Portuguese CuisineBy: Maria Imari rodriguez

Portuguese CuisineHas many Mediterranean influencesFamous for seafoodPeople who express love, faith and friendship

through their cooking.The use of quality ingredients prepared simply

to preserve their distinctive flavors. On the surface this may sound plain, but it's not. Rich Mediterranean and Moorish influences and the wide variety of available ingredients have given the Portuguese cook the best flavors and textures to work with, so there is very little need for complex preparation.

Portuguese ChefsThere are many chefs who creatively use the

basic ingredients and cooking method for traditional Portuguese dishes and create original and delicious food variations. Portuguese chefs are passionate about their traditional dishes and they enjoy presenting them to foreigners who have never tasted them before. Whether they are cooking a simple traditional dish or a sumptuous dinner, Portuguese chefs take pride in what they do, and this is readily noticeable in the unforgettable taste of their cooking.

History

HistoryOne of the earliest and most long-lasting influences was

created by the invasion of the Moors in 711 AD. Although the Moors were never able to take over the entire country, they had a stronghold on the southern portions for hundreds of years. The effect on the national cuisine was profound, and to this day almonds, figs and egg-influenced desserts, traditional to the Moors, are also an integral part of eating in Portugal.

The biggest external influence on Portuguese cooking, however, must be attributed to Portugal’s famous history as maritime explorers and colonists. Beginning in the early 1400s, Prince Henry the Navigator began to build ships that could withstand long journeys. Driven to find a better route to trade with the East, his ships headed south and began to explore the coast of Africa. This initial exploration brought unknown items such as coffee, peppers and peanuts home.

HistoryIn 1487, the Portuguese became the first to

round the Cape of Good Hope and make their way to the Far East. This began the robust trade of spices such as cinnamon and curry and foods like rice and tea into Portugal’s boundaries and, from there, all over the rest of Europe. The Portuguese embraced these strong flavors with gusto and these popular Portuguese cooking spices appear in higher proportions in Portuguese cuisine than any other European country.

At the same time, the Portuguese also headed west and in 1500, the explorer discovered Brazil. Sailors brought home pineapples, tomatoes, potatoes and corn. All are now an inexorable part of Portugal’s flavors.

Meals

MealsBreakfast (café da manhã) is often consists of

fresh bread, with butter, ham, cheese or jam, accompanied with coffee, milk, tea or hot chocolate.

Bread is not served with butter and should be placed on the edge of the main plate, or next to it on the table.

A small espresso coffee (sometimes called a bica after the spout of the coffee machine) is a very popular beverage had during breakfast, which is enjoyed at home or at the many cafés that feature in towns and cities throughout Portugal.

Sweet pastries are also very popular, as well as breakfast cereal, mixed with milk or yogurt and fruit.

MealsLunch (almoço ) often lasting over an hour, is

served between noon and 2 o'clock or between 1 and 3 o'clock.

Supper ( ceia ) / Dinner ( jantar ) is generally served late, around or after 8 o'clock.

There are three main courses, with lunch and dinner usually including a soup.

MealsA common Portuguese soup is caldo verde,

which is made with potato, shredded kale, and chunks of chouriço (a spicy Portuguese sausage).

Fish recipes, like salted cod (bacalhau)The most typical desserts are arroz doce and

caramel custard.There is also a wide variety of cheeses

Essential Ingredients

Essential IngredientsOlive Oil—Portuguese cooking relies heavily on

olive oilPeppers provide much of the spicy flavor and the

rich colors found in traditional Portuguese dishes. Common ingredients range from chili peppers to Bell peppers to piri-piri, a small and fiery pepper from Africa. Oftentimes, Portuguese recipes use peppers in paste form.

Paprika is a reason why many Portuguese dishes have a distinctive red color. This spice, which is derived from bell peppers, can be either hot or sweet and is sometimes smoked for additional flavor.

Onions and Garlic that’s why many Portuguese dishes are highly aromatic

Essential IngredientsTomatoes—Portuguese cooking relies heavily on

tomatoes for color and flavorWine is used to flavor many Portuguese mealsSausages like choirico, linguicia, and alheira are

important staples of many Portuguese dishes.Potatoes accompany dishes like sausages, fish,

and steak.Rice is consumed more often in Portugal than in

any other country in Europe. Beans are commonly served with dishes like

tripe, stews, and mixed with sausage or other meats.

Traditional Dishes

FishMost dishes are fish-based due to the country's

situation on the Atlantic.The most famous fish dish is salted cod, bacalhau,

which it is said cooked in 365 different ways.Each region has its own bacalhau speciality... Example:bacalhau à Gomes de Sã from Porto (salted cod,

potatoes and onions topped with eggs and onions) bacalhau à bras from Estremadura (salt cod, potato,

onion and scrambled eggs).Also sardines, like grilled (sardinhas assadas), sea

bass, octopus, squid (often stuffed), anchovies and swordfish.

Shellfish such as mussels, prawns, oysters, lobsters, crabs and clams are also very popular.

MeatThe most popular meat is porkRoast suckling pig (leitão assado) is a

speciality of Central Portugal.Carne de porco à Alentajana, which consists

of pork marinated in wine and garnished with clams.

