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Maritime tradition, roasted garlic and the authentic flavour of the Mediterranean Monkfish with burnt garlic, known in Catalan as Rap a l’All Cremat, is a traditional seafood recipe associated with Vilanova i la Geltrú, on the Catalan coast near Barcelona. The name all cremat literally …
Bombas de la Barceloneta are one of the most iconic and recognisable tapas in Barcelona. Born in the historic fishing district of La Barceloneta, they are part of the popular culinary tradition that transformed simple ingredients into small, generous and characterful bites. Traditionally associated with …
Mel i Mató is one of the simplest desserts in Catalan cuisine and, at the same time, one of the recipes that most clearly represents the region’s culinary identity.
Its essence lies in a humble combination: fresh mató cheese, honey and, in this version, toasted walnuts.
Few ingredients.
Very little preparation.
An extraordinary amount of tradition.
The result is a delicate, creamy and deeply Mediterranean dessert, where the softness of the fresh cheese contrasts beautifully with the sweetness of honey and the crunch of toasted nuts.
Mató is documented as early as the 14th century in the Llibre de Sent Soví, one of the great medieval Iberian cookbooks.
Medieval tradition particularly valued mató when sweetened with honey or sugar, and historical references describe it as an almost heavenly food.
For centuries, mató was closely connected with rural life, monasteries and homemade dairy production.
It was traditionally made from fresh milk, especially goat’s milk, although cow’s and sheep’s milk were also used.
Its delicate texture made it an everyday food, but it also became an important part of Catalan gastronomic identity.
Although it is sometimes compared with ricotta or similar fresh cheeses, mató is not exactly the same product.
It is a traditional fresh Catalan cheese, made directly from milk and characterised by its soft, moist and delicate texture.
Its tradition is especially strong in Central Catalonia and Old Catalonia, although it is produced and enjoyed throughout the region.
Mató can be made from:
Each type offers different characteristics.
Goat’s milk can provide a more aromatic profile.
Cow’s milk creates a particularly smooth texture.
Sheep’s milk produces a richer and more intense flavour.
One of the places most strongly associated with artisanal mató is Montserrat.
For generations, local producers have sold fresh mató to pilgrims and visitors around the mountain.
The image of artisanal mató being offered at Montserrat has become part of Catalonia’s gastronomic memory.
Here, the product is never completely separate from its surroundings.
It belongs to a landscape.
A tradition.
A way of life.
And a culinary culture passed from one generation to another.
Honey is one of the oldest sweeteners used by Mediterranean cultures.
Its role in this dessert goes beyond adding sweetness.
Honey provides aroma, richness and texture while creating the perfect contrast with the delicate fresh cheese.
Different varieties can be used:
Aromatic, Mediterranean and lightly floral.
Soft and balanced.
Deeper and more complex.
Particularly interesting for a more fragrant interpretation.
Whenever possible, choose good-quality honey from a local producer.
Walnuts are not essential to the most basic traditional combination of mel i mató, but they complement it beautifully.
They provide:
crunch + richness + toasted flavour.
Lightly toasting them intensifies their aroma and creates a wonderful contrast with the creamy mató.
Heat the milk gently to approximately 35–40°C.
It should be warm but never boiling.
Careful temperature control is important for achieving the correct coagulation and preserving the character of the milk.
Add the curdled milk or whey and stir gently.
Cover the container.
Allow it to rest for approximately 30–60 minutes, until the curds begin to form.
The exact time will depend on the milk and the coagulation method used.
Carefully collect the curds with a large spoon.
Place them in a fine-mesh strainer or clean muslin cloth.
Allow the whey to drain for approximately 30 minutes.
Do not press the curds too aggressively.
The aim is to preserve a soft, moist and creamy texture.
Roughly chop the walnuts.
Place them in a dry frying pan and toast over medium heat for approximately 2–3 minutes.
Stir continuously.
They should become lightly golden and intensely aromatic.
Remove them immediately to prevent them from burning.
Place the fresh mató in a bowl, deep plate or ceramic serving dish.
It is best served cool or close to room temperature rather than ice-cold.
This allows its natural dairy aromas and delicate texture to be appreciated more clearly.
Warm the honey slightly if it is very thick.
Drizzle it in a thin stream over the mató, allowing it to spread naturally.
There is no need to use too much.
The honey should complement the cheese rather than dominate it.
Scatter the toasted walnuts over the mató and honey.
Finish, if desired, with:
The key is precisely not to overcomplicate it.
The mató should remain the protagonist.
