They cook right on the balcony, the smell spreads throughout the entire area, but this does not bother anyone. In restaurants, this fish is served in large portions, usually with vegetables, rice and Portuguese olive oil.
Feijoada
In my opinion, the dish is quite high in calories and is a stew with stewed beans and various types of smoked meat and sausages. Cabbage, pepper and rice are usually added to it.
Apparently there are many recipes for this stew because when I tried it in different places and cities, it tasted a little different.
Caldo Verde
This cabbage soup is as popular as cabbage soup in Russia. Paprika, olive oil and, of course, smoked Portuguese sausage chourisa are added to it.
The soup is really very tasty and tender, of all the first courses I recommend it. By the way, sausage is sometimes served separately and must be placed on the plate on its own.
Beef offal tripash
A traditional Porto dish consists of ingredients such as offal, pig's ears and even cow's hoof. It would seem, isn’t it possible to put something more decent in the stew? However, this is where its main feature lies.
There is a whole story associated with the dish. In the 14th century, the inhabitants of Porto denied themselves everything in order to equip and provide seafaring warriors going to Africa. They gave all the meat to them, and kept only the offal for themselves, from which they prepared something like a stew. Over time, the city residents fell in love with the dish. Since then, even the local population has been called “trepeiros,” that is, “offal lovers.” By the way, the residents of Porto are not offended by this, but on the contrary, they are proud of this story.
Pastel de nata cakes
Puff pastry cakes with creamy egg cream. Any Lisbon travel guide will tell you to try them at a signature café in the historic Belém district. If desired, the paste can be sprinkled with cinnamon.
I don’t like pastel de nata: regular dry puff pastry with cream. Honestly, I would be sure that this is just a big advertising gimmick for tourists if I didn’t know that the cake is really terribly popular among the Portuguese themselves. Traditional breakfast in Portugal: a cup of espresso and pastel de nata.
Specifics of Portuguese cuisine
Culinary features were formed under Roman and Moorish influence. Residents of the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula adopted recipes for many unique dishes, spices and wine making.
Features and Distinctive Features
During the era of colonization, Portuguese sailors took a responsible approach to the selection of products and their preservation.
To avoid poisoning, they prepared only fresh food without additives or pickling. Since then, the population has become convinced that simple and understandable dishes are always healthier than complex ones. The country's partial isolation from fashionable European trends in food has made it possible to preserve the simplicity and originality of the cuisine. A monotonous set of products forced people to imagine and compensate for it with a wide choice of cooking methods.
The Portuguese prioritize fish, seafood, vegetables, and olive oil. Meat is in second place, most often eaten in the central and eastern regions. They prefer to grill food on the grill. They are in every restaurant and courtyard.
For breakfast, they eat toast with butter, sausage and cheese, wash it all down with freshly squeezed orange juice or coffee, supplementing lunch with a piece of pie or pastry.
The Portuguese are famous for their love of first courses, which is not typical for other Europeans. Each lunch begins with hot liquid, which, due to its thickness, resembles porridge. Everyday dinner consists of meat or fish with bread, cheese, salad and fruit.
Main Products
In terms of the amount of fish consumed per person, the country is second only to Iceland and Japan.
Most recipes include cod.
Most national dishes of Portugal are prepared from cod. Neither weekdays nor holidays go by without them. Residents of the country joke that every housewife has 365 recipes for cod, which means she never gets tired of it. Now it is purchased in Norway and Iceland. Carcasses are sold cut and dried. The tradition has been alive since the days when fishermen doused their catch with a concentrated salt solution to maintain freshness before unloading it on the shore. At home, they are soaked in water for a day.
In the meat segment, preference is given to poultry and beef. They are marinated in wine, baked or stewed. Among vegetables, cauliflower, beans, and carrots are in demand.
Cow's, sheep's and goat's milk are used to produce cheeses ranging from creamy to hard and sharp. They are eaten as an independent dish, washed down with wine, served with marmalade and quince jam.
