Recipes from Portugal

Fish cookery is a subject of interest to all Portuguese, none of whom lives very far from the sea, and there are recipes for every species to be found in their markets and at the beach auctions which are held in many fishing villages, right beside the colourful fishing boats. But pride of place goes to their beloved bacalhau, salted dried cod, a fish which does not occur in Portuguese waters but which the Portuguese have traditionally fished in distant seas. Equally popular and less expensive are the fresh sardines, the smell of which, as they are grilled over a charcoal brazier, is almost omnipresent in Portuguese coastal towns and villages. The hake (pescada) completes the trilogy of favourites; it is the standard high-class fish.