Its texture should be soft and creamy.
The honey should provide natural sweetness.
The walnuts should add the crunch.
Optional ingredients should be used sparingly.
The ideal balance is:
creamy + sweet + crunchy + subtly savoury.
To elevate this traditional dessert:
The simplest presentation is to place a generous portion of fresh mató in the centre of the plate.
Drizzle the honey gently over the top.
Add the toasted walnuts around and over the cheese.
Finish with a little citrus zest.
Nothing more is necessary.
The beauty of mel i mató lies in its simplicity.
For a more sophisticated presentation, use a white or artisanal ceramic plate.
Shape the mató into a delicate quenelle or maintain a natural rustic portion.
Drizzle a fine line of honey.
Arrange the toasted walnuts asymmetrically.
Finish with:
orange zest + flaked sea salt + a few drops of walnut oil.
The result preserves the identity of the traditional dessert while giving it a contemporary, elegant appearance.
Mel i Mató can be accompanied by:
Figs and pears work particularly well with honey and the delicate flavour of mató.
For the table, we recommend a chilled 0.0% alcohol-free sparkling drink, which provides freshness and balances the sweetness of the dessert.
A 0.0% alcohol-free dessert-style drink with honey, vanilla or nut notes can also work beautifully.
For a classic option, serve with espresso, coffee with milk or a delicate tea.
Fresh mató should be kept refrigerated.
Once prepared, it is best consumed relatively quickly to preserve its freshness and delicate texture.
The mató and honey combination is best assembled immediately before serving.
Toasted walnuts can be stored separately in an airtight container.
At Magic Dreams Barcelona, we transform this simple dessert into a private gastronomic experience.
During our private mató-making workshop in Barcelona, guests can learn step by step how to prepare their own fresh cheese and discover the secrets behind one of Catalonia’s most iconic desserts.
With our private chef, you will explore the history of mató, learn how to work with fresh milk and then transform your creation into a delicious Mel i Mató with honey and walnuts.
The experience is designed to enjoy, learn and discover Catalan gastronomy from the inside.
And the experience continues beyond the workshop: you can take your own creation home, turning the class into a lasting culinary memory.
There is also the possibility of purchasing artisanal mató to continue the experience, share it with family and friends or give someone a small taste of Catalan tradition.
We do not seek to transform a simple dessert into something unrecognisable.
We want to do the opposite:
preserve its identity and elevate the experience.
Artisanal ingredients.
Quality products.
Elegant presentation.
History.
Tradition.
And a moment to share.
Mel i Mató proves that fine gastronomy does not always require complexity.
Sometimes it simply requires excellent ingredients and the knowledge to respect them.
Mel i Mató is humble.
It is rural.
It is Mediterranean.
And it is unmistakably Catalan.
Fresh cheese.
Honey.
Walnuts.
And centuries of culinary heritage.
It is the kind of recipe that demonstrates how Catalan gastronomy can transform the simplest products into powerful cultural symbols.
A simple dessert in appearance, extraordinary in history, identity and flavour.
Copyright © 2016-2026 Magic Dreams Barcelona.
The great gastronomic ritual of Catalan cuisine Calçots with Romesco sauce are much more than a recipe: they represent one of the great gastronomic rituals of Catalonia. Closely associated with Valls and the Camp de Tarragona, calçots are a variety of tender green onion traditionally …
A timeless maritime tradition of Catalan cuisine Suquet de Langostinos, or Catalan shrimp suquet, is an elegant interpretation of one of the most representative dishes of Catalonia’s maritime cuisine. Its name is associated with the Catalan word “suc”, meaning juice or cooking liquid, referring to …
Chicken with lobster, known in Catalan cuisine as Pollastre amb llagosta, is one of the finest expressions of the Mar i Muntanya tradition. This distinctive style of Catalan cooking brings together ingredients from the land and the sea in the same dish. It is particularly associated with the Empordà and Costa Brava, where the Mediterranean coast lies close to the inland countryside and the Pyrenees.
The combination may initially seem unusual, but it reflects a centuries-old culinary tradition based on local ingredients and the close relationship between fishermen and farmers. In the Empordà, seafood from the coast could be combined with poultry, meat and vegetables from inland farms, creating dishes with remarkable contrasts of flavour and texture.
Pollastre amb llagosta is considered one of the classic examples of Mar i Muntanya, alongside dishes such as chicken with Dublin bay prawns and meatballs with cuttlefish.
