Kitchens of the World - Portugal

If instant food is cooked in a hurry elsewhere, the Portuguese "quick meal" consists of tinned tuna or sardines, a boiled egg and boiled potatoes or black beans, what must it smell like in more time-consuming dishes such as cod in a thousand ways or one of traditional desserts.

If you were to judge the country's cuisine by breakfast, then the first impression would be o Portuguese cuisine quite boring. For breakfast, they traditionally only drink coffee and eat a piece of bread with butter and jam or ham and cheese. But the obligatory lunch and dinner bring all the delicacies and specialties that breakfast leaves out. The cuisine varies and changes from region to region, but fresh fish and shellfish are everywhere. Among them, the national dish is in the first place bacalhau, which they say the Portuguese prepare in 365 different ways, for every day of the year.

Cod in 365 ways

The Portuguese are reputed to be the biggest consumers of fish in Europe. Fish is eaten here in all ways - grilled, boiled, fried, stewed and smoked. Among the latter, the most famous is cod, which is also among the most popular in Portugal. Usually, cod is dried and salted, as this comes from the Portuguese fishing tradition from before the invention of the refrigerator. The simplest fish dishes are served only with the addition of olive oil and white wine vinegar. In addition to cod, baked sardines, octopus, squid, shrimp, shrimp, lobster, clams, and oysters are popular. It is a famous seafood dish calderia, which consists of different types of fish and shellfish, potatoes, tomatoes and onions. It combines all the delicacies of the marine world arroz de marisco, a rich seafood risotto.

Off to Porto

It is considered traditional among meat dishes cozido, which is usually eaten in the colder months. It goes for a plate of different meats and vegetables, which changes its ingredients depending on the individual regions. Portuguese Cozido consists of beef, pork, smoked sausage, and sometimes chicken, served with cabbage, carrots, turnips, rice, potatoes. It is served with olive oil and red wine.

In Portugal, especially in Porto, the tradition of eating tripe dates back to the 14th century, and even today tripe is a common dish, both at home and in restaurants. For those who don't like the mentioned smell, the traditional warm breads filled with meat, called franchesinha, will certainly be more acceptable in Porto. If we return to the meat dishes of Portugal, it is necessary to mention something else alcatra, this is roast beef marinated in red wine and garlic and is part of the tradition especially on the Azores island of Terceira. In mainland Portugal, the word alcatra describes a very high-quality piece of meat. Roasted steaks (buffet) are also popular and are usually a piece of beef or pork served with a red wine-based sauce, French fries, rice and salad.

A traditional dish in Portugal is cozido.

Caldo Verde at least once a day

Portuguese cuisine is strongly linked to the Mediterranean, and many interesting spices that are commonly used today came to the country from colonial times. Among them are small and hot pepperoni called piri piri, black pepper, cinnamon, vanilla, saffron. They often use garlic and herbs, coriander and parsley. Tomatoes, cabbage and onions are the most commonly used vegetables, and potatoes and rice are most often served as side dishes. Among the soups, it is the most well-known Caldo Verde and it is almost mandatory at lunch and dinner or at least at one of the meals. It consists of potatoes, olive oil, shredded cabbage and pieces of sausage. O Portugal is also a paradise for cheese lovers, which are made from goat's or sheep's milk. Traditional Portuguese cuisine does not include cheese in its recipes, so cheese is an independent dish before or after the main meal.

Egg pie and a glass of port

Many would agree that it is worth traveling to Portugal just for a glass of good wine and their desserts. More than a hundred different wines can be found in Portugal. The most common are wines from Porto (port wine), which are classified into four groups. Tinto wine is a young red wine, rich in color and sweet in taste. Tinto Aloirado is a wine that is a few years old, golden red in color and has a strong fruity aftertaste. Aloirado is an older wine with a golden color, semi-dry and sweet. Aloirado claro, however, may be the wine that ages the longest. Port wine is certainly tastiest in hidden street corners of Porto. Some varieties of port wine are perfect company for desserts. Among them, the most typical desserts are rice pudding with the addition of cinnamon, and caramel egg custard. But the word about their pastéis de nata, better known as pastéis de Belém, goes far beyond borders. It is a kind of egg pie and although it is a common dessert elsewhere, it is said to have been created by nuns in the Belem area of Lisbon before the 18th century. It is still known there today Casa Pastéis de Belém we find the best egg pies.

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