Hi Reader, When I was a kid, tradition came ladled into my bowl whether I wanted it or not. Take my grandmother's, mother's, and aunts' countless soups. Did I, at seven years old, appreciate their rustic charms, their centuries of peasant history, their soulful connection to Portugal? Come on! I wanted Campbell’s chicken noodle like the kids on TV, with its suspiciously lurid yellow broth and noodles that looked like they’d been cut by a drunk barber. How to Cook Tradition Without Apologies
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Pasteis de Nata ~ Portuguese Custard Tarts⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.83 from 315 votes
This pastéis de nata recipe makes as-close-to-authentic Portuguese custard tarts with a rich egg custard nestled in shatteringly crisp pastry. Tastes like home, even if you're not from Portugal.☞ Try this recipeBifanas ~ Portuguese Pork Sandwiches⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.86 from 47 votes
Bifanas are traditional Portuguese sandwiches made with thin slices of pork that are marinated and simmered in a sauce of white wine, garlic, and paprika and served on soft rolls with plenty of mustard and piri-piri sauce.☞ Try this recipePapo Secos | Portuguese Rolls⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.84 from 61 votes
These papo secos are light and airy Portuguese rolls that are the perfect vehicle for the classic --marinated pork slices--or your favorite sandwich fillings or simply a smear of butter.☞ Try this recipePastéis de Bacalhau ~ Salt Cod Fritters⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.94 from 47 votes
These Portuguese salt cod fritters, called pastéis de bacalhau, are made with salt cod, potato, onion, and parsley and are fried for a traditional Portuguese treat.☞ Try this recipeBacalhau a Bras ~ Salt Cod, Potatoes & Eggs⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.83 from 34 votes
This delicious lunch, dinner, or even brunch dish is from the classic restaurant Bota Alta, in Lisbon's Bairro Alto district.☞ Try this recipePortuguese Pork and Clams | Porco à Alentejana⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.77 from 42 votes
This combination of Portuguese pork and clams, also known as porco a Alentejana, is a superbly comforting and oh-so-satisfying dish of marinated pork shoulder and briny clams in a white wine and red pepper sauce.☞ Try this recipePortuguese Carne Assada⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.82 from 33 votes
This Portuguese carne assada from David's VERY Portuguese Mama Leite, is a traditional Azorean braised beef dish made with meltingly tender meat, small red potatoes, chouriço, and onions.☞ Try this recipeSerradura ~ Portuguese Sawdust Pudding⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.73 from 11 votes
Sawdust pudding, or serradura, is a Portuguese dessert that's perhaps the easiest and best last course ever. It's made by layering crushed tea cookies with sweetened whipping cream. Three ingredients. And elegant enough for entertaining.☞ Try this recipeCaçoila | Portuguese Stewed Beef⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.89 from 26 votes
Caçoila, or Portuguese stewed beef, is a comforting braise of beef, red peppers, and aromatics, cooked very slowly in a red wine, tomato, and butter sauce.☞ Try this recipePortuguese Orange Olive Oil Cake⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.91 from 150 votes
This Portuguese orange olive oil cake has an unforgettably tender crumb and a citrus smack thanks to fruity olive oil, winter navel oranges, and orange zest.☞ Try this recipe |
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Hi Reader, I love Rome as much as the next pasta pilgrim. I’ve stood and wept at the beauty of the Pantheon, tossed coins in the Trevi Fountain, and eaten enough carbonara to make my poor cardiologist, Dr. Levine, visibly blanch. But here’s the thing: Rome doesn’t have our worn leather couch, our cats, Georgie and Graycie, or The One yelling from the other room, “Did you salt the pasta water enough?” Georgie Graycie The truth? You don’t need a boarding pass to experience la dolce vita. In...
Hi Reader, I’ve always thought chicken gets a bad rap. People talk about it the way they talk about wallpaper—necessary, but boring. Ever since The One came on the scene, though, chicken has never been bland. There's his quick weekday roast he makes when he has three minutes and an attitude, the jug-cooked chicken from my cookbook that he swears could cure heartbreak, and a simple and simply superb Sunday supper: his brined roasted chicken that sits on a raft of carrots, onions, and potatoes...
Hi Reader, When I was a kid, beans were not optional. Ho-no! They appeared with the regularity of my godfather's Saturday-night stock car race. White beans with pork, black-eyed peas with tuna, lentils simmered until they slumped into submission. My mother insisted they were “good for you,” which, in childhood, was code for “culinary punishment.” This is what AI thinks I looked like as a child, sifting through a pan of chickpeas. But somewhere along the way, I stopped sulking and started...