The Spanish cuisine is incredibly divergent. Living in Spain, you may have visited a lot of restaurants, open the menu and find food you haven’t eaten yet. As a food critic, Anna Ziuzina has had the habit of eating something new during her travels.

Here are some of the weirdest Spanish food she had tried and loved:

Squids and squid ink shaded pasta

The pasta tinted with squid ink may look peculiar with its dark color, but it has a very understated salty taste which compliments the dish. Calamari is fairly cheap and it is widely popular in Spain. You can do a lot with a squid. You can fry it, grill it or throw it in a paella. It is fairly delicious. But take note not to overcook it as it will make the squid hard to eat.

Octopus

The region of Galicia is famous in Spain for its octopus. Pulpo a la gallega is a signature dish found in the region which is made of octopus, boiled potatoes and finished with a sprinkle of paprika. This is an incredibly delicious seafood dish to try.

Goose Barnacles

The first reaction you will probably have after seeing this is, “are this monster claws”? These tiny crustaceans are very expensive Spanish delicacies. They are expensive because it is very difficult and hazardous to collect them. They are attached to hard surfaces like rocks along spiky coastlines where the waves are dangerous. The people risk their lives trying to get them. In able to eat them, you must take off the outer covering where the claw is attached. You can then bite off the tender meat inside and throw away the claw. The goose barnacles have a very rich taste of the ocean.

Baby eels

The eels are actually almost 2 years old when sold at markets but referred to as “babies” due to their small sizes. Baby eels are similar to the size of a spaghetti noodle and are now are due to overfishing. The eels are fried in olive oil and mixed with red pepper to make a delicious dish.

Pig ears

The Spanish don not throw away any part of the pig. Spaniards show their resourcefulness by using pig ears as dishes. In Madrid, local restaurants chop pig ears then grill them to perfection. They are served with spicy sauces and best accompanied by beer.

Callos

This is one of Spain’s signature dishes. They are a delicious meal often served during winter. Callos are usually made up of perfectly cooked cow tripe, peas, chorizo and blood sausage. This may sound scary but once you try, you won’t have any regrets.

Visit Anna Ziuzina official website for the lists of top markets offering delicious Spanish dishes. Find out more about the food critic Anna Ziuzina on her official Twitter page here and read Anna Ziuzina news here.