6 hours ago
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The dish: Cachopo, Spain
Cachopo, Spain’s version of the classic pub schnitzel. Credit: iStock
Plate up
They don’t mess around in Asturias, the verdant mountainous region in the north of Spain. They don’t do dainty little tapas plates to go with their bottles of cider. You’ll find no patatas bravas here. No gambas al ajillo.
Instead, you will find cachopos, one of the biggest, most filling and tastiest foods-to-match-with-booze out there. Cachopos are typically served in Asturian sidrerias, local restaurants that specialise in Asturian cider. This key dish is essentially a cordon bleu, only far, far bigger: two veal cutlets are pounded thin and then sandwiched around Serrano ham and local cheese, then the whole thing is dipped in flour, egg wash and breadcrumbs and deep-fried.
The resulting schnitzel is served on a gigantic plate with patatas fritas (fries) as well as peppers and sometimes mushrooms. Variations on the fillings include local blue cheese queso Cabrales and picadillo, a spiced mince made from the filling of a chorizo sausage. If you visit Asturias, this is a dish you should try and you should share.
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First serve
There’s conjecture over the origin of the cachopo, though the most common theory is that the dish was first served in a bar in the city of Oviedo in the 1940s. Back then, Spain was in the grip of postwar rationing, and this luxurious, meaty behemoth failed to gain much of a foothold. It wasn’t until the late 20th century that the cachopo’s popularity really took off, and by the early 21st century it had become a staple at Asturia’s sidrerias. It’s for this reason, however, that Asturians don’t really consider this a traditional dish, but rather a modern obsession.
Order there
In Oviedo, you’ll find one of the best cachopos, with a host of interesting variations, at Sidreria El Gato Negro (sidreriaelgatonegro.com).
Order here
It’s not easy to find dedicated Asturian cuisine in Australia. You could make your own cachopos at home, or go out for some excellent pan-Spanish food at Paripe in Sydney (paripe.com.au), Movida in Melbourne (movida.com.au) and Botellon in Brisbane (botellonbar.com).
One more thing
How serious are Asturians about cachopos? In 2014 the first Asturian Cachopos Championships were held; there’s been a region-wide competition among restaurateurs every year since, and now there’s even an amateur championship.
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