So I’m embarrassed to say this but Andorra is the first country we’ve reached that I had never heard of. Have you?

I’ve been in the tour industry for over a decade, been eating as much international food as I can find, traveled around Europe, and yet I had no idea this little country ever existed. I’m so sorry, Andorra. I’ll never forget you again. Especially after cooking your delicious national dish.

THE CUISINE

Andorra is a tiny country nestled high in the Pyrenees between France and Spain. It is part of Catalonia (in fact, it’s the only country in the world whose official language is Catalan) and its food is heavily influenced by Catalan, Spanish, and Provencal culture.

I have spent some time in both Barcelona and Mallorca and many of the dishes I have read about in Andorra are incredibly similar. The seemingly simple dish of Pa amb Tomàquet (crusty bread brushed with olive oil and tomatoes) is one I have had the pleasure to have enjoyed a few times. I’ve also even tried homemade botifarra, which is the blood sausage of choice in Catalonia. And the famous cocas, not so dissimilar to a Catalan pizza.

Andorra also has a bit of influence from the Provence region of France and of course, it’s geography is hugely important to its cuisine.

Pork reigns supreme in the country and aside from the tomato on bread, most vegetarian dishes I’ve discovered have the addition of pork. The ocean is nowhere to be seen but there are pristine lakes that hold lots of trout, which is an Andorran specialty.

The weather can get quite cold so of course hearty stews and soups like the national dish I’ve chosen are commonplace. Especially during winter and special occasions.

ANDORRAN FOOD IN NEW YORK

You might not be too surprised to learn there is no Andorran restaurant in New York. At least not that I can uncover.

Some restaurants that identify as Spanish such as Boqueria and Las Ramblas serve Catalan dishes, but nothing specifically Andorran.

Many years ago Chef Eric Ripert (who you may have heard of) had a little blurb in the Village Voice lamenting that there is no Andorran restaurant in New York. Turns out he partly grew up in Andorra. I know he’s probably busy with his famous seafood restaurant and TV shows, but maybe he should open one up for all of us. Until then, I’m going to work on this soup.

THE VIDEO

We’re a bit talky at the beginning, but Sam and I had a lot to say about this fascinating country. And so many ingredients to throw into the pot.

And Sam absolutely loved making the meatball, which is an integral part of the dish. Doesn’t surprise me that the meatball loved making a meatball!

THE DISH

Escudella is actually a few dishes in one. It’s essentially this hearty meat and vegetable soup filled with carbs like rice, potatoes, and pasta. But when words are added to its name, the preparation changes. The word escudella translates to bowl, so no matter how you make it, I would think a bowl is required.

One traditional way to serve escudella is with Carn d’olla (or the meat of the pot). In this case, the broth is separated from the meat and served in courses. The hearty bone broth is served first (very healthy and on trend!) followed by a platter of meat and vegetables.

If you’re not like Sam who likes his food separated, then you probably would like Escudella Barrejada which combines both the broth and the meat. This is probably the more popular way to serve it today.

There is also something steering most of the escudella recipes I’ve encountered and it is the pilota. The word does not refer to a pilot but rather a ball. A huge meatball.

This is the most common Escudella served at Christmas time and the meatball is comprised of pork and is usually stuffed inside giant pasta shells called galets.

SPECIAL INGREDIENTS

Escudella seems to be the kind of dish that is made up of whatever meats and vegetables you have on your farm or at your local vendor. So I took that to heart and checked out both my butcher and farmer’s market (sorry, no farm) to see what I could get that would fit the bill.

I would have liked to have found some Catalan sausages (specifically the famous botifarra – I would have taken the white or black variety – both made from blood), but alas, nothing like that was available and I did not have the stomach to make it myself.

Most integral to the broth were meat bones. I found marrow bones, beef bones, and a large ham hock with plenty of smoky morsels still intact. That ham was super important to the smoky essence of the soup.

Otherwise the one special ingredient is a hearty meatball (or meatballs) called a pilota, which can not be purchased at your local store. You must make it yourself. Ours consisted of garlic, egg yolk, parsely, breadcrumbs, and a pinch of cumin mixed into ground pork.

THE RECIPE

This seems like a pretty simple soup, but it’s big and rustic with lots of ingredients. The recipes I found have varied a bit but really just in the ingredient department.

It also might vary from season to season and festival to festival. So I’m not sure if my recipe fits the Christmas version, the version eaten during the Feast of Saint Sebastian, or just a typical traditional Sunday night meal.

The point is, even if you can’t find all these ingredients – just grab some meat, vegetables, and carbs and you’ll come close. Just be mindful of when to add which ingredients because some vegetables cook a lot faster than others.

Regardless, here is my attempt at Escudella.

HOW I SCREWED IT UP

This actually turned out really really well. The smokiness of the ham was dominant (which we all liked) and the other ingredients were mostly cooked well and the broth was delicious and incredibly rustic.

Overall, it was a success.

I do think I may have cooked the meat a little too long. At some point, it all started to fall apart so much that it was hard to tell one piece from another. The meatballs, especially, had no chance in staying together. I could have remedied that with a bit more flour perhaps. But I don’t think that was a big problem. Flavorwise, it was great. Some people might like slightly more intact (but still tender) proteins.

SAM’S REACTION

After trying to serve him the soup with the meat (Escudella Barrejada), I immediately realized my mistake. Sam is at the age where he likes everything separated. Good news is there is an Escudella just for him.

The Escudella I Carn d’olla allows the meat to be presented on a plate with the soup separated. Everyone gets to choose how they put it together. In Sam’s case, he didn’t. He just went to town on that ham. The camera caught him stealing bite after bite.

NEXT WEEK

We’re going to be bringing a little bit of heat into the kitchen next week with our first trip to Southern Africa. Angola has Portuguese influence but also likes its heat. I’m searching for a malagueta pepper and some mercy!

Who likes it hot? And whose ever had Angolan cuisine? Very excited, but a bit scared – mostly for my three year old son!