Bounded by the Atlantic sea waters to the west and south, it is no wonder that Portugal evolved a mighty naval force that made it one of the formidable explorers and conquerors of the 14th up to the 16th century in competition with its neighbour Spain. But more lasting than its historic role in the conquests of many South American countries is its culinary traditions that have taken advantage of the rich Atlantic bounties to create some of the finest seafood delicatessen.
Today, the world’s haute cuisine is richer and more flavourful thanks to Portugal’s own distinct gastronomic seafood palette. To mention them all would occupy a book about Portuguese seafood recipes which anyone resourceful enough to look for them can find online. But some of the best include:
Bacalhau or Portuguese Codfish – This is a common native dish that also has found its way in many former Portuguese colonies like Angola, Brazil and Macau. Its ingredients vary between regions in Portugal but the more common ones used to spice up the codfish mixed with prawns include olive oil, balsamic vinegar, cucumber, garlic, pepper, salt, onions and parsley.
Portuguese Haddock – another seafood entrée using haddock or cod fish fillets cooked in butter with thinly sliced onions and tomato soup with salt and pepper to taste.
Tuna Guacamole – The guacamole is an avocado dip that did not originate from either Iberian countries and was in fact an Aztec dish that Spanish and Portuguese conquistadors brought back home in the 16th century and eventually flourished with distinct Portuguese variation. It is basically tuna belly spiced with guacamole dip and further enhanced with onions, other seafoods like crab meat and salted crackers.
Goan Paella – This is rice cooked with a variety of meats that is similar to the Spanish paella which should not surprise anyone as the two countries share a common heritage sitting in the Iberian Peninsula. Again, various regions of the country have slightly varying traditions in preparing the Gran Paella but it generally contains “chourizo” sausage, sautéed chicken and any assorted seafood. It’s a complete dish on its own.
Braised Squid – This is another seafood recipe that won’t taste as good without the Portuguese product olive oil. It is one of Portugal’s simplest dishes spicing up bite-size squid cleaned, cut and cooked with diced potatoes, onions, garlic and wine vinegar.
(If you like to read about Portuguese topics in a more familiar language, note that Portugal Web and its Portugal Shop and Blog are translated other major European languages including Portuguese.)
