Calçot is not just an onion, but the result of a laborious cultivation process and a popular story that has ended up defining winters in Catalonia. Its discovery dates back to the end of the 19th century in Valls (Tarragona), by a farmer known as “Xat de Benaiges”. It is said that, as a result of chance and his agricultural concerns, he discovered that by progressively covering the shoots with soil – a technique known as put on—, the plant stretched looking for the light. This method not only lengthens the onion and gives it its characteristic appearance, but also keeps it white, sweet and protected, allowing today the Valls calçot to be registered as a Protected Geographical Indication (IGP) by the European Union since 2001.
Beyond the garden, this vegetable has structured an entire social culture around the calçotada, a ritual that transforms food into a collective celebration where it is consumed by hundreds. Although the season runs from November to April, its peak time is the months of January, February and March. Tradition dictates that the calçots be cooked directly over the open flame, wrapped in newspaper to rest and served on clay tiles.
Eating them is an art in itself that requires putting on your bib, peeling the outer layer with your hands and dipping the onion in a generous portion of salvitxada (the typical sauce made with blanched tomatoes, almonds, ñora, garlic and oil) or in the famous romesco sauce. This custom, which spread from the Alt Camp region to all of Catalonia, has its climax on the last Sunday of January at the Gran Festa de la Calçotada de Valls. In this centenary event, competitions for growers, sauces and the spectacular competition for calçot eaters are held. It is a unique experience that today we can recreate, with certain tricks, in the kitchen of any home using these four methods.
Cooking them on the grill: the authentic ritual
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This is the traditional technique par excellence and the one that provides that unmistakable smoky aroma. The procedure begins by preparing the onion, cutting the roots and excess green leaves so that they all have a similar size, which makes it easier for them to fit tightly on the grill. Unlike meat, calçots must be cooked directly over a lively and powerful flame, so that the outer layer chars quickly while the interior caramelizes. The exact point comes when they are completely black on the outside and feel soft when you poke them at the tip.
Once removed from the heat, the secret of the tradition is to wrap them in groups of 12 to 15 units in newspaper; This step is not only aesthetic, but it allows the calçot to finish cooking with its own steam, concentrating all its sweetness and softening the texture. Its main advantage is, without a doubt, obtaining that authentic smoky flavor that is impossible to replicate in a modern kitchen, also allowing you to cook large quantities at the same time. The drawback of this technique is that it is not made for everyone, since it requires adequate outdoor space, it generates a lot of smoke and you need shoots (woody branch of the vine) or firewood.
Baked: the most faithful alternative to tradition
For those who do not have a patio or barbecue, the oven is the option that best reproduces the spirit of the traditional calçotada thanks to its enveloping heat. When preparing them, it is advisable to clean only the outermost layers and leave a couple of the hardest ones so that they protect the tender part during roasting. After cutting the tips and the root, they are placed on a tray and baked at around 200°C, with heat up and down.
A very effective trick to gain juiciness is to cover them with aluminum foil, creating a microclimate that generates steam and prevents the onion from drying out. Depending on the quantity, they can take about 40 minutes to be ready, at which point the fork should go in without difficulty. The great advantage of this method is that it is clean and its result is juicy and sweet, although we lose that wood nuance so characteristic of the original method.
On the electric griddle
If we are looking for a practical option for a small kitchen or a quick dinner without turning on the oven, the electric griddle does the trick. In this case, cleaning must be more thorough to remove all the dirt before drying them well with a cloth. Once the griddle is very hot with a splash of oil, the calçots are placed in small batches to ensure that they all receive direct heat.
The procedure consists of leaving them for between 10 and 15 minutes, turning them patiently so that the outside toasts well, since this blackening will protect the inside. As in the previous methods, the final rest wrapped in paper is mandatory so that the residual heat finishes softening the heart of the onion. It is the fastest method and allows complete control over cooking, but it has the drawback that we can only cook a few units at a time and the final texture is somewhat less melty than that of baking.
Battered calçots
This is the less orthodox option, perfect for those looking for a more “table” and less ritual format; In fact, it has become one of the most valued techniques in restaurants to enjoy calçot without the need for a complex peeling process. For this technique, the pieces must first be thoroughly cleaned, removing the outer layers and leaving only the white part to blanch in boiling water for a few minutes.
Once cooked, they are immersed in cold water to stop the cooking and left to cool. After this step, they are passed through a tempura or batter that may include egg, flour and a touch of yeast so that it swells and becomes more airy. They are fried in very hot oil until golden brown and served immediately to maintain the contrast between the crispy exterior and the soft interior. Their main advantage is versatility, since they work as an appetizer or to use calçots that have been left over from another preparation, although as a drawback they completely distance themselves from the traditional ritual of peeling the onion and represent a higher calorie option due to frying.