Escape the fickle summer weather with these five light, fresh recipes from Portugal's sunny shores
1. Ameijoas à bulhão pato (clams)
Ingredients:
500g of clams
1 fresh chilli, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp ginger, minced
2 shallots, finely chopped
½ bunch of coriander, chopped coarsely
A pod of lemongrass, coarsely chopped
25ml white wine
Olive oil, to taste
1. In a Portuguese cataplana pan (or a heavy pan with lid), heat a little olive oil, sauté the shallot, garlic, ginger, chilli and lemongrass. Sauté for one or two minutes.
2. Add the clams and mix well with the remaining ingredients. Refresh with the white wine and add the coriander.
3. Close the cataplana lid and let the clams open (this takes around about three minutes).
4. Serve with a few drops of lemon juice.
2. Arroz de Tamboril (monkfish rice)
Ingredients:
1.3kg clean monkfish loin1. Cut the monkfish into small cubes 2cm x 2cm. Season with salt and lemon juice and set aside. Peel the prawns and set aside.
2. Make a fish broth using the monkfish bones and prawn shells. Leave to simmer.
3. Put the olive oil into a large saucepan. Finely cut the peppers along with the tomato and onion. Cool by adding the white wine. Leave to sauté, and then add the garlic, also finely chopped. After browning, add the strained fish and prawn broth. Let it boil and cook for 15 minutes.
4. Add the rice and leave on low heat for a further 16 minutes. When the rice is about to open add the fish, peeled prawns and clams. Leave to boil for a further six to eight minutes.
5. Season with salt, piri-piri and only at the end add the coarsely chopped coriander.
6. Serve immediately with plenty of broth.
3. Cataplana de Lavagante (lobster)
Ingredients:
2 lobsters (500g each)1. Place lobsters in boiling water seasoned with salt, for two minutes. Cool and cut in half lengthways. Peel shrimps, leaving a ring near the tail and the other on the head. Clean the monkfish and cut into chunks 60g each.
2. Very finely, slice the peppers and onions in thin strips. Mince the garlic and cut the tomatoes into slices. In a frying pan with olive oil, sauté the lobster, shrimp and monkfish with salt.
3. In another pan lightly sauté the peppers with the garlic and onions and flavour with mint and coriander.
4. Add fish, seafood, onion and tomato in a cataplana. Sprinkle with white wine and a little olive oil. Close cataplana and place in oven for 12 minutes at 170ºC.
5. Can be served with boiled potatoes or rice, depending on the taste of each one.
Chef Leonel Pereira
Ingredients:
100g of shredded cod
40g of onion
1 egg and 2 yolks
5g chopped parsley
100g potato sticks
5 olives
Salt and olive oil to taste
Onion sauce:
1kg sliced onions
100g chopped garlic
2 bay leaves
Salt, pepper and olive oil to taste
1. Sauté the onion and garlic, with the bay leaf, in some olive oil. Add the shredded cod, cooked with onions.
2. After beating and straining, add the eggs and with a very low heat, stir the mixture continuously so that it doesn't stick and to maintain a creamy texture.
3. At the same time, start adding the straw potatoes, saving some for the end together with the chopped parsley.
4. To serve, garnish with olives and chopped parsley.
Chef José Avillez
5. Cação de coentrada (dogfish with coriander soup)
Ingredients:
1.5kg dogfish meat in small chunks1. Season the dogfish meat with salt, ground coriander and paprika. Cook and put aside.
2. Sauté the garlic, adding slowly the white wine, vinegar and fish broth.
3. Boil and season to taste. When ready to serve, place the coriander and spinach in a food processor.
4. To serve, use a deep plate and place on top of the Alentejano bread.
Chef Vitor Sobral These recipes have been sourced from some of Portugal's finest award-winning chefs, in collaboration with Taste Portugal. All images credited to © Turismo de Portugal.
Four fishy-feasts from around the world | Inspire me... More
Campfire cookery: Pine-smoked and maple-glazed wild salmon | Blogs... More
New Zealand classics: Asparagus, snow pea and scallop salad | Blogs... More
Take a look at more international foodie inspiration here | Food and drink... More
And for something sweet... Portuguese custard tarts | Blogs... More
