Legumes are a fixture in many types of diets, and although we often associate legume dishes with local and traditional Spanish cuisine, you may not have thought that this valuable ingredient is grown in Spain. Not only that, high-quality legumes are produced, with currently eight legumes with a Protected Geographical Indication and four legumes with a Protected Designation of Origin. We usually associate these quality indicators with luxury products, but humble products like legumes also deserve this kind of distinction.
The goal of consuming local produce can also be achieved when we apply it to our legumes. Not only will we get a better result in our recipes, but we will also be supporting local businesses. These are the 11 types of legumes that carry the Spanish seal of quality and classification, and are ideal for winter stews.
Bean
Beans are, by far, one of the legumes that can offer the most variations in their appearance. Painted in white, both large and small, their many shapes and textures mean that in our country there are a total of seven with the seal of quality and the Spanish label:
- Mongetta del Junxit: This is a medium-sized white variety native to Catalonia, grown in the El Valles and El Maresme regions. It is easily recognized by its flat, kidney-like shape, with one end ending in a hook-like shape. It has a smooth, persistent flavour, and is highly creamy. Its soft and smooth texture, thanks to the thinness of its skin, makes it an ideal legume for stews and cold salads. On April 23, 2007, the Catalan government granted it a Protected Designation of Origin, and in 2012 the European Union protected its geographical location.
- Fiesoles de Santa Pau: Another Catalan bean, very different from Mongita del Junxet. It has a small, round shape, with a thin, shiny skin. Once cooked, they are very soft in texture, very slightly floury and soft. It is a variety that was on the verge of extinction in the last third of the twentieth century, in favor of milk or corn production in areas where it was traditionally grown. In the early 1990s, the initiative of some Santa Pau farmers saved this bean, and in 2015, Santa Pau beans gained PDO name recognition. It is an essential part of various traditional Catalan dishes, such as butifarra esparacada, which is prepared by breaking – or in other words, sawing – butifarra.
- La Paneza Leon Beans: This is an umbrella term that includes different local varieties of beans (cinnamon, planchetta, kidney, and pinto). It is grown in a total of 98 municipalities in the province of León belonging to the agricultural regions of Astorga, El Páramo, Isla Campos, La Bañeza, La Cabrera and Terras de León, as well as in 20 municipalities in the district of Benavente los Valles in the Zamora province neighboring the former province.
- Beans from El Barco de Ávila: Without leaving Castilla y León, we find beans from El Barco de Ávila. There are multiple cultivars within this protected geographical indication (kidney white, round white, cedar, iron, round purple, long purple and barko bean). The production area of these legumes corresponds to the agricultural area called Parco de Avila-Piedraheta, which also extends to the city of Eltegado in the province of Salamanca, adjacent to this area and with the same agro-climatic characteristics.
- Faba asturiana: Possibly one of the most famous appellation of origin among legumes, with its oblong, oblong shape, and milky white color. In the mouth it is neither floury nor buttery, making it the queen of spoon dishes.
- Faba de Lorenza: It is a Galician bean from the local variety known as Faba Galica. It is distinguished by its thin skin and its ability to absorb water. When cooked, the grains are kept whole and whole. Traditionally, it is prepared in traditional Galician broth, in fabadas, with clams, mussels or octopus.
- Anguiano Bean: Native to La Rioja. Among the legumes, it has the most recent Protected Designation of Origin, as the Anguiano Bean Growers Association was not created until early 2013. It is a very bright pinto red colour, with a relatively thin skin considering its colour. In the mouth, it has a very pleasant, smooth and buttery texture.
Lentils
Lentils are a secretive and versatile legume that is easy to incorporate into many dishes. With many colors and shapes, this legume has one common denominator: its small, round shape. In Spain, two types of lentils are recognized for their quality:
- Tierra de Campos Lentils: This brown legume is ideal for beginners in the world of cooking, as it does not need to be soaked before cooking, thanks to its small size. It is grown in part of the four northwestern provinces of Castile and Leon-Valencia, Valladolid, Leon and Zamora.
- La Armonia lentils: These are natural lentils from Castilla and Leon, which have a distinctive green color before cooking. After cooking, it does not disintegrate or lose its peel, making it a very stable legume for cooking. Its production area is located in dozens of locations in the province of Salamanca.
Hummus
Hummus, as delicious as it is full of character, usually has the biggest difference between its different varieties: size. They’re perfect for salad, soup, or even a stir-fry. In our country, there are two types of chickpeas known for their quality:
- Fuentesaco chickpea: from Castile and Leon, it is characterized by its medium to large size, cream color, curved and clear beak, and medium-rough skin. Once upon a time, in the 16th century, Fuentesaco chickpeas enjoyed royal protection and were regularly sold at court.
- Escacina Chickpeas: This Andalusian chickpea is grown in the municipalities of Escacina del Campo, Paterna del Campo, Manzanilla, Villaba del Alcor, La Palma del Condado, and Villarasa (all in the province of Huelva), and the municipalities of Castilla del Campo, Aznalcollar, Sanlucar la Mayor, Albaida del Aljarafe, and Olivares (in the province of Seville).
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