Summary
The classic gilda is perfect, but that doesn't mean it can't be improved or surprise. At Bacalalo, we have been experimenting with original gilda versions for our customers for some time... In this guide: Why original gildas work, Gilda with smoked salmon and caper, Sweet and sour gilda: anchovy, mango, and chili pepper.
Original Gildas: 12 Surprising Creations
The classic gilda is perfect, but that doesn't mean it can't be improved or surprise. At Bacalalo, we have been experimenting with original gilda versions for our customers at Mercat del Ninot and for the gourmet baskets we send all over the Peninsula. The result of this process is twelve creations that respect the spirit of the Basque pintxo but take it to unexpected places: Mediterranean ingredients, sweet and sour combinations, textures not typically found in a skewer. This guide is practical: for each original gilda, the exact ingredients and assembly are detailed.
Why original gildas work
Before the recipes, it's worth understanding the logic. The classic gilda works because it combines three elements with distinct roles: an acid (the guindilla pepper), a fatty-salty component (the anchovy), and a neutral element that anchors it (the olive). The most surprising original gildas are those that respect this structural role but substitute ingredients within each category.
If only the anchovy is replaced by another protein or umami element, the result is still recognizable as a gilda. If you play with acidity using an ingredient different from the guindilla pepper, the profile changes but the balance is maintained. Versions that fail are those that eliminate the contrast or exaggerate it in a single direction.
With this clear logic, these are the twelve original gildas that yield the best results in practice.
1. Gilda with smoked salmon and caper
Ingredients: Scottish smoked salmon slice, large green gordal olive, large caper (or caper berry), fresh dill.
Assembly: Fold the salmon accordion-style (3 layers), thread it onto the skewer with the gordal olive and the caper berry. Finish with a small sprig of dill inserted into the end of the toothpick.
Why it works: Smoked salmon has abundant salt and fat. The caper berry provides the acidity and vegetal bitterness that the guindilla pepper offers in the classic version. The gordal olive anchors the ensemble with its ample flesh. Dill adds aromatic freshness without competing.
2. Sweet and sour gilda: anchovy, mango, and chili pepper
Ingredients: Cantabrian anchovy fillet in olive oil, ripe mango piece (1.5 x 1.5 cm), mild Basque guindilla pepper, manzanilla olive.
Assembly: Olive, folded guindilla, rolled anchovy, mango cube. The mango goes at the end so it's the first flavor when bringing the skewer to the mouth.
Why it works: The combination of anchovy and mango is one of those contrasts that seems daring but is perfectly balanced. The tropical sweetness of the mango softens the saltiness of the anchovy. The guindilla adds the acidic kick that mango lacks. It's a surprising appetizer.
3. Grilled shrimp gilda
Ingredients: 1 medium peeled shrimp (body only), gordal olive, piquillo pepper strips, flake salt.
Assembly: Sear the shrimp on a very hot griddle (45 seconds per side). Skewer while hot with the olive and piquillo pepper. Finish with flake salt on top.
Why it works: Grilled shrimp is juicy, with a direct seafood flavor. Roasted piquillo pepper adds a subtle sweetness. The olive adds an acidic-fatty note. This original gilda is served hot, which differentiates it from cold versions and adds a different sensory dimension.
Bacalalo Products
Gourmet Handmade Artisanal Cheese Gilda...
9,75 €
Caper Berries in Vinegar - 1400g (600g Drained)
9,95 €
Artisanal Pickled Onions - 1.4 kg
9,90 €
Gourmet Handmade Artisanal Anchovy Gilda ...
9,90 €
Refrigerated shipping 24-48h throughout the Peninsula
4. Gilda with brie cheese and quince paste
Ingredients: Wedge of brie cheese (very cold so it doesn't melt), small piece of quince paste (firm quince preserve), pickled onion, mild guindilla pepper.
Assembly: Pickled onion, guindilla, brie wedge, small piece of quince paste. Serve at room temperature (remove cheese from the fridge 10 minutes before).
Why it works: Brie provides creaminess and a mild dairy flavor. Quince paste adds sweetness. The pickled onion and guindilla add acidity that balances the whole. Without fish, it's a perfect original gilda for guests who don't eat seafood.
5. Gilda with smoked cod and sun-dried tomato
Ingredients: Small piece of smoked cod loin (in slices), sun-dried tomato in olive oil, arbequina olive, caper.
Assembly: Olive, caper, folded smoked cod slice, sun-dried tomato drained of oil.
Why it works: Smoked cod has a different profile from traditional salt cod: smokier and milder. The sun-dried tomato in oil adds concentrated sweetness, and its chewy texture contrasts with the cod's softness. The caper adds the acidic note.
6. Black gilda: kalamata olive, smoked sardine, and chili pepper
Ingredients: Pitted kalamata olive (black, Greek), small pieces of smoked sardine in olive oil, Basque guindilla pepper, small cherry tomato.
Assembly: Cherry tomato, kalamata, smoked sardine, guindilla pepper. This gilda has a dark, intense appearance that visually contrasts with green versions.
Why it works: Kalamata has a more intense and bitter flavor than the green manzanilla. Smoked sardine is more potent than anchovy. The cherry tomato adds freshness and color. It's an original gilda with strong flavors, for those who enjoy intensity.
7. Japanese gilda: boquerón, pickled cucumber, and sesame
Ingredients: Boquerón (vinegar-marinated anchovy), thin slice of cucumber pickled in rice vinegar (tsukemono-style, or simply artisanal pickled cucumber), manzanilla olive, black sesame seeds.
Assembly: Olive, cucumber slice, rolled boquerón. Sprinkle black sesame seeds on top before serving.
