼ cup of milk mixture to eggs and stir. Gradually add the rest of the milk mixture to bowl and continue stirring.
Fill a saucepan with 3 inches of water. Bring to a simmer, and then place the bowl containing the milk/egg mixture inside, so that it is partially submerged. Whisk constantly until the mixture thickens, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the bowl carefully, and evenly distribute between 4 ramekins.
In a small saucepan, add the remaining sugar and 2/3-cup water. On medium-low heat, stir continuously until a dark brown caramel forms. Pour caramel uniformly over each ramekin. Cover the ramekins with saran wrap and refrigerate for at least three hours before serving.