The magic of this recipe lies in the sauce: a traditional Catalan sofrito enriched with toasted almonds, hazelnuts, saffron, parsley and dark chocolate. The result is a rich, glossy and intensely aromatic sauce that brings the land and the Mediterranean together.
Cut the chicken thighs into manageable pieces.
Cut the lobster tail into pieces, taking care to preserve any natural juices released during preparation.
Set the chicken and lobster aside separately.
Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic.
Grate or finely chop the ripe tomatoes.
Set everything aside.
Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper.
Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a wide casserole dish and brown the chicken over medium-high heat.
The chicken should be well sealed and golden on the outside, while remaining uncooked in the centre.
Remove from the casserole and set aside.
Using the same casserole, add the onion and garlic.
Cook over medium-low heat for approximately 3–4 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, herb bundle, salt and ½ teaspoon of sugar.
Cook slowly for approximately 10 minutes, until the sofrito becomes concentrated, soft and rich.
Add the cinnamon stick.
Pour in the white wine and aguardiente.
Cover the casserole and cook for approximately 5 minutes, allowing the alcohol to evaporate while the flavours develop.
Add one cup of water, stock or seafood fumet.
Add approximately one level teaspoon of flour to give the sauce a little more body.
Stir well to prevent lumps.
Heat a separate frying pan with one or two tablespoons of olive oil.
When very hot, sear the lobster pieces over high heat for approximately 2 minutes.
The lobster does not need to be fully cooked at this stage.
The aim is to lightly caramelise the exterior and concentrate its flavour.
Add the lobster to the casserole together with the chicken.
Place the following ingredients in a mortar:
hazelnuts + almonds + parsley + saffron + dark chocolate + salt + pepper.
Crush slowly until you obtain a fine, aromatic paste.
Add several tablespoons of the sauce from the casserole.
Mix until the picada becomes smooth and fully incorporated.
Add the picada to the casserole.
Stir gently so that it becomes fully incorporated into the sauce.
The chocolate should not dominate the dish. Its purpose is to add depth, colour and balance.
Cook everything over low heat for approximately 20–25 minutes.
The sauce should gradually reduce until it becomes rich, glossy, silky and slightly thick.
The chicken should be completely tender and cooked through, while the lobster should remain juicy and delicate.
Taste and adjust the seasoning.
The magic of this dish lies in the contrast.
The chicken provides depth and a rich meaty texture.
The lobster brings sweetness, delicacy and intense Mediterranean flavour.
The sofrito provides the aromatic Catalan foundation.
And the picada combines nuts, saffron, parsley and dark chocolate, creating a complex sauce with a distinctly Catalan character.
This extraordinary combination of ingredients from two different worlds is precisely what defines Mar i Muntanya.
For a Premium Magic Dreams Barcelona presentation, serve the chicken and lobster in an elegant ceramic or cast-iron casserole.
Arrange the lobster pieces visibly over the chicken and spoon the glossy sauce generously around them.
Finish with:
The sauce should remain the star: deep, glossy, aromatic and beautifully reduced.
Serve with rustic bread so that every last drop of this extraordinary sauce can be enjoyed.
For the table, we recommend a chilled 0.0% alcohol-free Mediterranean-style white wine, with fresh acidity to balance the richness of the sauce.
A 0.0% alcohol-free rosé, served well chilled, is another excellent option.
For a completely refreshing alternative, serve with sparkling water, lemon and fresh Mediterranean herbs.
Important: the wine used during cooking is different from the table pairing. If the recipe includes white wine or aguardiente, these are cooking ingredients used to develop the sauce. The recommended drink served at the table is 0.0% alcohol-free.
Chicken with lobster captures an essential part of Catalan culinary identity in a single casserole.
Sea and mountains, fishermen and farmers, humble ingredients and celebratory cooking.
The Mar i Muntanya tradition demonstrates how Catalan cuisine has historically brought together the resources of its coast, countryside and mountains.
It is a cuisine born from local ingredients and ingenuity, transformed over generations into one of the most distinctive expressions of Empordà gastronomy.
Here, the Mediterranean and the Catalan countryside meet in one unforgettable dish.
Copyright © 2016-2026 Magic Dreams Barcelona.
Family tradition, rich sofrito and the authentic flavour of Catalan cuisine Fideus a la cassola, also known as Catalan-style casserole noodles, are one of the most representative dishes of traditional Catalan home cooking. Their defining characteristic is also their greatest difference from classic Italian pasta: …
The Mediterranean meeting of sea and land The Paella Mar i Muntanya is one of the most fascinating expressions of Catalan cuisine. Its name literally means “Sea and Mountain”, referring to the combination of ingredients from the Mediterranean coast with products traditionally associated with the …
The Espardenya is a traditional Catalan-style tapa combining toasted bread, escalivada and anchovies, bringing together the flavours of the land and the sea.
