Bacalhau
Don’t be put off this if you see it hanging up dried in the supermarket because looks can be deceiving! It is said that there are more way to cook this dried salted cod fish than there are days of the year and it is a firm favourite on the tables of Portuguese throughout the year and especially for celebrations. The taste is something that you may need to become accustomed to but if you are looking for a good introduction then try a Bacalhau á Brás, which combines the fish with potatoes, eggs, onions, olives and chopped parsley and garlic, alternatively Bacalhau com Natas is made with cream and has a more subtle taste.
Pastel de Nata
The next most famous dish from Portugal has to be a custard tart, known as a Pastel de Nata. You can buy these pastries all across the country and are best accompanied by a coffee, but the originals come from Belém in Lisbon and have been baked there since 1837. The rich and creamy custard filling of egg yolks, sugar, cream and a squeeze of lemon are baked in puff pastry until the tops start to darken. To add an extra flourish then ask for either icing sugar or cinnamon to dust over the top and remember this is not just a dish for breakfast, it is also eaten throughout the day!
Grilled sardines
The humble sardine is taken to a new level in Portugal where you don’t just find them in a tin on the supermarket shelf! Here freshly caught sardines are grilled over charcoals and then eaten with fresh bread, boiled potatoes and salad, making it the perfect summer dish and best washed down with a cool beer or glass of green wine. You will be served your sardine whole, with the head, skin and bones all still intact – but don’t be put off and certainly don’t feel that you can’t use your fingers for this one! If you a big fan then make sure that you are in the Algarve in August for the annual Sardine Festival in Portimão.
Açorda
This is a classic example of taking humble ingredients and making them into a hearty and delicious dish. Originating from the Alentejo region of Portugal, Açorda is made from day-old bread which is then lovingly combined with garlic, coriander and lashings of olive oil to make the base of this dish. From this start you can then add in poached eggs and if you are by the coast then shrimp and other seafood may be added, further inland you may find chunks of wild game to enrich the dish. Sometimes you may even be served this one in a hollowed-out loaf which adds to its charm.