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Mojama de Barbate: flavor and history in salting

Cadiz it is the cradle of some of the best marine products internationally. Among them, undoubtedly, the tuna. As of May -and for more than 2000 years-, the Cadiz coasts take on a unique look: it is in these hot months that the Red tuna they approach the coast to spawn, a time that is used to put into practice a fishing technique with years of tradition: the Trap. One of the main witnesses of this festival - it can almost be considered as such - is the coastal municipality of Barbate. In fact, here the mojama from Barbate, with IGP. A product that, perhaps, is not very well known, but that undoubtedly hides a unique flavor and unmatched characteristics. And not only that: its origin, those coasts of Cádiz that guarantee a raw material of the highest quality and the interesting way of elaboration make this food one with a great history. Let's get to know it!

What is mojama?

Does the expression "be drier than the wet" sound familiar to you? Well, it is a very popular saying in Spain that features this very tasty piece of fish. The mojama from Barbate -which has a Protected Geographical Indication and that can only be made in Barbate and Vejer de la Frontera- is, broadly speaking, a salting tuna. Only the so-called "noble part of the tuna" is used for this product - in other words, the back-. And in fact, these loins are completely covered in salt and they stay that way. 18 to 36 hours. In the end, as we have pointed out before, it is the seasoning and drying process that gives it that salty characteristic so particular and so different from other preparations made with tuna. 

mojama from Barbate
The mojama of Barbate has a Protected Geographical Indication | Source: Consejoreguladordelamojama.com

There are two categories in which the mojama from Barbate. On the one hand, we have the extra category, which is the highest quality and that "comes from the inside of the loins in contact with the backbone of the tuna and with a lower fat content", says Regulatory Council. And on the other hand, the first category, which contains more fat. It should be noted that to make this mojama -and also that of Cristina Island (Huelva)-, only the loins of the species are removed yellowfin y Red tuna "In both cases of wild origin and captured using the most traditional fishing gear," according to the Regulatory Council. Undoubtedly, the second species is the most valued since it is considered a higher quality due to its high fat content.

As for the production process, it is quite curious due to the fact that it is a procedure traditional and artisan; in other words, from the snoring -breaking the tuna- until the selection of the pieces is done manually.

The possibilities of the mojama de Barbate in the kitchen

The unique flavor of the mojama from Barbate makes this food an ideal one to make the most original elaborations. You can either serve it alone -as an aperitif-, or you can create real gastronomic experiences. To cite some examples provided by the Regulatory Council, they can be prepared Croquetas of mojama, salad chickpeas with mojama and orange or, if you want to go a step further, Bittersweet mojama on a bed of tomato and goat cheese. Whatever it is, the result will be exquisite.

mojama from Barbate
Bittersweet Mojama de Barbate on a bed of tomato and goat cheese | Source: Consejoreguladordelamojama.com

As for the pairing, you can opt for Amontillados, Finos or Manzanillas wines (precisely from the DO Jerez) but others such as young reds or dry whites also combine perfectly.

Fishing roots

The truth is that fishing tradition so deeply rooted in the coasts of Cádiz it occurs because already in the Tartessian and Phoenician times there were references to “labyrinths of nets used to catch tuna” that these towns taught to the inhabitants of the place. Then it was the Arabs who gave this technique a twist to finally introduce the capture of tuna by means of the trap. On the other hand, the Roman people were largely responsible for the growth of the salting industry and the treatment of tuna. 

Knowing this, it is not difficult to imagine the reason for the prestige that the mojama from Barbate. It is tradition, it is history and it is culture. In short, it is one of the gastronomic hallmarks of the Cadiz coast.

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