Marisa Villalba and Felip Bens have written the recipes and the texts of the book ‘La Cocina del Cabanyal’  in which the writers Pep Martorell, Sergi Tarín, Toni Sabater, Josep Vicent Miralles have also collaborated as well as the photographer Germán Caballero and María José Royo, to whom they owe the recipes for the desserts.

MARISA VILLALBA GALLART (El Canyamelar, 1972) studied Pharmacy at the University of Valencia. From a cabanyalera family, she is passionate about local cuisine and books, but never until now as an author herself.

FELIP BENS (El Cabanyal, 1969) studied Journalism and is a writer. Coordinator of the book “Houses from El Cabanyal” and co-author of the “Historia del Llevant UD” where many aspects of the cabanyalera life of the 20th century are explained. His novel, “El caso Forlati”, is largely based on El Cabanyal from the last century.

24/7 VALENCIA: Could you tell us more about the book?

LA COCINA DEL CABANYAL: “In the film ‘Million Dollar Baby’, Morgan Freeman says that “It seems that there are Irish people everywhere, or that they would like to be…” to explain the sympathies that the boxer Maggie Fitzgerald aroused. Sometimes, it almost seems like there are people from Cabanyal everywhere… or those who have roots in the seafaring barrio of Valencia. This is the reason why this book will lend itself to many interpretations, because in every house where there is a cabanyalero a different cookbook can be made. In any case, someone had to be the first to put in writing the essential and canonical gastronomy of maritime Valencia.

‘El Cabanyal’ emerged from the sea and bore its children nearby, who transmitted from generation to generation a rich cultural heritage. El Cabanyal is a popular cuisine, born from humble origins and a hard-working people. Often, the need encourages the imagination. It is evident that, starting from a simple raw material and the most economic types of fish, our ancestors were able to leave us an extraordinary gastronomic compendium. In this book, we have tried to collect all these dishes and explain that they did not arise spontaneously from just any place, but from a very special town, the one that forms the Poble Nou de la Mar (El Cabanyal and El Canyamelar) and the Vilanova del Grau.”

Interview by ‘24/7 Valencia’ team

Article copyright ’24/7 Valencia’

To buy the book, go to this link: https://llibres-de-la-drassana.myshopify.com/products/la-cocina-del-cabanyal

CONTENTS
page 6 La cocina singular de un pueblo singular, Felip Bens
12 PICADETES
14 Esgarraet
16 Boquerones en vinagre
18 ¡Aladroooc freeesco!, Pep Martorell
19 Pimentones verdes rellenos de sardina de bota
20 Clóchinas
22 Croquetas de bacalao
23 Anchoas
25 Coca de pimentón y sardina / Coca de longaniza
26 Atún marinado a las 7 especies
28 Tellinas con tomate / Tellinas a la marinera
30 Tellinas
31 Titaina
32 Coca de titaina / Empanadilas de titaina / Pepitos
34 Sepia “sucia” a la plancha / Buñuelos de sepia
36 Sepia y ajos / Sepia y cebolla
38 Capellanets y pulpo seco / Salazones
40 Secar pescado, Josep Vicent Miralles
45 CALDOS, SOPAS, OLLAS
46 Caldo de pescado
48 Olivo, aceite y oliva, Toni Sabater
50 Sopa de pan y rape
52 Sopa marinera
55 Fideos de caballa / Arroz caldoso de pollo
56 Arroz con acelgas
59 Arroz de pulpo y coliflor / Arroz con alubias y nabos
61 Arroz caldoso de cigalas / Arroz de calabaza
62 El tío Felipo, Felip Bens
68 Potaje de vigilia
70 La Semana Santa en la gastronomía…, Pep Martorell
72 Olla de Carne (Puchero)
76 Rossejat de Puchero
78 Croquetas de Puchero
80 Sobras del Puchero, Ropavieja
82 Canelones de Puchero
83 Puré de verduras
84 ARROZ EN PAELLA Y AL HORNO
86 El pescado de playa, Felip Bens
89 Las mujeres, esas heroínas cotidianas, Felip Bens
90 Arroz del senyoret
92 Paella de galeras y cangrejos / Arroz a banda
94 Del Cabanyal i dolç, Sergi Tarín
101 Calabaza rellena de arroz al horno
103 Arroz de bacalao al horno / Arroz de cigalas al horno
104 CARNE
106 Sangre con cebolla
107 La tía Nicolasa y la ‘sang en ceba’, Felip Bens
110 Embutido y habas
112 Lomo y coliflor / Magro con tomate
114 PESCADO
116 Pescado frito / Hervido de pescadilla
118 Pescado en escabeche
120 Parrilla de pescado
121 Nugaeta de rape122
122 El rall, Pep Martorell
123 Calamares rellenos
124 Guisado de tortuga
125 Pescados de otro tiempo, Pep Martorell
129 Allipebre de perlón / Guisado de sepia y patata
130 Blanquillo
132 Tortillita de boquerones/ Raya con tomate
136 DULCE
138 Calabaza y boniato al horno / Corazoncitos
139 Coquitos / Rollitos de anís
140 Farinetes del Cabanyal
142 Torrijas / Coca de llanda
144 Coca escudellà / Coca escudellà de calabaza
146 Coca Cristina / Pilota dulce