What to eat Portugal? culinary specialties and gastronomy

If everyone knows the Spanish tapas, Portugal has nothing to envy on this point to its big neighbor and offers delicious small bites and starters called petiscos. The term comes from the Portuguese petiscar which means "to have a snack". They can be eaten at any time of the day, even though they are usually eaten as an appetizer, like tapas, in tascas (taverns) or, more precisely, in a petisqueira.

The menu includes many seafood products such as the unavoidable pataniscas de bacalhau, cod croquettes with herbs, while the ovas em azeite de alhos, more surprising, are small pockets of fish eggs sautéed in olive oil with lots of garlic. A little toasted bread(pao) is served with a creamy pasta de sardinhas - sardine mousse. Other choices include salata de polvo or marinated octopus salad, as well as berbigão (cockles) or amêijoas (clams) simply cooked with a little garlic and olive oil.

On the land side, moelas à portuguesa are poultry gizzards cooked in a thick tomato sauce and served with bread. Caracois à portuguesa, snails with garlic and chili, are a popular appetizer, as are figado de porco grelhado, small cubes of grilled pork liver. The ovos de cebolada com tomate could be compared to the eggs-coconut served with a tomato sauce with candied onions. Peixinhos da horta, which could be translated as "little fish from the garden", do not contain an ounce of fish, but are presented as green bean fritters. It is assumed that they are the origin of tempura, introduced in Japan by Portuguese Jesuit missionaries. More rustic, the salada de orelha is a well-vinegarized pig's ear salad. There are also several types of croquettes such as bolinho de feijão branco with white beans. Bolinhos de chouriço, which are more like small cakes with chorizo, are also very popular.

Indeed, charcuterie, just like in Spain, is a very serious business, even if we are still not very familiar in France with the charcuterie preparations from Portugal. Let's take a look at the unmissable presunto, which is the Portuguese counterpart to the Spanish jamón. The two production areas are Chaves, in the north of the country, and Alentejo, in the south. There are also six varieties that have a designation (PGI or DOP): among the best known are the presunto de Barrancos, the presunto do Alentejo and the presunto de Barroso. It is obviously a very popular petisco, just like chouriço. Although quite similar to the Spanish chorizo, the Portuguese version is sometimes smoked. Also it is not automatically dried and therefore can often be cooked, in stews, soups or even served grilled for example. The chouriço à bombeiro is a common petisco and quite spectacular since it is flambéed in alcohol in front of the customers. There are several varieties such as chouriço de carne, the leanest of its kind, while chouriço corrente is the fattest. The chouriço de sangue or morcela is a kind of black pudding flavored with cumin and cloves. Many Portuguese chouriços have names like chouriço doce de Vinhais or chouriço mouro de Portalegre. The white sausage, cacholeira branca de Portalegre, resembles a saveloy, while the linguiça is a pork sausage seasoned with garlic and paprika and smoked. Thealheira, a typical sausage from the northeast of the country, can be made with different meats (usually pork, veal, duck, chicken, even quail or rabbit). More surprisingly, farinheira is a kind of smoked white pudding made from wheat flour and pork fat, hence its slightly pasty texture. The more courageous can also try the butelo de Vinhais, also called chouriço de ossos. As the name suggests, it contains, in addition to pork, bones and cartilage. It is usually served after a long cooking time, accompanied by potatoes and boiled vegetables. More delicate, the lombo enguitado de Portalegre is a kind of cured pork tenderloin, while the paia is somewhat similar to Italian pancetta.
Although the Portuguese cheese production remains modest, one can appreciate some delicious cheeses, often served in the form of petisco , such as those made from sheep's milk, such as the smooth Queijo Serra da Estrela or the strong-flavored Azeitão , as well as the Queijo São Jorge, a cheese made from cow's milk and originally from the Azores.

A meal in Portugal often starts with a soup. The country has a great variety of them. Inherited from the peasant tradition, they are eaten everywhere, from the greatest restaurants to the simplest, and not only in winter. The very rustic sopa de pedra (coconuts, chorizo, bacon and pig's ears simmered in a casserole) is a classic, as is theaçorda alentejana (prepared with garlic, coriander, olive oil, bread, topped with a poached egg) from the Alentejo region. Sopa de camarão (shrimp soup), sopa de grão (chickpea soup), sopa de puré de feijão (red bean soup) and sopa de cação (light fish soup) are also very popular.

