Portugal is a country rich in heritage, culture and style. If you have ever visited before you will know that it is also bursting with great cuisine. The best thing about Portuguese cuisine is that it is usually made with the humblest of ingredients, meaning that you get great value for money. Try any of the following five traditional dishes and your taste buds are in for a treat…
Bacalhau
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The Portuguese have been eating salted, dried cod in one form or another for many centuries. Nicknamed ‘the faithful friend’, there are thousands of different takes on this national dish. The distinctive salting and drying process produces a deliciously intense flavour that goes well with anything from roasted vegetables to boiled eggs. The recipe that you are most likely to come across is Bacalhau à Lagareiro, which is cod served with grilled potatoes and red peppers.
Cataplana
Resembling a Moroccan tagine, Cataplana is both the name of a dish and the copper pot in which it is cooked. This slow-cooked, richly infused dish combines chouriço sausage, ham, baby clams, tomatoes, onions and garlic. The dish originated in the Algarve, where cooks would add different types of locally caught fish to the cataplana to bring out more flavours. There are many different variations today.
Caldo Verde
This traditional kale soup is a staple of summertime cuisine in Portugal. In its basic form, it contains only kale, garlic, potatoes and water. On the menus of upmarket restaurants in Lisbon you will find water replaced with stock and the addition of chorizo, onion, bay leaves and smoked paprika. These extra ingredients deepen the flavour, but a perfect caldo verde is never too complicated.
Polvo
Feeling adventurous? There is no better place in the world than Portugal to try freshly grilled Octopus. Along with sardines and cod, octopus is very popular throughout the entire country. You’ll find it is served in a variety of ways – in salads, with rice, roasted and grilled. Try it simply roasted and drizzled in olive oil with some fresh vegetables and you won’t be disappointed.
Pastel de Nata
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Here’s one for those of you with a sweet tooth. Pastel de Nata are small, sweet egg custard tarts sprinkled with powdered sugar and cinnamon. You’ll find the best versions of this little delicacy in Lisbon in the district of Belem, where they were invented. At their best these tarts are simply made with some caramelization on top, and not too sweet. They taste great with an espresso in the morning, although they are generally eaten at any time of day.
If you are looking to save money on a culinary trip to Portugal in 2017, start doing your research as soon as possible. Before you know it, you’ll be sitting out in the Portuguese sunshine dining out on a local delicacy.
