Whether you’re choosing to travel in the near future or next year because of the current travel situation, you may still want to look for inspiration or enjoy a spot of light reading. So, below are five different foods from the capital of Portugal, Lisbon, which you can make at home or enjoy during next year’s summer holiday.
Azeitão Cheese
When you think of Lisbon, cheese may not pop into your head, but Azeitão, only 35 kilometre from Lisbon , produces a soft cheese made with sheep milk. Locals living in the capital love to dip bread into this cheese and pair it with red wine. You can join them by popping into a cheese and wine bar in the city centre.
The ewes used to produce this delicious cheese roam freely on the slopes of the Arrábida mountain, located just south of Lisbon. A wild thistle, also from Arrábida, is used instead of animal rennet to separate the milk curds from the whey, meaning vegetarians can delve into this tasty treat too.
Bacalhau à Brás
This popular dish is served in restaurants across the capital and eaten by locals as comfort food. Similar to a casserole, it consists of a piece of dried and salted cod (bacalhau) that’s shredded and fried with finely sliced potatoes, chopped onions and scrambled egg. The last step is to garnish with black olives and parsley.
This tasty dish is said to have originated in Bairro Alto, the central district of Lisbon, and is named after its creator, Brás. However, ‘à Brás’ is also a technique that involves adding extra ingredients like mushrooms and other vegetables.
Bifana
If you’re looking for a quick snack on the go, visit a local deli or market stall in Lisbon to find a Bifana, a pork steak sandwich. The pork’s marinated in a white wine sauce; seasoned with garlic, herbs and spices; chopped into thin slices; and placed in a soft white roll.
The best thing about this delicious sandwich is that, although it has a simple recipe, it always tastes different from different places. Some delis choose to chop the steak into small pieces and make it a spicy sandwich, whereas street vendors flatten the steak by beating it and lightly toast the bread. What sounds the tastiest to you?
Caldo Verde
Caldo Verde is said to be the national dish of Portugal and is therefore served widely in the country’s capital. This warm, healthy soup is a must-try when in Lisbon, especially as a starter if it’s the ‘Soup of the Day’. It’s made up of potatoes, chorizo sausage and kale, although cabbage is a good substitute.
Regardless of the restaurant, whether it’s a small tavern or upmarket hotel, it’s bound to be served and tastes delicious. A smoky flavour comes from the sausage and contrasts with the light, creamy texture. If you’re a vegetarian, don’t panic. You can request this recipe without the chorizo.
Lulas Recheadas à Lisbonense
Lulas Recheadas à Lisbonense translates to “stuffed squid Lisbon-style” and is the city’s signature dish. If you’re a fan of seafood, this dish is for you as it heavily features squid tentacles . They’re removed from the body and chopped up before being mixed with diced tomatoes, chorizo and boiled rice. Through the mixing process, the mixture will start to fill the squid pieces.
Once stuffed, the squid is fried with chopped onions and garlic. After the pieces have browned on each side, a tomato and white wine sauce is added and left to stew. Choose to have yours with either chips or pilau rice.
If reading about these dishes makes you want to book a trip to Lisbon for next year, call us today on 0800 988 3369 or contact us via our website.
