The Asturian Cachopo: its origin and its different varieties

When does a dish, a recipe, become part of the popular heritage, of that set of collective behaviours that we call "culture"? The famous Asturian cachopo, golden and crispy, those two fillets of Asturian veal, usually served with Serrano ham and Asturian cheese, make up the youngest dish in Asturian gastronomy. The latest classic, inevitable on any menu, to join a long list of recipes, ancient and still restless; a simple culinary delicacy that has conquered the hearts of diners. Hamburgers, pizzas and kebabs surrender to a homemade, natural, delicious rival; perfect for sharing. Just mention it and you get hungry.

The Asturian cachopo has become incrediblypopular in Asturian restaurants over the last two decades, to the point of multiplying the types of cachopos, their ingredients, breading and sizes, and of spreading its fashion throughout the country. It has conquered, like a gifted adolescent, the status of a typical dish, a symbol, an identity and tradition, and has also become an ambassador beyond its borders. Let's see how this phenomenon has happened, and how to enjoy even more this generously tucked-up steak, related to Saint-Jacob or cordon bleu.

How was the Asturian cachopo born and where? Who was the first person who dared to take such everyday elements as meat, ham, cheese, beaten egg, breadcrumbs, olive oil, bring them together, and transform them into an aircraft carrier that often overflows the dish?

In his Diccionario de cocina y gastronomía de Asturias, Eduardo Méndez Riestra, president of the Asturian Gastronomy Academy, places the birth of cachopo in the Pelayo bar in Oviedo: "From the mid-1940s, thanks to the hand of its cook, Olvido Álvarez Fernández". We are talking about a post-war decade, of rationing, of a society with humble condumios and rural kitchens limited by scarcity.

However, the Asturian cachopo gradually made its way until it exploded with success at the end of the 20th century, with economic prosperity, as an emblem of the restaurant trade. "There is no news about its name", says Méndez Riestra, pointing out that, literally, the translation of the word is "dry trunk destined for the fire". From 2013 onwards, says the gastronome, its popularity grew especially "among the younger diners":

Asturian Creativity in the Kitchen

The following year, in 2014, the first Asturian Cachopos Championship was organised. Asturian chefs have played a key role in its evolution, elevating the traditional recipe with innovation and sophistication. The cuisine consists of adapting to contemporary tastes without losing the original essence.

Today you can find Asturian cachopos with meat, of course, but also with fish, mushrooms, vegan, chicken, with foie. Stuffed with cured meats, compotes, seafood. With dozens of different local cheeses. We are in the region with the greatest variety of cheeses in Europe. There are around a hundred cheese dairies in the region, most of them artisan, where more than 200 different cheeses are made. There are also different breads for their breading. Something so simple allows for a thousand variations. Especially when the starting point is the formidable Asturian gastronomy, with local, sustainable and artisan ingredients. Landscape cuisine, of which cachopo is a privileged ambassador.

The following year, in 2014, the first Asturian Cachopos Championship was organised. Asturian chefs have played a fundamental role in its evolution, elevating the traditional recipe with innovation and sophistication. The cuisine consists of adapting to contemporary tastes without losing the original essence.

Today you can find Asturian cachopos with meat, of course, but also with fish, mushrooms, vegan, chicken, with foie gras. Stuffed with cured meats, compotes, seafood. With dozens of different local cheeses. We are in the region with the greatest variety of cheeses in Europe. There are around a hundred cheese dairies in the region, most of them artisan, where more than 200 different cheeses are made. There are also different breads for their breading. Something so simple allows for a thousand variations. Especially when the starting point is the formidable Asturian gastronomy, with local, sustainable and artisan ingredients. Landscape cuisine, of which cachopo is a privileged ambassador.

Logically, the secret of the Asturian cachopo lies in the quality of its ingredients: tender veal fillets, Serrano ham, melted cheese and a crunchy batter that envelops everything in an explosion of flavour. It offers the advantage of being easy for any cook to make: it does not require great skill, just enthusiasm and a good sense of taste when visiting the market or grocery store. Soft cheeses melt better. Meat cut from noble pieces is juicier (topside, stifle, rump or hindquarter). The ham, of course, of quality, with careful fat. The perfect garnish? Asturian chips, of course. More than perfect, we would almost say that it is the obligatory garnish, which forms an integral part of the dish, whatever the variety of Asturian cachopo.

From these ingredients, the process is simple. First, lightly salt the two fillets, and add pepper to taste. Place the slices of ham and cheese evenly on top of one of the fillets. Take the second fillet and place it on top as a lid. Carefully dredge in flour, beaten egg and bread, and fry in plenty of extra virgin olive oil at a generous temperature. When the batter is golden brown, remove it from the frying pan and place it on a tray with kitchen paper to blot off any excess oil. All that remains is to serve, accompanied by a garnish (potatoes, salad, peppers...), and as soon as you are not afraid of scalding your tongue with the first bite (tentatively tilt the melted cheese when you put the knife in), you can enjoy the genuine Asturian cachopo.

From the first bite, cachopo calls for cider. Its salty, savoury flavour, the mixture of crunchiness and tenderness, inevitably lead to the Asturian drink par excellence. Its freshness and acidity enhance the enjoyment in the mouth, as they complement all these sensations, and also refresh the palate. Both pair wonderfully for a second reason: cachopo and cider are collective, group foods that are shared.

Although it may seem like a hearty dish, cachopo revitalises the body, and with it, the spirit. The beef, ham and cheese form a container of protein, potassium and phosphorus, and B vitamins. If you move on to the dozens of varieties that exchange these ingredients for fish, mushrooms, vegetables or any other food, it goes without saying that cachopo incorporates their respective nutritional benefits.

Because, ultimately, we are talking about a dish that condenses the true function of food, its social utility, the origin of food: to gather to live better, to eat to recover energy, to enjoy pleasure and to carry out both activities together, multiplying their effectiveness. In the same way that an apparently simple steak, stuffed and coated in batter, manages to widen all the smiles of the people who gather around it to cut pieces and toast. Moreover, the generous size of the cachopo makes it an ideal dish for sharing, thus promoting interaction and conviviality among those sitting at the table, reinforcing its social character.

So, when you travel around Asturias, take the opportunity to discover how this young typical dish continues to multiply, which each master chef adapts according to his or her own ingenuity. And, if you also manage to delight the people you love with the best you have tasted of Asturian gastronomy, then this shared history of food will reach its maximum level of service. Long live the cachopo!