It's hard to believe, but many of the dishes popular today were originally just leftovers from the royal table. Novate.ru decided to tell you about some of the most popular of them so that you can dive into the past and learn the history of dishes that, unexpectedly for their creators, have become real delicacies.
1. Onion soup
For several centuries, this delicious, hearty and fragrant soup has been one of the favorites of the poor. And this is not surprising, because just one plate could invigorate, restore strength and sober up after a stormy evening than repeatedly used by merchants and loaders who had to go to work long before the onset dawn.
The history of the appearance of onion soup is quite banal. Due to the fact that onions had excellent bactericidal properties and cost a penny, it was decided to feed them to Roman soldiers. But since the use of raw onions caused headaches and had a number of other negative consequences, stew was cooked from it.
Onion soup entered the elite menu only in the 18th century. There is a legend that this is the work of Louis XV. Once he went hunting, but the day was unsuccessful, so there was nothing to cook dinner from. Further versions differ: some argue that the king himself prepared soup from onions, butter and champagne, others are of the opinion that the cook did create the dish. Be that as it may, the recipe for the soup was as follows: a small amount of onion was fried in oil, then the vegetable was poured with champagne, brought to a boil, and after a few minutes it was removed from the heat. The finished dish could be eaten with a spoon or drunk as tea.
Now the soup recipe has changed a bit. It is cooked in beef broth with alcohol added, such as white wine, and then baked in a pot under a cheese crust. The dish is served with croutons.
2. Gazpacho
If the hallmark of France is onion soup, then Spain is famous for its amazing gazpacho. Now this cold dish is prepared in many restaurants around the world, but earlier it was considered a traditional food for muleteers. Going on a long journey, the men stocked up on food so that they could cook soup at a halt. They took an earthenware pot, smeared its sides with a mixture of garlic, oil and salt, laid peppers and cucumbers in layers, and added bread crumbs between them. The top layer was crackers and olive oil, which was poured over the entire contents of the pot. Then the dishes were wrapped in wet clothes and exposed to the sun. When the clothes were completely dry, the dish could be eaten.
It is curious that the traditional tomato gazpacho appeared only after the discovery of America.
3. Paella
Another symbol of Spanish cuisine is, of course, paella. Initially, the dish appeared in Valencia, and then it spread to other cities of the country. Tourists can see paella on the menu of many restaurants, but the Spaniards believe that it can only be cooked correctly and tasty in a home kitchen or outdoor fire.
As is the case with a number of other dishes, there are several versions of the appearance of paella. According to one of the legends, it was first prepared by the servants of the Moorish kings. After another feast in the house of their masters, they collected leftover food from the tables, mixed it with rice and brought it home. These were the first "official" paellas. By the way, in Arab countries it is still believed that the name of the dish comes from a consonant Arabic word, which means “leftovers” in translation.
The second legend says that paella appeared thanks to the love of a fisherman for one girl. Once he invited her to visit, and in order to brighten up the minutes of waiting, he decided to cook some delicious dish. It turned out, like the servants in Morocco - the fisherman simply mixed the products that he had in his arsenal with rice. According to the Spanish version, paella means "for her."
4. Paprikash
This dish is one of the most popular in Hungarian cuisine. Paprikash is a hearty and flavorful gravy made from the cheapest chicken parts. The hostesses stewed them in sour cream, and at the end they added a large amount of paprika. By the way, the name of the dish comes from this spice. Given the low cost of paprikash, it is not at all surprising that it decorated the tables of the poor. True, a little later the situation changed - they began to use "elite" parts of the chicken (breast and white meat) for cooking, and therefore it became not shameful to serve the dish to wealthy people.
Now paprikash is considered not a dish, but a way of cooking chicken and veal. Other types of meat (lamb, beef, pork, duck) are not suitable for paprikash, as they are considered too fatty or tough. However, this nuance only confuses Hungarian housewives - in other countries, cooks use any meat that is at hand.
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5. Bouillabaisse
If we could write a book about the success story of any dish, we would definitely choose bouillabaisse. This is a prime example of how you can rise to the top from the bottom. Initially, fishermen cooked a hearty soup from the remains of their catch. They added tomatoes and garlic to small fish in a cauldron, boiled the broth, and then sent pieces of larger fish to the ingredients. It turned out a rich stew, perfectly satisfying the feeling of hunger.
Once someone added saffron to the bouillabaisse - from that moment on, the attitude towards the soup changed a lot, because the spice enhanced the aroma and made the taste of the dish more vivid and rich. But the chefs didn't stop there. Since the original appearance of the soup is not very attractive, modern chefs rework the recipe in every way to make the dish look more presentable.
Such "arbitrariness" angered the French so much that they even created the Marseille Bouillabaisse Association. According to its regulations, only certified restaurants have the right to prepare a classic soup and list it on the menu as bouillabaisse. In addition, the dish must be prepared from certain twenty types of fish that were caught in Marseille waters. But this is not all the requirements. The soup must be boiled in a huge cast-iron vat - for about two hours a small sea salt should languish in it. fish, and after it has practically dissolved in the broth, it will be possible to add other Ingredients.
6. Pizza
You may be surprised, but the history of the appearance of pizza is very ancient. Like all dishes from our list, the dish was originally considered the lot of the poor. It was hearty, prepared from cheap products. High-ranking officials refused to even look in the direction of pizza, believing that it was unworthy to be on their table.
The attitude to pizza has changed thanks to the Italian ruler Umberto I and his wife Margherita. Specially for the royal couple, chef Esposito prepared three pizzas with different toppings. Accidentally or on purpose, one of them was stuffed with red tomatoes, white mozzarella and basil, and the colors resembled the Italian flag. The rulers appreciated this pizza and subsequently named it after Queen Margherita. Since that moment, pizza has become incredibly popular, and every year the number of varieties of the dish has only increased.
By the way, about your favorite Italian dish. We suggest trying to cook pizza according to one of the recipes from the article. Vegetarian and in a pan: 5 pizza recipes that will make it to the list of favorite dishes
Source: https://novate.ru/blogs/200322/62407/