Batatas a Murro, or Smashed Potatoes, is a traditional Portuguese potato dish that uses a unique style of preparation. Potatoes came from Chile to Europe during the ‘Age of Discoveries’. It quickly became a ‘crop of the people’ and fueled the growth of the European population. Since then it has been a traditional condiment in Portuguese cuisine, for its preparation, simplicity and great flavor. As a good Mediterranean old dish, ‘batatas a murro’ combines lots of olive oil and garlic to create soft and delicious ‘punched’ potatoes. Continue Reading…
Photo Courtesy of Azores Adventures
Chanfana de Borrego, or Lamb Stew, is a variation of one of the most signature dishes in Portuguese traditional cuisine. Chanfana is a meat stew made with lamb (or goat) combining flavorful ingredients like bacon, mint, garlic, and piri-piri in a tasteful dish that has a slightly spicy kick. Continue Reading…
Portuguese chourico is extremely flavorful and just the right amount of spicy. Grilled Chourico, or Chouriço Assado, is a very traditional technique of flame grilling this delicious sausage. It utilizes a signature ceramic bowl called a assador de barro for cooking the chourico along with some agua ardente, or high content alcohol, to flame grill the chourico in a easy and quick way. This is a great snack to enjoy in the summer alongside a cold drink like a Portuguese beer.
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The Portuguese are prolific crab eaters. My family immigrated to the Northeast U.S. and brought their love of crabs with them. A staple for crabs in New England are the Caranguejo Real, or King Crab. The king crab is the cold water long legged titan of the frozen ocean. Packed full of delicious meat, king crabs legs have a salty sweet flavor and are excellent for a variety of seafood dishes. Continue Reading…
Broa is a type of cornbread traditionally made in Northern Portugal and Galicia. The bread of Avintes, known as Broa de Avintes, is a very traditional type of bread in Portuguese cuisine and is one of the more unique delicacies because of its dark color and distinct bittersweet flavor. It is a hearty bread made with flour, corn and rye. Cooking the bread can be a lengthy and time consuming process but is well worth the patience and effort for such a great bread.
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Bacalhau Pie, know as Tarte de Bacalhau, is a unique take on the traditional Bacalhau com Natas dish in Portuguese cuisine. It takes the signature flavors of signature Bacalhau com Natas and transforms it into a deliciously rich and flavorful pie. It has a wonderfully rich egg and cream based bacalhau filling with a perfectly golden crust. This dish is quite simple and easy to make and perfect for serving with guests.
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