Sweets
The recipes for many of the cakes came from nuns' cookbooks. One of the examples of monastic cuisine and its symbol is the pastel de nata, which I wrote about above. In addition to pastel de nata cakes, Portuguese cuisine is replete with a variety of baked goods: puddings, cakes, sponge pies and rolls.
The so-called “king cake” is very popular. This is a pastry pie with a round hole in the middle. Kulich is decorated with a large number of candied fruits and nuts.
They especially like to buy it for a family dinner around Christmas. It is believed that this recipe was once brought from France by the owner of the most famous old confectionery in Lisbon, Confeitaria Nacional.
Another popular Portuguese dessert is tortas de azeitão. This is a very tender, moderately sweet roll with egg cream. Very often it can be found in pastelarias. The roll can also be used as an appetizer for port wine.
In addition, various mousses are very popular - fruit, chocolate and caramel.
In general, the choice of products, sweets and dishes in this very small country is very large. The ones I have described are only part of the gastronomic culture of Portugal. Therefore, I am sure that among this variety you will find something that suits your taste.
Traditions on the islands
The gastronomic traditions of the islands were formed under the influence of the preferences of the indigenous peoples of the continental part of the country. Many fish and meat dishes are prepared in an original way, supplemented with local seasonings, fruit and vegetable sauces and side dishes.
Azores
The food of the Azores archipelago is similar to the continental one, but there are dishes that are unusual in the way they are prepared. On the island of San Miguel in the valley of the Furnas geysers, the ground is always hot due to volcanic activity. Every morning, restaurant workers come there, lower pots containing the traditional dish of chicken, pork, beef and vegetables into the pits and bury them. They put a sign on the hill with the phone number of the establishment. At noon, in the presence of tourists, the cozida is removed from the ground and taken to a restaurant. Cod and tuna are baked in volcanic ash.
Chicken cosido is a traditional Portuguese dish.
In the Azores, many types of bread are baked from wheat and corn flour, sweet and spicy. The islands are famous for their tea plantations with classic black and modern green varieties.
Madeira
Madeira's staple foods are grown. Beef, lamb and cheese are imported to the island. Every day on the tables of residents there is freshly caught fish, including its exotic species, shellfish, meat, an abundance of vegetables and fruits, rice, potatoes, and sweet potatoes. Few spices are used: garlic, bay leaf, oregano and other local herbs. Before meals, all establishments serve flatbread with garlic, butter, and herbs.
They were once baked on a flat stone in the Arabic style; now they are baked over a fire on a metal plate.
Cod with a gentle sauce
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Bacalau, or dried cod, was originally a favorite food in almost every family. In this form it was convenient to store it in winter and serve it on special occasions. Over time, they began to bake fish. And today it is one of the traditional Christmas dishes in Portugal.
Here's a festive recipe for cod bacalau. Boil 4 bacalau cod fillets in water for 5 minutes, cool, and cut into strips. We fry 2 onions with 3 cloves of garlic and a bay leaf. Add fish, simmer covered for 5-7 minutes. At the same time, deep-fry 1 kg of diced potatoes. Melt 40 g of butter in a saucepan and dissolve 40 g of flour. Pour in 200 ml of fish broth, 250 ml of milk and 250 ml of cream in a thin stream. Cook the bechamel sauce and add a pinch of nutmeg.
Stir the potatoes and two-thirds of the bechamel into the pan with the fish. Place everything in a baking dish, pour over the remaining sauce, sprinkle with grated cheese and place in the oven at 220°C for 20 minutes. Let the bacalau brew in the oven and serve.
What else to try in Portugal
For tourists, trying as many Portuguese dishes as possible is one of the main goals of their stay. Restaurants offer seafood and meat both in the classic form with spicy and wine sauces, and in adapted versions for the unprepared.
