Nutritional information per 100 g

Energy: 837.9 kJ / 199.5 kcal
Fat: 10.6 g
of which saturates: 2.55 g
Carbohydrate: 3.07 g
of which sugars: 0.6 g
Protein: 22.81 g
Salt: 2.47 g

El Ronqueo – Canned Foods from Barbate
Barbate, a small town on the Costa de la Luz, right on the Atlantic. Here in the province of Cádiz, everything has revolved around one thing for centuries: bluefin tuna. Every spring, the fish migrate through the Strait of Gibraltar and are caught using the almadraba – a fishing technique known even to the Phoenicians.
The name El Ronqueo immediately reveals what it’s all about: “ronqueo” refers to the traditional butchering of tuna. As the knife runs along the backbone, it makes a sound like snoring (“ronquido”). Hence the name.
Who’s Behind It
Since 2002, El Ronqueo SLU has been producing canned and semi-canned foods in Barbate under the leadership of Francisco José Daza. Small, family-run, with its own factory. The fish comes from the nearest fish markets (“lonjas”) – you couldn’t ask for a shorter supply chain. The production process uses modern pasteurization and sterilization, without any added preservatives.
The Product Range
Bluefin tuna takes center stage in many varieties. The creative tuna recipes are particularly noteworthy: with strawberries, curry, chestnuts, porcini mushrooms, in lard, with piquillo peppers, or classically encebollado (braised with onions). The range also includes premium cuts such as ventresca (tuna belly) and tarantelo (a special cut from bluefin tuna).

Manufacturer: Conservas de pescado de Barbate | El Ronqueo
Polígono Industrial El Olivar
Manzana 11, Nave 14 11160 - Barbate (Cádiz)
+34 956 431 080
info@elronqueo.es

Tagarninas – the Spanish golden thistle

In Andalusia, every child knows it. Almost no one in the rest of the world does: the tagarnina, botanically known as Scolymus hispanicus, or Spanish golden thistle in German. A wild thistle with bright yellow flowers that grows along roadsides, on wasteland and in fields in southern Spain, Portugal and Morocco.

From poor man’s food to delicacy

For a long time, tagarninas were considered emergency food. During lean times, those who were hungry would take a knife out into the fields and cut whatever was available for free. Today, the tide has turned: in the markets of Cádiz, Seville or Jerez, tagarninas are a minor sensation – and on the menus of fine restaurants, they have long since ranked higher than many a gourmet vegetable.

What they taste like

The young stems and midribs are harvested before the plant develops its prickly flowers. In terms of flavor, the tagarnina lies somewhere between artichoke, sunchoke and asparagus – slightly bitter, tart, with a delicate sweetness. Those who like artichoke hearts will love them.

What to do with them

The classic dish is Revuelto de Tagarninas: creamy scrambled eggs with garlic, olive oil and blanched thistle stems. Tagarninas are equally traditional in stews with chickpeas (potaje de tagarninas) or as a side dish with lamb and pork. In a jar – as with El Ronqueo, together with tuna – they are available all year round, without having to cut your fingers on the thorns.

A taste that evokes southerly winds, olive groves and long tables – and which is far too rarely found outside Andalusia.