A Spanish Take on Brunch & Breakfast
The windmills of La Mancha, Spain.
Who doesn’t love home brunch ideas? Especially when they take you on a combined culinary and wine journey to explore another culture, where flavors, stories, and traditions intertwine to create a unique experience. In Spain, this journey takes you through the iconic windmills of La Mancha, with the savory allure of the traditional Spanish eggs and chorizo dish, Duelos y Quebrantos, a traditional dish of Castilla La Mancha, a central Spanish region, paired with the tempranillo wine, the go-to red wine of Spain.
From Don Quixote to the rich heritage of Spanish cuisine, each element holds a unique place in Spanish culture. Granted in Spain, they don’t have the brunch tradition like we do in America, but if you have to be looking for a brunch recipe, why not consider an egg casserole dish which is a traditional tapa enjoyed by the locals in Spain?
Turns out, this simple scrambled egg recipe is steeped in tradition in Spain. Let’s learn how cook scrambled eggs Spanish style.
Tilting at Windmills Through a Traditional Spanish Delight
The windmills in Spain, specifically of La Mancha, stand as iconic symbols of Spain's rich cultural heritage and literary history. Immortalized in Miguel de Cervantes' renowned novel, Don Quixote, these picturesque structures dotting the arid landscapes create a mesmerizing sight. With their colossal sails gently turning in the breeze, these windmills evoke a sense of nostalgia, taking us back to a time of gallant knights and imaginary quests. As enduring landmarks, they not only showcase ingenious engineering but also provide a glimpse into the region's agricultural past. Imagining the spanish windmills of La Mancha is like experiencing a literary classic first hand. We have talked in a previous article about La Mancha, its history and the windmills and their function.
But did you know that there is an interesting link between this classic La Mancha dish, Duelos y Quebrantos, and the Spanish windmills and Don Quixote?
While the dish has various permutations throughout history, it is perhaps most famous for its mention right in the beginning of Miguel de Cervante’s Don Quixote where it explains his dietary choices by day of the week saying that he ‘duelos y quebrantos on Saturdays’.
The land of Castilla La Mancha, dry & flat, here showing the vineyards of natural amphora winery, Bodega de las Estrellas.
But let’s paint a picture of the scene: Don Quijote is on a 1500 mile journey which focuses on the Castilla La Mancha region which has primarily dry and flat lands. This epic novel was written around the start of the Spanish Empire, soon after the diffusion of Christianity after Arab rule and with influence by the Jews as well. This was a big transitional time for Spain with society juggling the evolutions of religion, society and traditions.
This traditional Spanish dish, Duelos y Quebrantos, has been translated to "griefs and breakages," where
“breakages” alludes to the "break" of the “fast” on pork which a food taboo in both Judaism and Islam
and their subsequent "grieving" after having violated the precepts of fasting.
Meanwhile Christianity does not have restrictions on pork. Hence, this simple and ancient recipe has an important cultural and historical significance to Spanish history and customs. And, do you think the word “breakfast” could have been influenced by the proliferation of this dish?
Originating from the heart of Spanish cuisine, this dish is a classic example of farmer’s cuisine with the base dish consisting of eggs, chorizo, ham and/or bacon. Of course, like many traditional European dishes, every area and family have their own spin and recipe. But at its core, Duelos y Quebrantos combines humble ingredients such as eggs and chorizo, and with a few tweaks transforms them into so much more than one of the myriad of Spanish recipes chorizo based. In some versions, it is even made with the addition of brains in more of a stew form.
Wine Pairing with Duelos y Quebrantos
Would you like to take a page from Don Quixote’s book and make a plate of duelos y quebrantos? What wine do you think he paired with this eggs and chorizo Spanish dish?
Duelos y Quebrantos, as made from the recipe of La Mancha winery Bodega de las Estrellas.
When pairing wine with food, especially traditional dishes like duelos y quebrantos, take a look at the local wines of the area. In Castilla La Mancha, where our 2 Spanish wineries are based, Bodega de las Estrellas and Ecce Vinum, tempranillo red wine is king. When pair foods, in particular with a rich, flavorful dish like eggs and chorizo, one great option is Spanish tempranillo red wine. With some tannins to help the fatty spice of the chorizo and creaminess of the eggs, a rich tempranillo wine would work well.
While a tempranillo wine like the natural and organic wine from Ecce Vinum, is certainly a great option, there is another fun option to explore: wines aged in amphora.
Amphorae (the plural of amphora) are terracotta vessels used once as an ancient aging methods, that are now making a comeback. You can read all about the use of amphorae in winemaking in our previous article on the subject. In fact, in that article we had a closer look at a natural winery successfully using amphorae on a large scale for aging: that of Spanish La Mancha based Bodega de las Estrellas.
Our breakfast recipe casserole of duelos y quebrantos is a go-to recipe of the Amphora Winery in Spain, Bodega de las Estrellas. When it comes to finding a wine to pair, we suggest a Spanish Tempranillo wine, even better one that is organic and made with native yeast fermentation, so natural wines.
Here are 2 from the Castilla La Mancha:
or this amphora wine Ego Vinum Barrica Seleccion Tempranillo Red Wine Blend. This is a tempranillo and cabernet sauvignon blend and a wine amphora with some oak aging, and is super delicious.
Put Your Taste Buds to the Test
Now it’s your turn to give this pairing a try. Download the recipe below and buy wine online from the VeroShop to serve alongside this La Mancha mainstay. Try an organic wine like the organic tempranillo from Ecce Vinum, or go the wine amphorae route with the natural wines of Bodega de las Estrellas. They offer both an orange wine and a red blend tempranillo wine, both aged in amphorae. Really want to get the full Spanish wine tasting experience with your Duelos y Quebrantos? then try the Spanish Explorer Trio, and get all three natural wine bottles with shipping included!
Don’t forget to try this dish with a drizzle of flavorful and antioxidant rich EVOO. Vero has several organic extra virgin olive oils to choose from, like the Tuscan Aurinia and Caletra, Abruzzese Febo, or Il Nostro Oro from Le Marche.
Buen Provecho!
Duelos y Quebrantos - Scrambled Eggs with Chorizo
Cooking and Prep Time: 15-20 mins | Portions: 2 portions
Ingredients:
200 grams Bacon cubes
1 Chorizo pork sausage, sliced or crumbled
4 Eggs, beaten
2 cloves garlic, chopped
200 grams Onion, thinly sliced
2 Piquillo Peppers, sliced
½ cup Green Peas
Dash Sweet Paprika
Salt, to taste
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Il Nostro Oro, Febo, Aurinia, or Caletra)
Suggested Wine Pairings:
Bodega de las Estrellas | Ego Vinum Barrica Seleccion | Natural Amphora Red Wine Blend
Procedure:
1. Begin to sauté the bacon and chorizo with the chopped garlic. Meanwhile, in a separate pan, sauté the onion and piquillo red pepper in some extra virgin olive oil until soft.
2. When the meat is crispy and cooked and onion and peppers soft, add the onion and pepper mixture to the meat and garlic pan. Add paprika and peas and mix until combined.
3. Over medium to low heat, add the beaten eggs and stir well. Add salt to taste and finish cooking, stirring constantly.
4. Serve with a drizzle of EVOO and a glass of wine from La Mancha, Spain.
Need to Order Wine Online to Pair?
