I told separately what the Portuguese themselves usually eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as the peculiarities of the work of local establishments. And in this article I will share dishes that you can try in different locations along the Atlantic Ocean.

Minho Region

Location: Viana do Castelo area, Esposende, Povoa de Varzim

Caldo Verde

This famous Portuguese soup was born in the very north of the country. It is made from a specific type of cabbage that you are unlikely to find outside of Portugal (except near the border in Spain). The dish is served with spicy sausage – shoriso. Delicious!

Bacalhau à Minhota

There are hundreds of recipes for cooking cod in Portugal. This one is traditional for the Minho region. An impressive piece of fish fillet is fried in a frying pan. In the same oil, thin slices of potatoes are fried until crunchy – a kind of home-style chips. Mmmm, I love bacalau!

Lampreia à Bordalesa

The appearance of the lampreys at the fish markets made me feel uneasy: the body of a snake, the mouth of a parasite – something out of a horror movie. But it turns out that this creature is a real delicacy.

Lampreys are caught in the north of the country in the Lima and Minho rivers. The animals are cleaned of blood and offal and sent to a vinegar marinade for a day, then boiled. Serve with rice cooked in the same fish broth.

They say lamprey tastes like something between beef and tuna. Haven't tried it yet. If you are ahead of me, share your impressions.

On a note:

Minho is the birthplace of young, slightly sparkling green wine. Be sure to order some vinho verde at a local restaurant.

Douro Litoral region

Location: Porto and its surroundings

Francesinha

This sandwich is Porto's specialty. “Little Frenchwoman” is not so small anymore: between two pieces of toast there is a whole mountain of meat hidden. A special sauce is prepared for the sandwich, which is called the dish itself. Francesinha is usually topped with cheese and a fried egg. The dish is served with French fries. If you eat it for breakfast, you don't have to have lunch.

Tripas à moda do Porto

The history of rebuja in Portuguese goes back to the 15th century. Residents of the city had to unload all the meat onto ships for the sea voyage, and keep only the insides of the animals for themselves. When Porto was hit by famine, the locals cooked up a dish of offal and black bread.

In a modern interpretation, tripash or dobrada, as this dish is also called, is prepared from beef tripe with white beans, carrots and rice.

Bacalau Ze do Pipu

Don't be surprised that cod is back – you can't live without it in Portugal. This time the fish is boiled. Mashed potatoes are prepared separately. Then the bacalau is placed in the center of the baking dish, and the crushed potatoes are distributed around it. So, the seemingly finished dish is sent to the oven, which enhances the taste and smell. My mouth is already watering… What about you?

On a note:

In Porto, a glass of port wine from local cellars will be a bonus to your meal.

Beira Litoral Region

Location: Aveiro and Figueira da Foz area

Leitão da Bairrada

Pig roasted until crispy in the oven on a spit is one of the 7 gastronomic wonders of Portugal. The meat is very tender, it is not surprising that locals and tourists love it so much. Traditionally, pork is served with boiled potatoes, lettuce with tomato slices and orange slices, which adds a touch of viscosity to the meat.

Caldeirada de Enquias

This dish is based on eel. The fish is alternated with a layer of potatoes, cut into slices, and poured with wine-vinegar sauce. When the stew is finished cooking, part of the broth is drained to make soup, which is served before the main course.

Caldeirada is made not only with eel, but also with various other types of fish.

Polvo à Lagareiro

I love octopus with this recipe. The cephalopod is first boiled and then baked on the grill or in the oven with potatoes in a skin . The dish is generously poured with oil, which is why the name contains the word “lagareiro”. It means a person who works in an olive oil mill.

On a note:

For dessert in this region, you should try Ovos Moles – “soft eggs”. Hidden inside rice paper seashells is an egg yolk beaten with sugar.

Region Extremadura

Location: surroundings of Nazaré, Pinish, Ericeira, Azenhas do Mar, Cascais

Bacalhau à Bras

And again cod! In this recipe, it is finely chopped and added to fried thin strips of potatoes, along with onions and eggs. This is a very popular dish, on par with caldo verde.

Amêijoas à Bulhão Pato

Clams cooked in wine sauce make an excellent choice with white wine. The dish is very light. I love dinners like this.

Caracóis

Another light snack is grape snails. Local snails, unlike French ones, are tiny. They are served in the broth sauce in which they were cooked. They eat shellfish by sucking out the contents of the shells or scooping them out with toothpicks.

On a note:

This region includes the world famous dessert – Pastel de Belém, which can be bought only in one cafe in Lisbon, or its twin brother – Pastel de Nata, variations of which are prepared countrywide.

Baixo Alentejo region

Location: surroundings of Caparica, Sesimbra, Setúbal, Sines, Vila Nova de Milfontes.

Açorda à Alentejana

The specialty of the soup is dried or stale bread, a large amount of which is placed directly into the broth. Other ingredients may be different: like “what was found in the refrigerator.” I recommend trying asorda with seafood, or, alternatively, fish.

Carne de porco à Alentejana

The most tender pork and shellfish are on one plate. Garnish with diced fried potatoes. I really like the taste of this dish, and it is also quite filling.

Migas à Alentejana

Two types of sausage are fried in pork fat, ribs or pieces of pork are also cooked in it, and then the soaked bread mass is baked in the same frying pan. I can’t imagine how anyone can digest this without a glass of red Alentejan wine.

Algarve region

Location: surroundings of Sagres, Lagos, Portimão, Albufeira, Faro, Tavira

Amêijoas na Cataplana

The secret of this dish is in the frying pan, which is called “cataplana”. It resembles a bivalve shell, closing which makes it easy to move food and keep it juicy. Ameijouache is made using shellfish, choriza and bacon. Serve this delicious mixture with bread.

Carapaus Alimados

The mackerel is salted for a day, and then briefly dipped in boiling water and immediately cooled in ice. The fish is served with olive-garlic sauce. This mackerel is somewhat reminiscent of the familiar herring, which is difficult to find in Portugal.

Frango à Guia

The ancestor of the “Piri-Piri Chicken”, so popular in Portugal, was grilled chicken, the recipe for which was invented in the parish of Guia, near Albufeira. The sauce recipe is kept strictly secret, which is why an alternative, now well-known version with paprika and chili appeared. The chicken is served with French fries and salad.

On a note:

Fresh fish and grilled seafood are popular throughout the Portuguese coast. In addition to tuna, salmon and dorado, be sure to try the local sardines.

Obligatory snacks should be cheeses – there is a huge variety of them – and, of course, olives. And also: every region, if not every restaurant, has its own “house” wine – try it and enjoy!