Suckling pig Bairrada style

This has to be one the most known and appreciated dish and was nominated one of the seven wonders of Portuguese cuisine. Originally from the region of Bairrada, some 70km south of Oporto, people flock here to appreciate both this typical dish and the excellent wines this region produces.
The oldest document that refers this delicacy dates back from 1743, being a recipe from a convent.
With it's golden brown crispy skin and tender meat, the sucking pig with a month to a month and a half of age and at about 6 to 8 kilos, becomes an experience for the senses.

You'll need:
1 suckling pig
Crushed garlic cloves
Sea salt
Pepper (plenty)
Lard
Parsley

Push a rod through the pig and rub the mixture of the lard, the crushed garlic, the salt and the pepper through the inside of the pig, using up all of this mixture.
While the wood oven is heating up, sew the pig with needle and kitchen thread so that it's closed.
Put the pig in the oven, placing a platter underneath so that the juices are collected here.
Every half hour, take out the pig and "clean" the skin with a cloth to remove the excess fat. By removing the pig from the oven to clean, this provokes a thermal shock which will make the skin crispier.
It takes between an hour and a half to two hours for the pig to cook. When it's done, take out the rod and serve on a platter.
Serve with fried potatoes and a sparkling red wine.

Bom apetite.

Lamb Chanfana

Chanfana is a traditional portuguese dish. The most accurate version of the origin of this dish takes us to the history of Portugal and the French invasion of 1810, when they entered the northeast of Portugal coming across the border in August 1810. On September 1810 they suffered a major defeat at the battle of Bussaco. Regrouping their troops, the French military forces push the Luso-British south, who remain in that region for about three years. During these three years of occupation, the French military looted the people around their barracks which were located in the regions of Penacova, Vila Nova de Poiares. The French plundered everything when they could, getting their hands on grains and animals, excluding older animals, which were too tough to eat. Thus were born the first lanpatana and chanfana recipes (in this area north of Mortágua Buçaco with the difference that instead of goat old sheep was used).

There are, ofcourse, many variations of this dish, varying from on region to another. Today I bring you one of those versions. Enjoy :-)

Ingredients:
2kg Lamb
1 head of garlic
2 bay leafs
1 green pepper
paprika
salt
red wine
black pepper
1 bunch coriander
vegetable margarine
olive oil
1 onion

We need to season the meat, chopped into pieces, the day before. In a baking pan, place the meat and add the salt, the ground pepper, the chopped garlic, the bay leafs, the chopped green pepper and the chopped onion. Then we place the bunch of coriander over the top, chopped finely. Finally, pour the wine into the pan until the meat is covered, adding in a drizzle of olive oil. Mix all this together and let rest until the next day (24h). 
Before placing the pan into the heated oven, pour enough wine until the meat covered to compensate for the wine absorbed by the meat and add 3 to 4 table spoons of margarine. Mix everything again, cover the pan (if you don't have a lid big enough, you can use tin foil. Place in the oven and let cook at low heat. It should take about 2 hours to cook. Every now and then, stir the meat to prevent it from becoming dry. You should tell that the meat is cooked when it starts to come off the bone.


To accompany this delicious meat, some baked potatoes will go really nicely. Or you may prefer rice with saffron and raisins. 


A bodied red wine will go very well with this dish. 


Bom apetite

Fish stew - Caldeirada

This is a very popular dish in Portugal known as Caldeirada, being very common in the piscatorial areas where fish is abundant and fresh. It's also a traditional dish enjoyed by the fisherman. It basically consists of cooking various types of fish with potatoes, onions and peppers. This dish is usually served with whatever fish is available at the time and can be made up of various types of fish. But it's also possible to make this with just one type of fish giving you a different final result. Fish used are monkfish, conger, white grouper, hake, red snapper, ray, sardines... imagination is the limit. You can also add seafood to the stew and that'll give it that extra sea flavour.
So here is a basic recipe. Feel free to add your own variations and personal touch. I mean, that's what cooking is all about right? I can definitely see Jamie Oliver having this dish with a smile on his face.

Ingredients:
1 big onion
600g potatoes
1 pepper (green or red)
3 tomatoes
Olive oil
2kg of fish
1 chilli pepper

Preparation:
Peel the onion, slice it and place along the bottom of the pot. Peel the potatoes, cut into slices and place on top of the onions. Wash the pepper, clean of all seeds, cut into strips and place on top of the potatoes. Wash the tomatoes, cut into pieces and place on top of the veggies already in the pot. Drizzle with olive oil and, if you want, drizzle with some white wine too. Cover the pot and cook on a low flame for 10 to 15 minutes, shaking the pot every now and then. Do not stir as you will end up breaking up the everything.
In the meantime, clean the fish and season with salt. After the 10 to 15 minutes have passed, add the fish and the chilli pepper cut into pieces to the pot and cover to cook for another 10 minutes, so that the fish may cook. Shake the pot every now and then so that nothing sticks to the bottom and near the end, have a taste to see it it needs more salt. If you want to add seafood, like shrimp, or clams, add them about 5 minutes before the end. Right before serving sprinkle with some freshly chopped coriander or parsley.

You can serve this dish with a light white wine.

Enjoy.

Cod-fish cakes

Cod-fish cakes are one of the most popular dishes in Portugal. It's usually served as a starter, but is many times served, in common households as the main dish, accompanied by some white rice or rice with tomatoes and some veggies. Here is how you make them.

Ingredients

750g salted cod-fish (rehydrated as explained in the previous post)
1.2kg potatoes peeled
4 eggs
1 medium onion
parsley
pepper

Preparation
Boil the potatoes with the cod. After the potatoes are cooked, the cod should be as well, drain the water. Take the cod and "clean" it of all skin and bones, and place in a cloth, making a ball, and compress and crush until the cod is shredded.
After draining the potatoes, make sure that they are dry and mash them.
Mix the potatoes and the cod together with the onions and the parsley to make a paste. Season with the pepper. Incorporate the eggs next and mix everything until the eggs are completely undone.
Shape the cakes with two soup spoons (or just use your hands) and fry them in oil until they are golden brown.

Enjoy.