Portuguese Gastronomy

Almond and Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:Serves 15

600 grs of sugar ;
100 grs of flour ;
50 grs of powdered chocolate ;
0,5 kg of almonds ;
18 egg yolks ;
18 egg whites

Preparation:
Beat the egg yolks and the sugar until the mixture thickens.Add the peeled, ground almonds and the chocolate, then fold in the egg whites beaten stiff and finally the flour.Pour the mixture in a buttered tin that has been sprinkled with flour.Bake in the oven.

Portuguese Gastronomy

Potted leg of Lamb, Tavira Style

Ingredients:Serves 4

1,2 kg of leg of lamb ;
1 dl of olive oil ;
4 cloves of garlic ; 1 bunch of parsley ;
50 grs of butter ;
100 grs of lard ;
1 dl of vinegar ;
2,5 dl of dry white wine ;
6 peppercorns ;
4 cloves ;
800 grs of potatoes ;
2 bay leaves ;
paprika to taste ;
kitchen salt to taste ;
water

Preparation:
Clean the leg of lamb of all fat, skin and ink.Peel the garlic and crush it with kitchen salt and a little olive oil. Add the paprika and white wine and combine.Spread the product obtained that way over the leg of lamb.In an earthenware pot place the parsley, bay leaf, peppercorns, cloves, vinegar, the rest off the white wine, butter, lard and a little water. Stir these ingredients carefully.Then place the leg of lamb in the pot and let it sleep in the mixture for 3 to 4 hours. Cover the pot and put it in the oven to stew.Wash, peel and quarter the potatoes.When the lamb is almost ready, add the potatoes.Keep the pot covered until the potatoes are cooked.Correct the seasoning and sprinkle with chopped parsley.Hint: Use a small or medium-sized leg of lamb. The best months to buy it are: February, March, April and May.

Portuguese Gastronomy - Some Recipes

Cherry-colored Chicken, Loulé Style

Ingredients:Serves 4

1,6 kg of chicken ;
100 grs of pork belly - bacon is a good substitute ;
80 grs of sausage ;
150 grs of onions ;
1 dl of olive oil ;
50 grs of lard ;
30 grs of butter ;
2 cloves of garlic ;
1 bunch of parsley ;
2 dl of white wine ;
260 grs of rice ;
salt to taste
water

Preparation:
Wash the chicken carefully in cold water.Place a pot on the flame and in it put the chicken, sausage, a small onion and the bunch of parsley. Cover with water and season with salt. Cook.As soon as the meat is cooked, take it out and put in on a serving tray. Drain off the liquid in which the chicken was cooked.Peel and mince the onions and garlic.Separately, in another pot, put the garlic, onions, olive oil, butter, lard and the parsley chopped in slightly large pieces and let the mixture fry without browning.Add the chicken to this pot, browning it on both sides.Pour the white wine over the chicken and cover the pot, letting it cook for 15 minutes on a low flame.In the pot in which the chicken was cooked, place the liquid that was obtained. Place it on the stove again until it begins to boil.Then add the rice; The volume of the liquid should be twice the volume of rice. Put in the oven and cook it or 15 minutes.Slice up the sausage and cut the pork belly into thin strips.Finally, serve the chicken, garnished with the rice and decorated with the sausage and the pork belly or bacon.
Hint: Use home-raised chicken.

Peniche

Peniche
Peniche is a seaside municipality in Portugal, with approximately 28,164 habitants.
The Berlengas islands are part of the coast of Peniche. They are one of the world's first protected areas, the “Berlengas nature reserve”. During summer, the islands can be visited taking a ferryboat from Peniche.
Peniche is known for its long windy beaches, perfect for recreational activities and sports as surf, windsurf or kite surf.
Peniche have very good waves. “Supertubos” is the most popular wave in the region, with very fast and powerful (tubular) waves, one of the best in Europe; some call it the "European Pipeline".

Berlengas

Berlengas
The Berlengas archipelago is a group of very small islands on the Portuguese coast, near the city of Peniche.
Nowadays, the archipelago has no permanent population. The fort is now partially converted into a rest house. As the archipelago has been declared a reserve area due to the local fauna (sea birds, mostly), It is only visited by scientists and, at summer, by a small number of tourists.
In Berlenga Grande Island there are many beaches, with waters very clean with barrier reefs and vibrant marine life. Part of the island was ripped off in the past, forming a separated part of the island called Ilha Velha (Old Island).