onservas—or seafood carefully packed and preserved at the peak of its freshness—are a staple in grocery stores, restaurants, and home pantries in Spain and Portugal, hail from Spain’s Bay of Biscay, where they are caught in trawls, brined, and packed by hand in extra-virgin olive oil. Passionate collectors of stockpile tins and age them for years, allowing the fish to turn richer and fall-apart tender. Diminutive , or small scallops, are beloved in northwestern Spain’s Galicia. Also from Galicia are the finest , a delicacy harvested by divers in the rough, rocky coastline of the Cape of Finisterre. are often preserved in escabeche, a tangy brine made from vinegar, garlic, paprika, and bay leaf. is often tinned in a tomato- or ink-based sauce and sometimes also stuffed with vegetables, rice, and tentacles. In Portugal, tinned is gently warmed or sautéed and then served over roasted potatoes. Dense, meaty is a similar—but more sustainable—alternative to overfished tuna. Typically steamed and then preserved in brine, are mild and easy to serve, transforming into a simple tapa with just a squeeze of lemon. A rare and pricey delicacy, subtly flavored or juvenile European eels, are often saved for special occasions such as Christmas; New Year’s Day; or La Tamborrada, San Sebastián’s most important festival.
