Food

Bifana, barnacles and pasteis


Café in Nazaré, Portugal

Currently trending on social media is Gordon Ramsey’s take on a bifana.

In fact, Gordon’s Portuguese sandwich is far from the Portuguese pork sandwich available in most cafés across the country.

Typically, a bifana is made using a thinly sliced pork steak with mustarda (Portuguese mustard) placed in a heated or lightly toasted carcaça or papo seco (Portuguese bread rolls).

However, Gordon has taken this simple sandwich to new heights adding cheese, red pepper and onion. Click here for a video of the well-known chef making his version of a bifana on the clifftop by Nazaré’s lighthouse.

Another chef who has touched on Portuguese recipes is Jamie Oliver. 

He has devised a simple way of making pasteis de nata, custard tarts. Although not using traditional custard for the filling, Jamie’s take on the world-renowned tart is delicious, simple and also quick to make. Click here for Jamie’s video on how to make his quick pasteis da nata. For a little history on these tasty pastries click here.

Jamie’s friend and co-author of a barbecue recipe book, DJ BBQ, is a regular visitor to Burgau in Algarve. It’s here, at the beach bar, that he has enjoyed golden bream with “squashed” or “punched” potatoes (batatas a murro).

To find out the secret of these batatas a murro and also the tasty lemon/garlic/butter basting sauce used for the golden bream click here.

And whilst we are travelling through Portugal, click here to watch Gordon Ramsey’s take on a bacon and egg breakfast made on a barbecue in Alentejo.

Fancy watching Gordon trying to harvest goose barnacles (percebes)? Click here to see just why these barnacles are one of the most expensive seafoods in the world.



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