The market stalls do a brisk trade in pulses during the colder winter months and you can see the wide variety available piled up on the front of various stalls, even sweet stalls on a Friday. Several local shops also offer dried pulses most of which are produced in or around Calasparra.
The variety of pulses available locally is constantly changing as different ones come into season: the obvious exceptions being lentils and chick peas which are available all the year round. The trick is to have a good look around the stalls for the in season pulse. At the moment it is fairly large white tender beans and in a couple of months it will be “michirones” (large, hard , dried red broad beans) for which the whole town goes mad for a month!
The Calasparrians are wily folk and years of poverty and food shortages have taught them the value of the pulse. Pulses are incredibly cheap; can be used as a meat substitute; are amazingly good for you; are always available in one form or another; make a quick, cheap meal and are very easy to prepare. They play a major role in the Mediterranean diet in many countries apart from Spain including, Greece, Italy and France although in the UK they tend to be frowned upon as “the vegetarian option.” In reality they are incredibly versatile and can be used with or without meat and, in fact, in Calasparra are often prepared with shellfish or the dried bacalao (cod).
We include two recipes for pulses, one for white beans (haricots) and one for chick peas. and, as a Calasparrian winter would be unthinkable without an “arroz,” we include a personal favourite of the editorial team, Rice with Snails and Rabbit. Both the snails and the rabbit are available free locally (rabbit with a hunting licence) or can be purchased very cheaply.
Even with the delicious winter sun in early January the time for salads has not yet arrived. As 6pm approaches the temperature falls through the floor and we are driven indoors to the warmth of a lovely log fire. On such an evening any one of these three local recipes will keep the cold at bay.
