The Times Cook in Portugal

Of all the kitchens in Europe, that of Portugal has been least influenced in recent times by France. Cucina nuova is to be found, to the regret of many, in restaurants all over northern Italy. Neue Kiiche flourishes in Bavaria. But I am glad to report that there are no signs of novo cozinha in Lisbon.

Every visit produces exactly the same dishes we have eaten there regularly over the past 20 years - the ‘dry’ soups, or açorda, thickened with bread; salt cod 365 ways (although my friend, Eduardo, maintains that there are only three ways to cook it - boiled, baked or spoiled); impossibly rich puddings made of little more than sugar and egg yolk; stuffed squid; dobrada or tripe stew; cataplana, cooked in the traditional hinged pan; porco alentejana, or Alentejo pork with clams, an unusual and very good combination.