Arosh de marisco
Options for preparing clam rice vary in each part of the country. In one area it looks like pilaf, in another - like a thick soup. According to folk tradition, aroche de marishca is cooked in a clay pot to preserve the flavor and aroma, but a deep frying pan will also work. Before serving, sprinkle the dish with lemon juice and sprinkle with herbs.
Arosh de marisco - rice with seafood.
Frankesinha
The dish can be called a large sandwich, heated in the oven, stuffed with sausage and cheese. It is served in a deep plate, with a generous amount of special sauce poured on top, the composition of which varies in each restaurant. French fries are also available upon request.
Cataplana
The gastronomic symbol of the south of Portugal - the cataplana - received its name from a special dish made of 2 hemisphere pans that are connected into one. Cod, shrimp and pork sausages are stewed with white wine and spices. Decorate the dish with herbs and lemon slices.
Cataplana is made from seafood.
Bifana
There are more than a dozen recipes for the Portuguese fast food sandwich bifana. In the classic version, marinated thin pork steaks are fried and stewed with wine and spices. Served on warmed buns with hot sauce or mustard.
Pregu
Beef with varying degrees of roasting, cooked to order. Serve as a meat sandwich with fresh bread or as a main course with salad, potatoes or rice.
Pregu - beef in a sandwich.
Roasted chestnuts
From September until the new year, the roasted chestnut season takes place in Portugal. They grow tons of them; They are first sold fresh, then frozen. In terms of nutritional value, fruits are ahead of most vegetables. For several centuries they replaced bread and were the main side dish. Chestnuts are cooked over an open fire with salt.
Meat and meat dishes
In my opinion, the Portuguese know how to handle meat skillfully and are great lovers of a wide variety of meat dishes. In any butcher shop there are a large number of types of meat and tripe, which can be cut or minced right in front of you.
I advise vegetarians to avoid meat shops, because what they see may shock them. For example, Portuguese butchers are big fans of beautifully displaying a rabbit with skinned skin but with eyes in a display case. Looks impressive. Or they place vacuum bags next to chicken carcasses with the proud inscription: “Fresh blood.” The fact is that in Portuguese cuisine there are soups with boiled blood. By the way, in addition to the pork and beef we are used to, the Portuguese often eat quail, hare and goat meat.
Seafood
Fish and shellfish dishes can be found in all regions. Of course, the Portuguese love seafood and know how to cook it. Mostly eaten baked, pan-fried or grilled.
By the way, a trip to the fish showcase will be no less exciting. In your local supermarket you can easily see a two-meter swordfish leaning against the wall like a beam. Unfortunately, there are no photographs, because it is not customary to photograph the counters.
You can also see the blood-chilling moray eel, which resembles a large worm with an open toothy mouth. In general, I always go to these counters, but just to gawk. To be honest, I never had the courage to take the risk of buying some kind of sea reptile for dinner.
Portuguese drinks
Portugal is one of the leading countries in the production, consumption and export of alcohol.
Port wine, Madeira, Almendo Amarga almond liqueur, red, white and green wines are famous throughout the world. Of the non-alcoholic drinks, coffee comes first. It is drunk at any time of the day in its pure form and with all kinds of additives. The favorite pastime of the average resident of the country is leisurely drinking a favorite drink in a group on the street or in a bar.
Coffee in Portugal
Coffee trees do not grow in Portugal, but this drink, along with wine, became national many centuries ago. Coffee beans first entered the country after the colonization of South American and African lands.
Coffee is the national drink in Portugal.
The culture of drinking the drink originated in coffee shops opening everywhere. The Portuguese did not borrow the technology of processing, roasting and combining bean varieties, but invented it themselves.
Every day the Portuguese drinks 4-5 cups of coffee, preferring strong or weak espresso with milk in different proportions, ice, cinnamon and vanilla.
Ginjinha
Liqueur based on sour cherries.
Most regions of the country keep the recipe unchanged. Some options are protected by law and are not disclosed. The drink was first made by the monk Francis in the city of Obidos. For fun, he decided to add cherries, sugar, spices to the strong moonshine “Aguardiente” and diluted everything with water.