A common meat dish is the cozido à Portuguesa, a sort of hotpot of beef, sausages, potatoes, vegetables & rice.

Grilled skewers of beef with garlic (espetada) are often served, as is aromatic grilled chicken (frango grelhado), seasoned with piri piri, garlic and olive oil.

Feijoada, a meat stew with kidney or butter beans, is a dish popular throughout Portugal.

SoupsServed at most mealsSeasonal vegetables, fish and meat are used to make

soups.One of the most famous is from Minho, the caldo verde,

which consists of a mashed potato base, green Galician cabbage, olive oil and black pudding (tora) or slices of sausage, such as chouriço and salpicão.

Bread soups (açordas) where shellfish and vegetables are added to thick slices of bread are found in all regions.

Gaspacho, a soup of tomatoes, cucumber, onions, garlic, chillies and vinegar, is popular in the south

Caldeirada is a fish soup made of water, tomatoes, onions and garlic and other ingredients that traditionally will depend on the fisherman's catch.

CheesesPortuguese recipes do not include cheese, so it

is eaten by itself either before or after main dishes.

The majority of cheeses are made from goat's or sheep's milk.

The most famous cheese is the Queijo da Serra, made from ewe's milk in the Serra da Estrela.Made in the winter and traditionally the milk

is coagulated with thistle (a widely distributed herbaceous plant of the daisy family)

Monte, a cheese from Trás-os-Montes in northern Portugal, is a smooth, creamy cheese made from cow's and ewe's milk.

DessertsMany of the desserts in are rich egg-based

specialities, often seasoned with spices such as cinnamon and vanilla.

A popular dessert is the arroz doce, a rice pudding flavoured with cinnamon and lemon.

They have a variety of cake and confectionary specialities that can be found in a confectionery (shop that sells candy and other sweets)

Northern specialities are rich, very sugary and often flavoured with cinnamon, whereas in the south the sweetmeats reflect the local harvest of figs and almonds.

Wine Regions

Wine RegionsPortugal has two wine regions protected by

UNESCO as World Heritage: the Douro Valley wine region (Douro Vinhateiro) and the Pico Island wine region (Ilha do Pico

Vinhateira).

The Douro Valley has the oldest appellation system in the world, created nearly two hundred years ago. Other wine-making regions include the Alentejo and the Dão region. Each region has its own wine commission (Comissão Vitivinícola) supervising the quality of the wines.

Wine RegionsThe Douro region is best known for its Port wine, but in this

region about half the wine now produced is for table wines. The wine is produced in the Douro Valley and exported from the city of Porto, thus the name Porto (or Port in English-speaking countries). The production of Port is subject to very strict regulations. It is classified according to the grape crops, sugar content, the amount of alcohol added, age and type of wood of the barrels that are used in the aging process.

More than 40 varieties of grapes are used for making Port, and there are essentially two categories: red and wood-aged. The red Ports develop after bottling and are deeper in colour, whereas the wood-aged Ports, which include tawny ports, are ready for consumption once bottled. White Port is in a category of its own and may be sweet or not so sweet and can have a lower alcohol content than the normal 20 percent for Port.

Wine RegionsThe Minho region in northwest Portugal is famous for its

Vinho Verde, or green wine. These wines can be either red or white and are produced from grapes that do not reach a high level of sugar. Its short fermentation period gives the wine a low alcohol content (eight to eleven percent). Known for their diuretic and digestible properties, these wines are very light and naturally gassy. Among the most well known brands are the Soalheiro, Palácio da Brejoeira and Vinho Alvarinho.

Dão wine is produced in a mountainous area in the north, where the mountains protect the grapes (castas) from maritime and continental influences. Both red and white wines are produced here including fruity reds for younger drinking and dry white wines. It is often said that the Dão region produces some of the best wines in Portugal including the Grão Vasco and the Aliança.

Wine RegionsBairrada, in this region the Baga grape dominates, producing

wine that has a smoky or pine needle taste that needs time to soften. The name Bairrada comes from Barros (clay) due to the region's soil. Wines produced include red, white and table wine but the most well known is its sparkling wine, the Conde de Cantanhede and also the Marquês de Marialva.

Setúbal. The Serra da Arrábida to the south of Lisbon is best known for its sweet fortified Muscat wine, known as Moscatel de Setúbal. The region also produces red table wine and the most well known wine is the Moscatel Roxo, a wine that is only sold after twenty years aging in a cellar.

Alentejo. Probably the preferred wine of consumers in Portugal, the Alentejo region in southern Portugal produces 12 percent of the nation's wine. Wines produced include a slightly acidic red, and fruity white wines. Wines from this region are widely exported, notably to China.

Wine RegionsThere are four major types of Madeira wine:

Malvasia (also known as Malmsey)Bual (or Boal)VerdelhoSercial

Most Madeira is made from the Tinta Negra Mole grape, which is often blended with one of these four noble varieties. Madeira can be sold as a vintage wine with a specific age when it is aged in casks for more than fifteen years or as a blended wine with a minimum age of three or ten years. Vintage Madeira from as far back as the 1850s is still available for sale and the oldest surviving bottle of Madeira dates from 1722.

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