The name espardenya is associated with this rustic style of preparation in Catalan cuisine, although the term can have different meanings depending on the region.
This version features escalivada, a traditional Catalan preparation of roasted red peppers, aubergine and onion, topped with anchovies from L’Escala, one of the best-known seafood products of the Costa Brava.
The vegetables are slowly roasted until tender, sweet and slightly smoky, while the anchovies provide a salty, intense contrast.
Finished with extra virgin olive oil, toasted pine nuts, black olives and fresh parsley, this simple tapa becomes a beautiful expression of Catalan Mediterranean cuisine.
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Place the whole peppers, aubergine and onions on a baking tray.
Roast for approximately 40–50 minutes, turning the vegetables halfway through cooking.
The skins should become nicely charred in places while the flesh becomes completely tender.
For a more traditional smoky flavour, the vegetables can also be roasted directly over hot embers.
Remove the vegetables from the oven and cover them for several minutes.
This makes them easier to peel and allows their natural juices to redistribute.
Peel the peppers, remove the seeds and cut them into long strips.
Peel the aubergine and onions and cut them into strips or rustic pieces.
Do not discard the roasting juices.
Adding them to the escalivada gives the dish even more depth and flavour.
Place the roasted vegetables in a bowl.
Add extra virgin olive oil, a little salt and, if desired, finely chopped garlic.
Mix gently.
Allow the vegetables to rest for a few minutes so that they absorb the olive oil and the flavours become more integrated.
Cut the rustic bread into thick slices.
Toast until the surface is golden and crisp, while keeping the centre slightly tender.
A few drops of extra virgin olive oil can be added before toasting.
Place a generous portion of escalivada on each slice of toasted bread.
Arrange the roasted red pepper, aubergine and onion so that they cover most of the surface.
The vegetables should remain juicy rather than dry.
Place 3–4 L’Escala anchovy fillets on each Espardenya.
The intense, salty flavour of the anchovies creates a wonderful contrast with the natural sweetness of the roasted vegetables.
Add a few black olives and toasted pine nuts.
Finish with fresh parsley and a few drops of extra virgin olive oil.
The vegetables should remain tender, juicy and slightly smoky.
The peppers should be fleshy, the aubergine creamy and the onions sweet and soft.
Avoid overcooking the vegetables until they become dry.
Good-quality extra virgin olive oil should enhance the vegetables rather than overpower their natural flavour.
Pine nuts provide an excellent crunchy contrast.
Toast them lightly in a dry frying pan for a few minutes, stirring constantly.
They should become golden and aromatic without burning.
Add them immediately before serving so they retain their crisp texture.
To elevate this traditional Catalan tapa:
For a traditional presentation, serve the Espardenya on a wooden board or handcrafted ceramic plate.
Arrange the escalivada generously over the toasted bread and place the anchovies neatly on top.
Add toasted pine nuts, black olives and fresh parsley.
Finish with a few drops of extra virgin olive oil.
The ideal presentation combines rustic simplicity with Mediterranean elegance, preserving the character of traditional Catalan cuisine.
This Espardenya pairs particularly well with a fresh, crisp 0.0% alcohol-free white wine, whose acidity balances the saltiness of the anchovies and the richness of the olive oil.
A Mediterranean-style 0.0% alcohol-free vermouth is also an excellent choice as an aperitif.
For a completely refreshing option, serve with very cold sparkling water, lemon and fresh Mediterranean herbs.
Copyright © 2016-2026 Magic Dreams Barcelona.
A historic Catalan stew of tender beef, sofrito and silky sauce Cap i Pota is one of the most authentic dishes of traditional Catalan cuisine. Its name literally means “head and foot”, referring to the traditional use of beef head and feet, slowly cooked until …
Bacallà a la Llauna is one of the great classics of traditional Catalan cuisine: a humble dish in origin, yet remarkably rich in aromas, contrasts and Mediterranean character. Its history is closely linked to the popular cuisine of Catalonia and, particularly, Barcelona, where salt cod …
Neules are a traditional Catalan sweet and an essential part of Christmas pastry in Catalonia. They are especially appreciated for their fine, crisp and delicate texture, which distinguishes them from denser and harder types of wafers. Their origins date back to the Middle Ages, when …
