Gazpacho manchego is a classic Spanish stew. The chefs at Valencia’s new up-and-coming restaurant Cocleque have reinterpreted the dish with quail, chicken liver and mushrooms. Here is Cocleque’s recipe.
During the winter months, your body craves warmth and it’s the perfect time to serve a delicious stew to your family or friends.
Restaurant Cocleque in Valencia has reinterpreted the Spanish classic gazpacho manchego, which originates from the Castilla-La Mancha region. It’s a traditional shepherd’s dish with game and bread, which is also mentioned in Miguel de Cervantes’ famous book Don Quixote.
Cocleque’s modern version is made with respect for the traditional dish. It retains the traditional rich broth, but is served in a lighter version with quail, thin, crusty bread and mushrooms at the center.
Two of Cocleque’s owners, cousins Victor Fraguas and Adrià Inglés, were served the dish as children by their great uncle, and they want to pay tribute to him and the dish. According to the cousins, gazpacho manchego is not only a delicious winter dish and family gathering point, but also a dish full of history.
Recipe for gazpacho manchego
INGREDIENTS FOR 4 PEOPLE
For the broth:
4 chicken wings
1/4 rabbit
4 portobello mushrooms
1/2 red bell pepper
1 onion
4 cloves of garlic
0.1 g saffron
1 pinch of paprika
1 sprig thyme
1 sprig of rosemary
1 carnation
1 pinch of cinnamon
5 cl white wine
60 g peeled tomatoes
2 l of water
20 ml oil
Roast the meat and vegetables slowly in the oven until they turn a deep golden color. Sauté the spices in a pan with olive oil and peeled tomatoes, add water, then deglaze the roasting pan with white wine, mixing all the juices into the broth. Simmer gently for three hours and then strain to obtain a clear, intense and aromatic broth.
For the baked garlic puree:
1 head of garlic
salt
oil
Wrap the garlic head in aluminum foil with salt and oil and bake until tender and soft. Once baked, remove the pulp and puree until smooth and creamy.
For the chicken pâté:
Chicken liver from 1 chicken
10 ml cognac
1 pinch of salt
1 pinch of pepper
Fry chicken livers with cognac, salt and pepper until cooked through. Then puree and strain through a fine sieve to achieve a smooth, silky and perfectly blended texture.
Accessories:
Emperor oyster mushrooms
Funnel chanterelles
Oyster mushrooms
Roasted almonds
4 quails
4 carasau (flatbread from Sardinia)
1 sprig of thyme
We cook quail breast and thighs with mushrooms and wild mushrooms in 300 ml broth for fifteen minutes. Meanwhile, we arrange a slightly torn slice of carasau bread at the bottom of the plate, on which we place small blobs of chicken pâté and roasted garlic cream.
We sprinkle with roasted almonds and fresh thyme. We strain the broth, place the quail and mushrooms on the bread base and finish the dish at the table, pouring over the hot broth to complete the experience.
Behind the recipe
The recipe for Manchego gazpacho was developed by Cocleque restaurant, located in the heart of Valencia’s El Cabanyal neighborhood.
Cocleque is run by Adrià Inglés, Víctor Fraguas and Doina Hmaruc, who opened the restaurant in 2024. The philosophy is that the food should be creative, playful and emotional, with local produce at the center.
Cocleque quickly became one of Valencia’s most exciting new culinary destinations. The menu focuses on international flavors while retaining a distinctive Valencian essence.
Just a year after its opening, Cocleque has been included in the Hedonist Guide Yearbook 2026, one of Valencia’s most influential gastronomic publications.
The menu changes with the seasons, and in winter 2026 Cocleque’s reinterpretation of Manchego gazpacho is on the menu.
Travel tips for Valencia
If you want to visit Valencia and the Cocleque restaurant, there are plenty of other things to do in the city. Find inspiration in the guide to Valencia, the guide to El Cabanyal (where Cocleque is located), the guide to Valencia’s Ruzafa neighborhood, design experiences in Valencia and the guide to sustainable experiences in Valencia.