As for the main course, Portugal is renowned for its seafood. With a coastline of almost 2,000 km completely open to the Atlantic Ocean, fish and seafood are plentiful. Of course, it is impossible not to mention the famous cod or bacalhau. The Portuguese used to charter boats to go fishing for it in the North Atlantic, on the borders of Canada and Norway. A good quality cod should be white and light. If it is yellowish and a bit heavy, it has not been dried properly. In short, cod is a serious business in Portugal and it is eaten in many different ways. The main cod dishes are bacalhau com natas (the famous cod brandade au gratin), bacalhau à brás (crumbled cod with mashed potatoes, onions, parsley and scrambled eggs, garnished with black olives), the simple bacalhau assado (oven-roasted cod) or bacalhau à Gomes de Sá (cod and potato salad with hard-boiled eggs). More surprisingly, linguas de bacalhau (cod tongues) are fried and served with an olive oil sauce flavored with garlic and parsley. Other fish recipes such as dourada à portuguesa (baked sea bream with tomatoes and onions), arroz de tamboril (rice with monkfish and tomato), peixe escabeche (sliced fish in escabeche) or caldeirada (stewed fish with shellfish) are also popular. As for seafood, try the choco frito (fried cuttlefish), lulas com camarão (squid and shrimp in tomato sauce), favas com chocos (cuttlefish with beans) or lingueirão à bulhão pato (razor clams with garlic and coriander).

But this does not prevent the Portuguese from preparing the meat to perfection. They prefer it melted and simmered, rather than rare. Lebre à portuguesa (Portuguese hare stew),ensopada do cabrito (kid stew), frango assado (grilled chicken with paprika), ensopado de borrego (lamb stew) and arroz de pato (a kind of duck paella with chouriço) are only a few examples. Common in bistros, the bitoque is a complete plate of steak, fried egg, French fries and salad. Pork lovers will love Portugal for its many pork-based dishes such as cozido a portuguesa (stew), feijoada (a black bean cassoulet where the duck is replaced by smoked sausage and pork) or more simply leitão (baked suckling pig). More sophisticated are the lombinhos de porco com castanhas (filet mignon with chestnuts). As said before, chouriços, morcela and other enchidos (sausages) are often grilled on the barbecue.

Meat or fish, you have to choose! Actually, not here. Portugal is a master of mixed dishes such as carne de porco alentejana, a delicious stew from Alentejo combining pork and clams or carne de porco com lulas (pork with squid), and other amêijoas na cataplana (shellfish casserole that can be enhanced with chorizo).

As in Spain, many Portuguese pastries were created in monasteries as early as the Middle Ages by nuns and monks and sold as a way to supplement their income. Although the recipes were improved over time with the introduction of products from the Americas such as vanilla or cocoa, the recipes often remained close to their earlier versions. The main ingredient of these pastries was egg yolks. Indeed Portugal was known to be an important producer of eggs, mainly between the ^18th and ^19th centuries, as most of the egg whites were used in the production of white wine to purify the alcohol and filter out any suspended particles. The winemakers found themselves with a huge surplus of egg yolks and donated them to the convents, which is why the names of these desserts are generally linked to monastic life and the Catholic faith. Thus, we find the specialties with names that are sometimes quite comical, such as barriga de freira (nun's belly), papo de anjo (angel's double chin), toucinho do céu (heaven's bacon) and other baba de camelo (camel's slime). But don't worry: the barriga de freira is a turnover filled with almond cream, the papo de anjo is a small syrupy baba, the toucinho do céu is an egg custard and finally the baba de camelo is only a caramel cream.

But how can we talk about Portuguese pastry without mentioning the more than famous pastéis de nata also called pastéis de Belém. For those who don't know them yet, these little flans are made of a very crispy puff pastry shell filled with an egg cream, flavored with vanilla, lemon or cinnamon. This recipe, whose success has happily crossed borders, seems to have been created in the ^19th century by the nuns of the Hieronymites monastery, located in the small town of Belém, today a district of Lisbon. Since 1837, the store Fábrica dos Pasteis de Belém - with its beautiful azulejo façade - has had the exclusive right to use the name Pastel de Belém, due to the handmade production. Gourmets do not hesitate to queue up to be served. The main difference between pastéis de nata and pastéis de Belém is mainly a question of naming. Other desserts include bolo de mel da Madeira, a honey and Madeira nut cake, bolo de arroz, a rice flour muffin, pudim flan, an egg and caramel flan, queijada, a soft Sintra cream cheese cake, and torta de laranja, a delicious orange roll cake. More surprisingly, the morgado de amendoa, from the Algarve, is a marzipan bread filled with pumpkin cream(gila in Portuguese).

While tea is popular in the country, the Portuguese are above all fond of coffee, which they sometimes call bica, especially when referring to espresso. For a long time, Portugal has secured a supply of coffee directly from its former colony of Brazil, now the world's leading producer. The Portuguese also enjoy cafés - the place this time - where they can enjoy a hot drink and pastries. Among the most sumptuous are A Brasileira, opened in Lisbon in 1905, the Majestic in Porto, and Cafe A Brasileira, in Braga, opened in 1907. These cafés all date from the beginning of the ^20th century and have beautiful Art Nouveau decorations that are worth a visit.

