Essential Ingredients in Portuguese
Cooking
Essential Ingredients in Portuguese Cooking
Portuguese cooking is famous for its spicy flavors and vivid colors.
The meals are usually hearty and comforting on a cold day, and
feature flavorful meats paired with potatoes, rice, beans, and vegetables.
If you'd like to try your hand at Portuguese cooking, here are some of
the most common ingredients to start you out. With a good variety of
these ingredients in your kitchen, Portuguese cooking will be fast and
convenient.
Olive Oil
Like many Mediterranean nations, Portuguese cooking relies heavily
on olive oil. Not only is olive oil common in Portugal, but it's also
high in "good" cholesterol, is lower in calories than other fats such as
butter, and adds its own unique flavors to the dishes you cook.
Peppers
Peppers provide much of the spicy flavor and the rich colors found
in traditional Portuguese dishes. Common ingredients range from chili
peppers to Bell peppers to piri-piri, a small and fiery pepper from
Africa. Oftentimes, Portuguese recipes use peppers in paste form.
Paprika
Paprika is another reason why many Portuguese dishes have a
distinctive red color. This spice, which is derived from bell peppers, can be
either hot or sweet and is sometimes smoked for additional flavor.
Onions and Garlic
Many Portuguese dishes are highly aromatic, thanks to a love of
onions and garlic. These vegetables offer many health benefits including
better cholesterol levels and protection against some forms of cancer.
Plus, they infuse any dish with pungent flavors.
Tomatoes
Like most Mediterranean cuisines, Portuguese cooking relies heavily
on tomatoes for color and flavor. Tomatoes, onions, and olive oil are
also common ingredients in Portuguese salads.
Wine
Wine is used to flavor many Portuguese meals. A classical
Portuguese dish is thinly-sliced beef steak sautéed in wine and topped with a
fried egg. Red and port wines are most commonly used in Portuguese
cooking.
Sausages
Sausages like choirico, linguicia, and alheira are important staples
of many Portuguese dishes. Choirico, which is made from pork, gets
its fire-engine red color and spicy flavor from smoked, dried red
peppers. Linguicia is flavored with onions, garlic, and paprika. Alheira is
traditionally made from poultry and game.
Potatoes, Beans, and Rice
Potatoes are a common ingredient in Portuguese cooking, whether
fried, sautéed, or boiled. They accompany dishes like sausages, fish, and
steak. Beans are commonly served with dishes like tripe, stews, and
mixed with sausage or other meats. Rice is consumed more often in
Portugal than in any other country in Europe.
Seafood
Portuguese cooking takes advantage of the bounteous seafood in the
region, with a variety of dishes featuring shrimp, code, lobster,
sardines, eels, tuna, clams, and much more. The methods of cooking seafood
in Portugal vary widely, and fish like cod are often cooked in a clay
pot, fried, roasted, or boiled.
Kale
This dark green, leafy vegetable appears in many Portuguese recipes.
Kale is an excellent ingredient to add to your cooking, because it
provides more flavor for the calorie than nearly any other food, and is
rich in essential vitamins like K, A, and C. Kale is oftentimes used in
Portuguese soups and stews.
Cheese
Portugal is known for many types of cheese, typically fragrant
goat's and sheep's cheeses.
Most Portuguese cheeses are served as an appetizer, not used as an
ingredient in recipes.
If you are trying to stretch your cooking ability with filling and
delicious meals, look to Portuguese foods for inspiration. With these
common Portuguese ingredients, you can introduce new flavors to your
family's meals while improving the healthiness of your meals. Try some
traditional Portuguese recipes, or simply take inspiration from the
flavors
of Portugal to add a new twist to a beloved dish.
Article provided courtesy of Only
Cookware – a consumer guide to cast iron, copper and
stainless
steel cookware.
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