Description
The Caballa de Andalucía PGI is a preserve of mackerel filets in oil of the Scomber japonicus species produced using non-industrial methods.
Production Area
The production area of the Caballa de Andalucía PGI is located in the municipalities of Almería, Adra, Carboneras, Garrucha and Roquetas de Mar in the Province of Almería; Algeciras, Barbate, Cádiz, Chipiona, Conil, La Línea, Puerto de Santa María, Rota, Sanlúcar de Barrameda and Tarifa in the Province of Cádiz; Almúñecar and Motril in the Province of Granada; Ayamonte, Cartaya, Huelva, Isla Cristina, Lepe, Palos de la Frontera and Punta Umbría in the Huelva Province; Estepona, Fuengirola, Málaga, Marbella and Vélez-Málaga in the Province of Málaga.
Production Method
The heads are removed by hand and the fish are gutted and then washed before being boiled in fresh salted water. In the following stage the fish are skinned by hand, without the use of chemicals that guarantee the maintenance of optimum natural qualities. The filets are then placed in metal or glass containers, sterilised by a heat treatment to eliminate any microorganisms. The production process of the preserves is done manually and is a traditional process that ensures the preservation of all the natural characteristics of the fish. For the preserves, exclusively olive oil or sunflower oil is used.
Appearance and Flavour
The Caballa de Andalucía PGI has a compact texture, smooth and juicy, with a pleasant smell and very characteristic taste. The Scomber japonicus, raw material for this preserve, measures between 20 and 30 cm, has a spindleshaped and elongated body, it has two clearly separated dorsal fins and its head and body are covered with small scales. The colour is greenish blue, with narrow wavy black lines and speckles, while its belly and flanks are of a silvery yellow with bluish grey speckles.
History
The history of the Caballa de Andalucía PGI is linked to the tradition of the south of Spain, where the fishing of migratory species goes back three thousand years , when Phoenicians and the ancient Andalusian people began catching tuna, frigate tuna and mackerel using small nets, rudimentary purse seines and the familiar hook and line. The Arabs introduced tunny nets to the seas off the coast of southern Andalusia. Other than fishing, all types of tuna and mackerel were processed at factories all along the coast of Andalusia. The well-known ruins of Baelo Claudia at Bolonia (Tarifa), where tanks are still visible today, are just one example. The industry of fish preserving in Andalusia is part of a tradition that goes back a long time and continues today. Now this activity has still the quality characteristics that distinguish it and mark the inextricable link with the physical environment of the Andalusian coast, with the family tradition of the preserving enterprises and with the traditional, non-industrial character of their production.
Gastronomy
The Caballa de Andalucía PGI is best kept in cool dry places. After opening, it is advisable to place the product in the refrigerator and consume it within the next few days. The Caballa de Andalucía PGI is consumed generally as an only dish with vegetables, rice, or potatoes. It can alternately be used as a main ingredient in dishes like pizza.
Marketing
The product is sold as Caballa de Andalucía PGI. It is packaged in metal or glass containers.
Distinctive Features
The long experience of non-industrial production of the Caballa de Andalucía PGI, handed down from father to son, guarantee a skilled labour force in this sector.