Why it works: Cucumber pickled in rice vinegar is milder and less acidic than Basque guindilla, creating a more delicate version of acidity. Black sesame adds a visual touch and a subtle nutty nuance. It's an original gilda with an Asian influence that surprises without being exotic.
8. Tuna belly gilda with green pepper
Ingredients: Piece of northern bonito tuna belly in olive oil, Gernika green pepper in vinegar (or preserved), pickled onion.
Assembly: Pickled onion, Gernika pepper, piece of tuna belly drained of oil.
Why it works: Northern bonito tuna belly is milder and fattier than anchovy. Its almost melting texture contrasts with the crisp firmness of Gernika pepper. The pickled onion anchors the ensemble with its mild acidity. It's a Basque gilda with 100% Cantabrian ingredients, without anchovy but equally authentic.
9. Winter gilda: foie gras and chutney
Ingredients: Small wedge of mi-cuit foie gras (very cold), half a teaspoon of onion or fig chutney, pickled onion.
Assembly: Pickled onion, very cold foie gras piece, chutney on top with a small spoon. This is an original gilda presented in an appetizer spoon rather than a classic skewer, as foie gras doesn't hold well on a skewer.
Why it works: It's the most luxurious and different version. Foie gras provides very high levels of fat and umami; the chutney offers a sweet-and-sour counterpoint; the pickled onion adds the pickled vegetable note. It's for special occasions and works very well as an appetizer for a celebratory dinner.
10. Autumn gilda: anchovy, dried fig, and cheese
Ingredients: Cantabrian anchovy fillet, half a dried fig (rehydrated in warm water for 15 minutes if very dry), small wedge of cured Manchego cheese, mild guindilla pepper.
Assembly: Guindilla, rolled anchovy, rehydrated fig, Manchego wedge at the end.
Why it works: The fig-anchovy combination is a Mediterranean classic of sweet-savory balance. Manchego adds a lactic note that rounds out the ensemble. The guindilla provides the necessary acidity to prevent the combination from being too heavy.
11. Green gilda: boquerón, edamame, and wasabi
Ingredients: Boquerón (vinegar-marinated anchovy), cooked edamame (green soybeans), mild Basque guindilla pepper, touch of wasabi (paste, very small amount).
Assembly: Edamame, guindilla, boquerón. Add a tiny dot of wasabi on the boquerón with a toothpick before serving.
Why it works: Edamame provides a fresh, protein-rich vegetable note different from the olive. Wasabi adds a clean spiciness, different from the guindilla's heat, that goes up the nose. It's a very striking original gilda for fusion cuisine lovers. The amount of wasabi should be minimal (less than 0.5g per gilda).
12. Sweet and savory gilda: anchovy, grape, and walnut
Ingredients: Cantabrian anchovy fillet, seedless white grape (or red grape), shelled walnut (half), short guindilla pepper.
Assembly: Half a walnut, grape, rolled anchovy, short guindilla. The grape in the center gives the ensemble a visually spherical shape that attracts attention.
Why it works: The grape provides sweetness, juice, and freshness. The walnut adds crunchy texture and vegetable fat. The anchovy dominates with its umami. The guindilla finishes with acidity. It is perhaps the most balanced original gilda of the twelve because it works with the four basic flavors (salty, sweet, sour, bitter-fatty) in a single bite.
Bacalalo Products
Gourmet Handmade Artisanal Cheese Gilda...
9,75 €
Caper Berries in Vinegar - 1400g (600g Drained)
9,95 €
Artisanal Pickled Onions - 1.4 kg
9,90 €
Gourmet Handmade Artisanal Anchovy Gilda ...
9,90 €
Refrigerated shipping 24-48h to the entire Peninsula
🛒 Products mentioned in this article
⭐ 4.9/5 · Cold shipping 24-48h · Since 1990 at Mercat del Ninot
Frequently asked questions about original gildas
How many original gildas are needed per person for an appetizer?
For a varied appetizer before a meal, 3-4 gildas per person is sufficient if there are other appetizers. If gildas are the only appetizer, calculate 6-8 per person. By combining several original gildas of different flavors, the perceived quantity for the diner is greater because variety maintains interest.
Can original gildas be prepared in advance?
It depends on the ingredients. Versions with fresh fruit (grape, mango) should be assembled at the moment so that the fruit does not oxidize or release too much juice. Those with preserved or pickled ingredients keep well for 2-4 hours covered in the refrigerator. Hot versions (grilled prawns) are only assembled just before serving.
Which original gilda do you recommend for a formal dinner?
The foie mi-cuit gilda with chutney (on a spoon) or the smoked salmon gilda with caper are the most elegant visually and in taste. For a corporate dinner or high-level event, combining three or four versions of original gildas in a tray presentation makes an excellent first impression.
Can original gildas be made gluten-free?
The standard gilda is gluten-free (the toothpick doesn't count). The original versions described also do not intrinsically contain gluten. You should check the labeling of specific products (some vinegars, industrial chutneys) to ensure it, but generally the gilda format is naturally gluten-free.
Is the quality of the olive as important as that of the anchovy?
Much more than it seems. A quality olive has firm flesh, complex flavor, and low inherent acidity (which doesn't compete with the chili pepper's vinegar). Low-quality preserved olives are soft, very salty, and have a flat taste that detracts rather than adds. For original or classic gildas, always use good quality olives: Manzanilla from Seville, Gordal, or first-pressed Arbequina.
What is the most suitable toothpick or skewer for gildas?
10-12 cm bamboo wooden toothpicks are the most practical for original gildas with normal-sized ingredients. For versions with larger ingredients (whole prawn, generous wedge of cheese), a 15 cm skewer offers more convenience. Avoid plastic toothpicks in temperature contexts (hot gildas) and metal ones, which heat up.