Some restaurants and bars serve ginjinha in chocolate glasses.
When ordering tinctures, always specify: with or without berries, because they have a strong intoxicating effect.
Medronho brandy
A strong and aromatic medroña is made from the fruits of the strawberry tree. It tastes good and smells like honey and flowers. It is served as a dessert wine or used in cocktails. Once upon a time, brandy was only made at home or sold illegally. Legal production has now been established, most of which is concentrated in the south of the country.
Medronha brandy is made from the fruit of the strawberry tree.
Porto and Tonic
A cocktail of tonic and white port with the addition of mint, lemon or apple juice is popular in the capital's bars and large cities of Portugal. The mixture of bitter and sweet flavors invigorates, refreshes and awakens the appetite.
Incendiary chicken
The Portuguese love piping hot combinations, which is reflected in such a national dish as piri-piri chicken. It has African roots and was inherited from former colonies.
We peel the fleshy bell pepper and 4 chili peppers from the partitions. Cut the pulp into slices, place in a frying pan with heated olive oil, and fry until softened. Add 2-3 crushed cloves of garlic, juice of 1 lemon, 1 tsp. ground paprika and a generous pinch of salt. Keep the mixture on the fire for another 2-3 minutes and puree with a blender.
We make 3 deep longitudinal cuts into 2 large chicken fillets and place them in a glass baking dish. Pour piri-piri sauce over them generously so that it gets into the “pockets”. Place the pan in an oven preheated to 180°C for half an hour. It is best to serve chicken in spicy sauce with fresh vegetables or boiled potatoes.
Hearty Pot of Beans
A dish called “feijoada” will excite anyone’s appetite. After all, this is an assortment of smoked meats with beans, stewed in a pot. The signature ingredient here is carne seca, which is salted and dried beef.
Soak 500 g of dry black beans in water overnight. In the morning, fill it with fresh water to about 7–8 cm and place on low heat. Cut 1 kg of dried beef and chorizo sausages into slices, chop 1 kg of pork ribs into fragments. Add the assorted meats to the boiling beans and let them simmer for 10-15 minutes. Separately, make a golden fry of 2 medium onions and 2-3 cloves of garlic.
Place sautéed and smoked meats with softened beans into pots. Fill everything with meat broth so that it lightly covers the meat. Add salt, black pepper and bay leaf. Place the pots in the oven at 200°C for 40–45 minutes. The Portuguese decorate feijoada with herbs and orange slices, and serve white rice as a side dish.
Heroic Sandwich
The most famous Portuguese sandwich, the Francesinha, encapsulates a complete lunch. It is prepared from several slices of bread, meat steak, pork loin or beef tenderloin, ham and smoked sausages. In addition to this comes a signature tomato-beer sauce.
Let's start with it. Fry 1 onion and 2 cloves of garlic in butter, brown 50 g of bacon. Add 4 tbsp. l. tomato paste, 200 ml beer, 300 ml meat broth and 2 tbsp. l. flour. After simmering the sauce for a couple of minutes, pour in 200 ml of white wine, add a mixture of hot peppers and a bay leaf. Let the sauce simmer a little under the lid, take out the bacon and bay and puree. At the end, pour in a glass of cognac and return the sauce to low heat for 3-4 minutes. Toast 6 slices of bread in the oven. Brown 150 g of veal in strips in a frying pan. We also fry 3 pork sausages and cut them into slices along with 100 g of ham and 150 g of chorizo.
It is best to assemble the sandwich in a heatproof bowl. Place pieces of veal and chorizo on bread toast and cover with a slice of melted cheese. Place the second toast, pork sausages, ham and cheese on top. Cover everything with the third toast and a slice of cheese. Assemble the second sandwich and place both in the oven at 220°C for 5 minutes. Before serving, top with Francesine sauce. If you decide to make a sandwich for breakfast, top it with fried egg.
