Guiso is a Spanish meat dish prepared by roasting or frying combined with braising. It is typically a hot, mildly fatty food. Unlike stew, it allows the vapors to circulate during culinary process. In making guiso, a wide variety of ingredients may be used relative to region, season, availability, and taste.

History

One of the first books written on Spanish cuisine, ''El Libro de los Guisados'', written by Catalan chief Robert de Nola in 1525 CE, was based upon an older, Catalan book called ''Llibre de Coch'', and lists various different recipes of the

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Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the e ...

. Among these were the first recipes for guiso. The word originated in the 18th century edition of the as: "A dish that is composed and seasoned with broth, spices and other things that are roasted or fried."RAE (1726). ''Diccionario de autoridades'', «guisado» y «guisadillo» Today, someone who makes guiso would be called a ''guisandero''.

Characteristics

Guiso's name gives the implication that it is made up of foods fried '' rehogado'' that are cooked in sauce. Guiso may have any number or variety of ingredients. Examples of foods from around the globe prepared like guiso are

frangollo Frangollo is a Canarian dessert dish, made from milk, millet or maize flour, lemon, eggs, sugar, butter, raisins, almonds, and cinnamon. Many variations exist, for example replacing the milk with water, or adding aniseed. See also *Canarian cuisi ...

, ragout,

locro Locro (from the Quechua ''ruqru'') is a hearty thick squash stew, associated with Native Andean civilizations, and popular along the Andes mountain range. It is one of the national dishes of Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Chile, Paraguay, Northwest Ar ...

, tripe,

ossobuco ''Ossobuco'' or ''osso buco'' (; lmo, òss bus, label=Milanese or ''òs büüs'' ) is a specialty of Lombard cuisine of cross-cut veal shanks braised with vegetables, white wine, and broth. It is often garnished with ''gremolata'' and traditio ...

, and

puchero Puchero is a type of stew originally from Spain, prepared in Yucatán, Mexico, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Perú, south of Brazil, the Philippines, and Spain, specifically the autonomous communities of Andalusia and the Canary Islands. The S ...

Ingredients

More common guisos begin with a meat base. Said meat can be beef, pork, turkey, or fish, which may be chopped or put in brine on occasion. Like the foundation, guiso can have very diverse ingredients. Typically, guiso will also consist of cereals, starches, legumes, noodles, and vegetables. Although guiso is associated with sauce, wine may be in its broth as well.

References

External links

{{Authority control Cooking techniques Stews