GASTRONOMIC ROUTES

TENCH ROUTE

It would be unfair not to mention the tench in a guide of gastronomic routes in Extremadura. This freshwater fish is autochthonous to this region and has the aftertaste of the fresh mud of still waters.

Its enthusiasts say that tench must be eaten fresh, fried and rough, which is in fact the case, although its importance in regional cuisine and the passion felt for it have led to a symphony of flavours in which its meat, particularly that of the larger specimens, provides for a wide variety of recipes.

Over the last few weeks of August, the villages on the route alternate each year to celebrate the Tench Festival, where one the main activities apart from tasting the fish is a cookery contest that has increased the number of possible dishes.

The route is gastronomically extremely rich and varied, including emblematic places of our cuisine and current gastronomy, such as Cáceres, Casar de Cáceres and Alcántara.

Starting in Cáceres, without a doubt the city in Extremadura with the most varied and prestigious range of traditional or innovative cuisine, it is possible to taste several well-known recipes: gazpacho cacereño de lujo (accompanied by game), fried lamb, fried tench and, for dessert, rum babas or fig cake.

Casar de Cáceres is famous worldwide for its sheep’s cheese torta, quite similar to the “Torta de la Serena”, although made from the milk of coarse-wool sheep and not merino sheep and with a slightly milder taste.
In terms of cheese, Torta del Casar is an unique gem that must be tried. Before or after the Torta del Casar, you must try tencas en cacerola (tench casserole) and, for dessert, date cake.

In Brozas pickled potatoes with tench and, in Arroyo de la Luz, moje de tencas (tench casserole), pickled rabbit and guiso de bodas stew before ending with engañabobos.

In Garrovillas, picked tench and chanfaina stew and, in Alcántara, the birthplace of a large part of current Extremadura cuisine, we recommend ajo de bacalao (garlic cod), moje de peces (fish casserole), chick peas with cod and two of the most emblematic recipes of conventual cuisine, Alcántara-style pheasant or partridge.