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Peixes & Mariscos - Fish & Shellfish

 

 


Arroz de Polvo (Octopus Rice)

 MeasureIngredient / Preparation
 2 lbs Octopus
 1 cup Red wine
 3/4 cup Olive oil
 1 Onion - chopped
 2 Garlic clove - finely chopped
 3 Tomato - skinned & chopped
 1 lg Green bell pepper - chopped
 - Salt - to taste
 - Pepper - to taste
 - Chilli powder - to taste
 1 lb Rice, short grain
 
Precook octopus in red wine with a little water. The octopus will exude liquid so that you are likely to end up with more cooking liquid at the end. Retain this and add water to make it up to 2-1/2 cups. Cut the drained octopus into small pieces.

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan; add a chopped onion and cook gently, stirring, for 2 or 3 minutes. Add garlic, tomatoes, and pepper. Season with salt, pepper and chilli powder to taste. Cook for a few minutes longer.

Add the cooking liquid from the octopus and bring it to the boil. Add rice (preferably a short-grain risotto rice like arborio) and bring back to the boil, then turn the heat very low and put the lid on the saucepan. After 15 minutes, stir to ensure the rice is not catching on the bottom of the saucepan. In 5 minutes more, taste a grain or two to make sure it is soft. The rice should still be quite damp.

Serve.

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Peixe Portugesa (Portuguese Fish)

 MeasureIngredient / Preparation
 1 Tbs Olive or vegetable oil
 1 medium Onion - diced
 2 lbs Fish fillets (flounder, cod, turbot, etc.) cut into bite size pieces
 - Minced clams
 - Crabmeat
 - Shrimp (raw) - shelled, deveined and cut in half
 - Scallops
 2 Fresh tomatoes - chopped
 1/2 cup water
 - Carrot - diced
 2 Garlic cloves - finely chopped
 3 sprigs Parsley - chopped
 4 Potatoes - peeled and diced
 - String beans - diced fine
 - Salt and pepper to taste (white pepper)
 - Cayenne pepper to tast
 - Worcestershire sauce to taste
 - Saffron
 - Bay leaf
 1 pinch Paprika
 - Garlic bread
 - Hot pepper sauce
 - Corn
 - Celery and leaves
 
Saute onion in oil; add fish.  Add tomatoes, garlic, parsley, diced potatoes, carrot, clams and seafood using, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce, celery and string beans.  If using fresh tomatoes, add 1/2 cup water, no water if using canned tomatoes.

Cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.  Serve hot with garlic bread.

Note: This fish stew can easily be extended for more servings (up to 8) by adding more vegetables, such as one more sauteed onion and one or two more each of the tomatoes, carrots and potatoes.

Note: If using crabmeat, put crabmeat in last 3 minutes.

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Mussels a la Portuguese

 MeasureIngredient / Preparation
 1.5 kg Mussels
 4 Shallots - finely chopped
 1 Garlic glove - chopped
 2 Tbs Olive oil
 3 tsp Butter
 2/3 cup Dry white wine
 1/3 cup Water
 3 tsp Parsley - finely chopped
 2 ea Fresh thyme sprigs or pinch dried thyme
 2 ea Bay leaves
 1/2 tsp Ground black pepper
 125 mL Fresh cream
 - Extra chopped parsley
 - Lemon quarters
 
Wash the mussels under running water, and remove all traces of mud, seaweed and barnacles.  Remove beards(the rough fury part around the mussel).  If mussel shells are cracked or broken, discard them.  If any mussels are slightly open, tap sharply, and if they don't close, discard.

Gently fry the garlic and shallots in olive oil and butter until transparent but not coloured.  Add wine, water, parsley, thyme, bay leaf, pepper and mussels.  Pour cream over the top.  Cover pan, bring to boil and steam over a high heat for about 4 minutes, shaking pan constantly.  The shells will open as the mussels cook.

Serve as soon as the shells open.  Serve in deep bowls like mixing bowls, garnished with chopped parsley and lemmon quarters.

Don't forget a large spoon to scoop up the juice.

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Bacalhau (Portuguese Salt Cod)

 MeasureIngredient / Preparation
 1.5 - 2 lbs Soaked dried cod *
 2 lg Onions - sliced
 6 Tbs Butter
 1 Garlic clove, minced
 3 lg Potatoes
 2 Tbs Bread crumbs
 10 Green olives, pitted
 10 Black olives
 4 Hard boiled eggs
 1/2 cup Freshly chopped parsley
 - Wine vinegar
 - Olive oil
 - Fresh ground black pepper
 
* NOTE: To prepare dried cod, soak in cold water for about 24 hours, or until it is completely moistened.  Change the water two or three times.  Drain thoroughly.

Put the cod into a saucepan and add enough cold water to cover.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the fish is tender.  Drain; remove skin and bones.  Flake the meat with a fork into large pieces.

Saute the onions in 3 tablespoons of butter until they are tender and golden in color.  Add the garlic.

Boil the unpeeled potatoes in salted water.  When they are tender (about 20 minutes), remove from the heat, put under cold running water, and remove the skins.  Drain and slice into 1/4-inch pieces.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Grease a 1-1/2 quart casserole with the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter.  Arrange a layer of half the potatoes, then half the cod, then half the onions.  Sprinkle with a little pepper and repeat the layering.  Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the top layer.  Bake for 15 minutes, or until heated through and lightly browned.

Before serving, garnish the top with olives and eggs; sprinkle with parsley.  Serve with the wine vinegar and oil in cruets and black pepper in a small dish.

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Peixe Oporto (Baked Fish with Port Wine Sauce)

 MeasureIngredient / Preparation
 1-1/2 lbs Sea bream or other suitable white fish
 1 oz Butter
 2/3 cup Port Wine
 2 Egg yolks
 1 Tbs Cream
 - Paprika
 - Salt
 
Prepare the fish and season with salt and paprika.  Bake it with the butter in a covered fireproof dish in a moderate oven (350° F) for 5 minutes.

Add the port wine and continue cooking until the fish is tender - 15 to 20 minutes.

Strain of the liquor from the dish and cook quickly in a saucepan to reduce it a little.  Cool, and beat in the egg yolks, add the cream and reheat very gently but do not bring to the simmering point.

Pour the sauce over the fish and serve with Savory Rice.

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Bifes de Atum à Madeirense (Fresh Tuna Steaks Madeira-style)

 MeasureIngredient / Preparation
 1 lg Garlic clove, peeled & quartered
 1 tsp Coarse salt
 1/2 tsp Oregano leaf, crumbled
 1/2 tsp Freshly ground black pepper
 1/2 cup Olive oil
 2 lbs Fresh boneless tuna, 3/4" thick - 4 steaks
 4 lg Bay leaves (do not crumble)
 
Use a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic, salt, oregano, and black pepper to a paste; blend in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.  Rub the mixture on both sides of each tuna steak, lay the steaks in a 9 X 9 X 2-in baking dish, drizzle with 1/4 cup of he remaining oil, then tuck in the bay leaves.  Cover and marinate in the refrigerator 24 hours.

When ready to cook, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large heavy skillet over high heat until ripples appear on the skillet bottom; add the tuna and brown about 3 minutes on each side, keeping the heat high.  Serve sizzling hot with Salada à Portuguesa and an assertive dry white wine such as Dão or, if you prefer, one of Portugal's crackling rosés.

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