A Comer Rancho!

I suppose my first posting on the impact of this language/cultural experience would have to do with food -- for me the universal language! But this particular food is linked with an important day in Zaragoza, el Cincomarzada, the fifth of March.  My first clue as to March 5th's significance was that our evening language classes at the University of Zaragoza were beginning early and ending late and were not according to the posted schedule.  Instead, thirty thirty minutes had been added to each day to make up for losing one class day due to a major festivo (a public holiday when all businesses close down and people take to the streets). Why? what is the big occasion? Well, the details appear to be contraversial and what actually happened is debated every year -- depending on who you are, of course, Cincomarzada is a great occasion for all citizens of Zaragoza (not applicable to the rest of Spain).  I found a blog that gets into the matter in detail, of course en castellano!  http://historiantes.blogspot.com/2007/03/la-cincomarzada-en-zaragoza-una.html

More important is what you do on this day: you eat.  With friends and family...and usually in the park or outside, and most important -- you eat RANCHO!

RANCHO: una RECETA (recipe)

 INGREDIENTES

• 1 cebolla picadita, según la cantidad (an onion, chopped -- depending on how many you're cooking for)
• 1 tomate picadita (a tomato or two, again depending on how many)
• ajo, segun tu gusto (garlic -- you've GOT to have garlic, right?)
• algo de acelga (kale -- for some reason, very popular in these parts)
• unas patatas, según la cantidad (some potatoes, quartered)
• arroz, poquito (a little rice, more for the look of it, really)

(all the above is only to season what makes this "RANCHO", below)

•  conejo (rabbit -- best to cut in quarters or more)
• costillas de cerdo (spareribs)
• ternasco (veal)
• longaniza (a special sausage, red, long, and narrow, nicely seasoned)
• caracoles (snails -- yes, I couldn't find any of these in my portion but I'm told they're essential...)
• bacon (of course)
• sal (salt -- only a little on top of the meat before cooking)

*****************

MODO DE HACER (how to cook)

FREIR la cebolloa, tomate, y luego el ajo. (fry the onion, tomate and later add the garlic)

AÑADIR (add)

* toda la carne (all the fresh meat)
* longaniza a trozitos (the longaniza, cut into inch-long pieces)
* las patatas a trozeada (the potatoes, quartered or so)

REHOGAR TODO (stir all of this with with a big wooden spoon, browning the meat)

A CONTINUACIÓN, SE LA ECHA AGUA (then add water, just barely covering the meat)

TIENE QUE HERVIR Y DESPUES, SE SIRVE (it all needs to slow boil - simmer - for 20 minutes or so. then dig in!