XATÓ

Xató, which is eaten during the winter, is a dish with escarole, cod, tuna, anchovies and olives rubbed with xató sauce, which is an romesco sauce. It is served with artichoke, green bean or black sausage omelets, among other dishes.

There are many theories which try to explain the origin of this dish, but what can be said is that it is a dish with roots in the table of those from El Vendrell. It is for this reason that the restaurants in the area include it on their menus throughout the whole year.

The recipe to prepare a xató for four people is as follows:
Ingredients for the sauce:
- 100 grams of almonds
- 80 grams of hazelnuts
- ½ blanched onion
- ½ head blanched garlic
- 1 blanched "ñora" red pepper
- 3 blanched tomatoes
- 1 slice of fried bread
- oil, salt, vinegar, red pepper and black pepper

Ingredients for the dish:
- 2 heads of escarole
- 120 grams of cod
- 120 grams of tuna
- 4 anchovy fillets
- 80 grams arbequina olives

The preparation

Put salt in a mortar and grind the ingredients in the following order: almonds and hazelnuts until a fine paste is formed: then add the blanched and skinned ñora pepper, the onion, the red pepper, a pinch of black pepper and the fried bread. Finally, the garlic, the tomato, the oil and the vinegar. Once the sauce is finished it is mixed with cleaned and well-drained escarole. Let it sit for a few hours. Upon serving, the dish is decorated with the cod, the tuna, the anchovy fillets and the arbequin olives. It is now ready to eat, always accompanied by artichoke, green bean or black sausage omelets, among other types.

With the arrival of Carnival, the "Xatonada Popular" is celebrated on the Rambla del Vendrell with the Competition of the Master "Xatonaires" and the Exhibition of the Youth "Xatonaires".

In this deeply rooted village festival, anyone who wishes to try this delicious El Vendrell dish has an open invitation.

Questions:

The mediterranean diet is considered to be one of the healthiest, most
varied and appetizing.

—1. What food is characteristic of the mediterranean diet?

—2. Is 'xato' a representative dish of this diet?

—3. Does 'xato' improve your/one's quality of life?

—4. What other typical dishes can be recommended to tourists?

—5. How can Vendrell's gastronomy be promoted?

Xató del Vendrell. Web: El Vendrell Municipal Tourism Board