Portugal’s cuisine is certainly delicious and everyone who comes to visit this country is amazed by the food’s quality and flavor.
The country’s gastronomy is the result of an incredible journey through time, from the unique ingredients that can be found throughout the country to the forever lasting impact of the Discoveries and spice trade that followed. It is also affected by necessity, hunger, poverty and difficult access to food that some regions faced through time . This incredibly rich history has resulted in a super inventive, tasty and diverse gastronomy.
If you already know all about the mouthwatering seafood, succulent meats, delightful vegetables, juicy fruits, incomparable ‘expresso’ and tasty desserts, we now present you with five unexpected Portuguese dishes. Food prepared with strange ingredients that you wouldn’t expect to find in a traditional Portuguese table. Rest assured, although strange, they will certainly be delicious!
01.‘Dobrada’ and ‘Tripas à moda do Porto’
‘Dobrada’ is a typical Portuguese dish made out of tripe. The Oporto’s dish called ‘Tripas à moda do Porto’ made with tripe is particularly famous in Portugal’s gastronomy. The tripe is very well cleaned and cooked with other meats, sausages, beans and vegetables.
02. ‘Língua de Vaca’
Cow’s tongue dishes are relatively common and much enjoyed in Portugal.
03. ‘Miolos’
‘Mioleira’ is the meat from an animal’s brain. There are some Portuguese dishes that have ‘mioleira’ as a main ingredient such as ‘Miolos com Carne de Porco’ (brains with pork) in Alentejo and ‘Miolos com Rins’ (brains and kidneys) in the Beira Baixa area in the interior of Portugal, both pork dishes.
04. ‘Mão de Vaca’
Cow’s feet is another interesting dish of Portugal. Especially popular in the Western coast where it is stewed with beans, lard, sausages, vegetables and other ingredients. Cow’s feet are also common in Brazil with the name ‘Mocotó’.
05. ‘Orelha e Rabo de Porco’
Pork’s ears and tail are enjoyed in Portugal and there are some typical dishes in Alentejo.
Would you be brave enough to try this Portuguese specialties? Or do you prefer sticking to the more conventional dishes? Whatever you choose, Portugal has a very rich gastronomy that you can’t miss out.
You can count on our private tours in Portugal to help you discover this hidden gems.