If the Portuguese are often cited among the largest consumers of wine in the world, it is because the country does not lack choice in this area. Red, white, rosé, sparkling, mutated and even "green wines", there is something for everyone. Starting with the port. Produced east of the eponymous city, this mutated wine gained popularity in the Middle Ages. While French wines were under embargo in England, the wines of the upper Douro Valley were already renowned, but did not travel well. An English merchant who was running out of business had the brilliant idea of cutting them with must brandy. The deal was in the bag. It is not surprising to discover the inscriptions Taylor's or Kopjke on the bottles, they are the oldest brands. The Anglo-Portuguese friendship is ancient since the two kingdoms signed a treaty of union in 1373 and port was of course one of the most commonly exchanged goods. Since the lightning passage of Napoleon's troops, France has also taken a passion for the precious beverage and has become the first customer. Port wine can be branco, that is, white, and sometimes extra seco (to be drunk very cold). Red port, which is usually drunk with a strong cheese, with dessert or as a digestive, is commonly ablend of different years and properties. Depending on its age, it will be ruby, dark red, or tawny, amber. The vintages, sometimes over 40 years old, are, of course, the favorites of wine lovers. It is a dessert wine par excellence.

Another prestigious sweet wine, Madeira comes from the archipelago of the same name, off the coast of Portugal. Much appreciated, like port, by the English, it was originally created by accident by mixing wine and - for better preservation - sugar cane brandy. The alcohol thus produced was so popular that it suddenly became a craze without precedent, especially in Great Britain but also in the United States, then a British colony, as well as in Russia and France. There are four types: malvasia (sweet), bual (semi-sweet), verdelho (semi-dry) and sercial (dry).

Although port and Madeira are the best known Portuguese wines, they should not overshadow the remarkable wines of the Douro. Wines from the Setúbal region are famous, such as moscatel, a cooked and very sweet muscatel wine, while wines from the Alentejo region, in the south of the country, are denser and full-bodied. Among the wines of Bairrada, there are very good reds (baga grapes) as well as excellent espumante (sparkling wine). More surprisingly, the green wine or vinho verde does not take its name from the color of the wine, but from its youth. Partially fermented, it is only 8° to 11°, against 13°-14° for a conventional wine. White or red, it is produced in the Minho and Douro regions and benefits, like port and Madeira, from a Denominação de Origem Controlada (DOC). The best known white vinho verde wines are Casal Garcia and Quinta da Aveleda.

While wine is undeniably linked to the history of Portugal, other alcoholic beverages are still very popular. Beer (cerveja) is not traditionally a common drink in Portugal, but it has become very popular over time. Among the most famous beers are Imperial, Sagres, Coral and Super Bock. On the liqueur side, there is the ginja, a very fragrant cherry liqueur that must be sipped in a small bar(ginjinha). Less known, the medronho is a liqueur made of arbutus, a fruit from a tree native to the Mediterranean Basin. Finally, the licor beirão, produced in the Beira region, is 22°. It is flavored with various plants such as eucalyptus, cinnamon, lavender and rosemary.

Although maritime trade on the Mediterranean has existed since antiquity, Portugal was one of the first countries in Europe to develop a merchant navy capable of making long-distance sea crossings. Its maritime expansion was such that Portugal decided to sign the Treaty of Tordesillas with Spain in 1494, where the two powers divided the world into two halves over which they intended to extend their influence. Spain inherited the Americas and the Pacific and Portugal the Old World as well as a strip of land in South America, which would later become Brazil.

In this immense empire, exchanges were numerous and the Portuguese imported rare or even unknown products into Europe. Spices such as pepper, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and ginger came from India and Southeast Asia. The Macao trading post in China allowed the Portuguese to introduce Europeans to tea, which became fashionable in Great Britain in the 1660s after the marriage of King Charles II to the Portuguese princess Catherine of Braganza. The bitter orange, of Persian origin, had been widely cultivated in southern Europe since its introduction by the Moors in the Middle Ages. However, it was Portuguese traders who imported sweet oranges to Europe from India in the ^15th century. A fact that has remained in memory since the orange is now called portokali in Greek, porteghal in Persian or portakal in Turkish. Numerous species were also discovered in the Americas such as corn, potatoes, tomatoes, tobacco, vanilla, cocoa or even Brazilwood, whose blood-red sap was used to make a highly prized dye. Brazil was also a very lucrative colony for the cultivation of plants used in Europe such as sugar cane and coffee, which originated in India and Ethiopia respectively. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to introduce corn from Mexico to their African colonies such as Mozambique, Angola and Guinea-Bissau.

Thus, Portugal spread products and culinary know-how throughout its colonial empire, resulting in some amazing recipes. These influences are for example evident in Brazilian cuisine, which offers its own versions of Portuguese dishes, such as feijoada and caldeirada. A mixture of flavors that can also be found in the Chinese territory of Macau in the form of so-called Macanese cuisine. The Portuguese word canja, meaning chicken soup with rice, a popular food for the sick, is not unlike the Asian congee, which is very similar. In the Indian province of Goa, some dishes such as vindalho - a very spicy curry - feature combinations of vinegar and garlic, unusual in India but very common in Portugal. Finally, the Portuguese were the first Europeans to set foot in Japan, in Nagasaki in 1543, and introduced refined sugar, considered a luxury product at the time. The Japanese lords appreciated the Portuguese specialties so much that they were adopted and renowned. This is how konpeitō/confeito (sweets), kasutera/castella (sponge cakes), karameru/caramel or pan/pão (bread) came into the Japanese language.