Um Paso em Portugal: the 3 best dishes to combine Algarve with good cuisine

Right now we are looking forward to the moment when the worldwide COVID-19 emergency will be over, and we will be enjoying a day at the beach with no worries.

But today we are only allowed to wander around the planet with our mind, picking places for our travel wish-list, maybe with sea waves roaring and smell of salty water, like Algarve’s amazing beaches in Portugal.

With its 150-kilometers-long coast, Algarve is a unique place offering an amazing experience right on the Atlantic Ocean. Combining wild nature with culture, it became one of the most popular destinations in Europe. 

Thanks to its mild climate and no extreme temperatures, it’s a place suitable all year long. During winter, it’s the perfect destination for a relaxing time, surrounded by nature, culture and peace of mind.

What better way to stimulate our senses than the local food? 

It goes without saying that fish dishes lead from the front along Algarve beaches:

1. SARDINHA ASSADA

Sardinha assada (grilled sardines) is the most common dish in Algarve and one of the 7 Wonders of Portuguese Gastronomy.

2. AMÊIJOAS À BULHÃO PATO

Amêijoas à Bulhão Pato takes its name from the Portuguese poet Raimundo António de Bulhão Pato, since he mentioned them in his writings.

It’s a popular dish within seafood restaurants, and it’s usually accompanied by some slices of bread to be soaked in its tasty gravy.

Ingredients are clams, olive oil, garlic, coriander, salt, pepper, eventually sprinkled with lemon juice.

Some recipes can add a small amount of white wine. 

Bulhão Pato clams, as like as Sardinha Assada, were one of the final candidates for the 7 Wonders ofGastronomy all over the Portugal.

3. CATAPLANA DE PEIXE

Cataplana de peixe comes directly from Portuguese kitchens and is typically used to prepare seafood dishes, popular in the country’s Algarve region.

The Cataplana pan is used to prepare the dish only, since it enhances the food taste by the steam cooking. The sauce is made in a separate pan and used to season the dish in the end.

Cataplana is a perfect tool for cooking clams and mussels, therefore the most famous dish made in it is amêijoas na cataplana (clams in cataplana).