The Tombet of Vilafamés
Tombet is one of the most deeply rooted dishes in the cuisine of Vilafamés and the whole inland area of Castellón. It is a stew made mainly with lamb (or kid) meat, to which potatoes, garlic, bay leaf and olive oil are added, and in some variants dried peppers or tomatoes. Its name comes from the Valencian verb *tombar*, which means "to turn around" or "to turn over", in reference to how the ingredients are distributed in layers inside the casserole or to the gesture of moving them gently during cooking.
It is a traditional stew from Alto Maestrazgo, although it also exists in versions with rabbit and snails. What makes it special is its resounding simplicity: few ingredients, a lot of patience and slow fire. The meat is salted, fried with olive oil, a bay leaf, a head of garlic and a splash of brandy are added, and it is left to cook for approximately two hours over low heat, shaking the casserole from time to time so that nothing sticks.
The original recipe states that the preparation must be done in a clay pot, and this is not a minor detail: the clay retains the heat gradually and, according to the local cooks, the pot absorbs the flavor of the lamb with each preparation, improving the dish stew after stew.
Some versions include a final mash of almonds, fried bread, parsley and garlic that is added ten minutes before serving, adding body and a touch of the dried fruit pastry so typical of the area.
In Vilafamés, the tombet is part of the repertoire of traditional recipes along with the typical pot, paella and grilled meat with allioli. It can be tasted in restaurants in the old quarter such as El Rullo, where it is served as "tombet de corder" (lamb tombet) along with other local gems such as olleta (a kind of stew) or baked rice in pumpkin.
It is a winter dish, a family reunion dish, one of those that calls for bread to dip and a glass of local red wine - perhaps a macabeo from the vineyards surrounding the village. To eat a tombet in Vilafamés, with the reddish stone streets and the castle looming over the rooftops, is to understand that the gastronomy of this town is as honest and authentic as its landscape.
