Throughout Spain and Portugal, it’s common to see canned foods on bar menus and in shops. Although many Americans may associate canned foods with poor quality or flavorless ingredients (read spam from WWII), in Spain and Portugal this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Canned foods are considered gourmet products, found mostly in specialty shops and high-end grocery stores. In cities like Lisbon and Porto, shops selling exclusively canned fish have been popping up on the streets downtown.
Due to the extensive coastlines of the Iberian Peninsula, seafood and shellfish are the main products that are preserved by canning. Canning is actually somewhat of a magical process because it allows us to take the highest quality ingredients, such as freshly caught fish, and perfectly preserve its flavors onboard for future enjoyment. Portugal has a long history of preserving fish. The first commercial cannery in Portugal (and now the oldest in Europe), Ramirez, was opened in 1853.
These luxurious cans contain a healthy, delicious, local specialty that is ready to eat at a moment’s notice. Paired with a glass of refreshing white wine, they make the perfect bar snack, as part of a nice tapas spread, or to use as an appetizer when hosting a dinner at home.
Spain is the largest exporter of canned and pre-prepared fish in the European Union, with a large portion of sales coming from exports to international markets. The Portuguese and Spanish alike consume canned tuna on a regular basis, as well as other local favorites. In Spain, the options include scallops, mussels, clams, octopus, and the lesser-known razor clams. In Portugal, sardines and anchovies play an important role.
The fish can be packed simply in olive oil, in ‘escabeche’ (olive oil and vinegar), with garlic, or other options like a traditional scallop sauce or a tomato sofrito (tomato, onion, olive oil, wine and paprika). There’s no wrong way to eat canned fish: on some warm crusty bread, on top of a salad or right out of the can.
Northern Spain is known to produce the highest quality canned fish in the country. There, canning is an artisanal craft. The producers use sustainably sourced fresh produce, all purified in local plants along the coast. Two top brands worth noting are Los Peperetes and Real Conservera, which have won multiple prizes.
One company called Ubago from Málaga, in southern Spain, has a surprisingly interesting selection, from smoked cod liver to cod roe. And in Cádiz, Herpac is known for its magnificent canned bluefin tuna. Portugal doesn’t disappoint either, with options such as salt cod cooked with garlic, onion and olive oil.
We highly encourage you to try these local delicacies on your next trip with Valesa.
