Els Casals

Els Casals | A Return to One of My Happiest Places Back at one of my happiest places on earth. And there is Oriol, my dear friend and brother, welcoming us into his kitchen with that wonderful smile, proudly holding an enormous piece of traditional cured pork. At Els Casals, the connection between the farm and the table isn’t a fashionable philosophy. It’s how the Rovira family has lived and worked for generations. Tonight, we begin gently, surrounded by people I love, extraordinary ingredients and the comforting feeling of being home. What a beautiful way to end our first day.

Sopa de Pa i Farigola amb Mandonguilles | Traditional Catalan Bread Soup with Meatballs One of the most moving dishes of the evening, precisely because of its humble origins. Oriol explains that this soup, made with stale bread, stock, garlic and thyme, was once an everyday supper in Catalan homes. The little meatballs were a luxury, reserved for Sundays. The bread thickens the fragrant broth, transforming a handful of inexpensive ingredients into something wonderfully comforting. I love that Oriol preserves these traditions, reminding us that great cooking isn’t always about expensive ingredients. Sometimes it’s about remembering how our families once ate.

Pâté en Croûte | Pork and Duck in Pastry Here Oriol’s classical French training comes beautifully to life. His pâté en croûte combines pork and duck in a rich, carefully layered filling, enclosed in golden pastry. Every slice reveals a mosaic of meats and textures, the result of a demanding tradition of French charcuterie. I love how this dish brings another part of Oriol’s culinary education to Els Casals, alongside the deeply rooted traditions of his Catalan home.

Pickles, Ferments and Preserved Vegetables | The Art of Preservation A colorful celebration of the vegetables and the traditional art of preserving them. Oriol uses pickling, salt-curing and fermentation to extend the life of the harvest while creating wonderful acidity and complexity. These beautiful vegetables accompany richer preparations such as his pâté en croûte, cutting through the richness of pork and duck. Nothing is wasted, and even the simplest garden ingredients have an important place at the table.

Rovellons | Catalonia’s Beloved Autumn Mushrooms Few ingredients capture the spirit of Catalan autumn like rovellons, the beloved wild saffron milk cap mushrooms. From September through early November, entire families head into the forests searching for them, a cherished weekend tradition. Oriol roasts them simply with garlic, olive oil and a little red pepper. Their beautiful orange color, meaty texture and unmistakable woodland character need little embellishment. A wonderful taste of the Catalan countryside.

Grilled Wild Mushrooms | The Luxury of Simplicity For Oriol, these wild mushrooms are among inland Catalonia’s greatest treasures, prized for their rarity and the difficulty of finding them. He insists on grilling them with nothing more than olive oil and a little salt. No garlic, no elaborate sauce, nothing to interfere with their natural character. This is cooking built entirely around the ingredient, allowing the mushrooms’ delicate textures and woodland flavors to speak for themselves.

Fresh Pocha Beans | The October Harvest October brings one of Oriol’s simplest seasonal pleasures: freshly harvested white beans, known as pochas or mongetes blanques. Unlike dried beans, they are still tender and need barely fifteen minutes of cooking. Water, olive oil and salt are enough. Their delicate texture and gentle sweetness make this humble ingredient something extraordinary. I love how Oriol captures that brief moment when a seasonal product is at its absolute best.

Lagarto de Cal Rovira | Roast Pork with Two Potatoes One of Oriol’s favorite cuts from the family’s Cal Rovira pigs, lagarto takes its name from its resemblance to a lizard’s tail. Rich in intramuscular fat, this firm, flavorful cut is roasted over patatas panadera with olive oil and pork jus, then covered with delicate, crispy potato strips. Just pork and potatoes, prepared with intelligence and generosity. A beautiful expression of the rustic cooking I love so much.

Caramelized Pineapple with Crema Catalana | Christmas in the 1980s For Oriol, this dessert brings back childhood Christmas celebrations in the 1980s. A pineapple filled with traditional crema catalana, its golden sugar crust caramelized until crisp, recalls the festive tables of his family home. A quenelle of cream ice cream provides a cool contrast, but the real story is the pineapple and custard. Such a lovely way to finish, with a cherished family memory transformed into dessert.

A Beautiful Ending There are restaurants I love for their cooking, others for the people, and a few very special places where the two become inseparable. Els Casals is one of those places. Every time I return, I’m reminded of what makes Oriol’s cooking so meaningful. The pigs raised by the family, the beans harvested at just the right moment, the mushrooms gathered from the surrounding forests, the humble dishes passed down through generations, and even a dessert that brings back memories of Christmas in the 1980s. Nothing here feels disconnected from the place or the people who created it. And perhaps that is what I love most about Els Casals. Behind every plate is a story worth telling. But above all, there is Oriol. My dear friend, my brother, and someone whose friendship means so much more to me than any restaurant experience ever could. Thank you, Oriol, for welcoming us once again, for sharing your table, your memories and your heart. What a beautiful way to end the first day of our Grand Spain Tour. And what a wonderful feeling to be back home. Dudi

Tomás Postigo 3er Año 2023 | Ribera del Duero, Spain

A beautiful red from veteran winemaker Tomás Postigo, a pioneer of modern Ribera del Duero. Predominantly Tinto Fino (Tempranillo), blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Malbec, from high-altitude vineyards. Twelve months in French oak bring depth and polish to its generous dark fruit and spice. A lovely wine for our evening at Els Casals.

Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Clos des Grandes Vignes 2022 | Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair

A beautiful Pinot Noir from Burgundy’s Côte de Nuits, produced by Louis-Michel Liger-Belair. Clos des Grandes Vignes is a Premier Cru monopole, meaning the vineyard belongs to a single estate. The generous 2022 vintage combines ripe red fruit, fine tannins and Burgundian elegance. A particularly lovely bottle to share at Oriol’s table.

Més Que Paraules Nòm 2023 | Pla de Bages, Catalonia

A lovely white from Pla de Bages, the Catalan wine region close to Els Casals. Made from indigenous grape varieties, this limited-production wine celebrates the area’s distinctive viticultural heritage. Its name, Més Que Paraules, means “More Than Words.” A fitting sentiment for an evening filled with friendship, wonderful food and the pleasure of being together.