Andorra

Today I am cooking Trinxat de Andorra, a hearty potato and cabbage based dish from Andorra.

Trinxat is a super simple comfort food type dish. It’s generally eaten in colder weather so diving in to it on a nearly 90 degree day isn’t exactly how it’s typically enjoyed in Andorra.

For those who want to skip to a recipe, my preparation is adapted from the Spanish food and lifestyle site Directo al Paladar. I’ve also added some notes about substitutions and options I’ve noticed from other recipes I looked over in research.

You’ll need a pot with a colander or steaming tray (a pot is good enough if you don’t have a colander/steaming tray) and a deep frying pan.

LET’S DO THIS:

  • About 2/3 pound of potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks (most recipes call for Russet – I do not particularly like Russet potatoes so I am using a mixture of Russet for texture and baby gold for flavor)
  • About 2/3 pound of green cabbage (traditionally this is made with winter cabbage, which has a slightly sweeter flavor due to being picked after the first frost – I mimicked this action by popping my washed and dried leaves into the freezer for about 45 minutes, you don’t want them actually frozen, just exposed to freezing temps and a touch of iciness), leaves split into large pieces
  • 4 or 6 strips of thick cut bacon (optional substitution for vegetarian and Halal/Kosher is thick-sliced mushrooms – Portabello, Porcini, and Chanterelle are all regionally appropriate – and some olive oil to account for the missing bacon fat. You’ll want about 1-1.5 cups of sliced mushrooms if you’re using this substitution) – the 4 strip preparation is more traditional
  • 4 cloves of garlic, pressed
  • Salt to taste

Prep on this (45 minute freeze aside) was about 30 minutes for me, your time may vary.

Here’s what to do:

  • Place your potato chunks and cabbage leaves in your steaming tray/colander and steam until soft/fully cooked. Some recipes call for a boil over a steam so if steaming is too much a pain, or if you don’t have the tools to steam, boiling is fine. Steaming takes about an hour, boiling 30-45 minutes.
  • After steamed or boiled, remove from heat and place in a bowl (large enough for you to work in).
  • Fry the bacon in your pan until cooked to your desired doneness. Cook two pieces to extra crispy (not burnt!) if you’re using 6 pieces (and if your desired doneness is not fully crispy).
  • While the bacon is frying, mash up your cabbage and potatoes with a fork. You don’t want completely silky smooth like mashed potatoes, you’re going for about a 50/50 smooth and small lump consistency. Add salt to taste.
Ooooor get tired of trying to mash with a fork and throw in your mixer low speed. Either way.
  • Remove the bacon from the pan but DO NOT remove the rendered grease.
  • Cook the garlic to golden in the bacon fat.
This will smell unbelievably good
  • If you’re using the 6-strip bacon prep, crumble your two extra crispy pieces into your potato and cabbage mixture and stir, if you’re not doing this move on. If you’re using mushrooms, you may want to chop up a couple of your cooked slices to mix in but you don’t have to. This isn’t traditional but I saw it a couple of places and looked good.
  • Mix in your potato-cabbage mash into the garlic bacon fat in you pan, then allow to cook to crispy on both sides (flip like a pancake, if you need to cut and flip piecemeal cut into 4 pieces)
Somewhere a grandma in Andorra was furious at an unknown American this afternoon and didn’t know why…
  • Plate in 4 portions, putting one piece of bacon onto each (or your cooked mushrooms).
…but it worked out in the end still!

That’s it! Total time beginning to end including prep and cook is about two hours (13:00 to 15:00).