Lichinga, Alheira Feira 2010, CC BY-SA 4.0

The sovereign state of Portugal is a beautiful place with history and a unique culture. During the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal became the world’s first global empire. The nation is still a very popular tourism hotspot and one of the finest things the country has to offer, is its incredible cuisine.

 

One of the first things to try out in Portugal is alheira de mirandela, which is a type of sausage that is made with meat other pork, usually some sort of poultry. Despite being one of the most affordable dishes, versions of this can be found in some of the best restaurants in Lisboa such as Olivier Avenida in the AVANI Avenida Liberdade Lisbon. This dish has an interesting origin story, as it was invented by Jewish minorities attempting to disguise themselves as Christians.

 

One of the most fascinating delicacies in Portugal is the Francesinha which is a massive plate of food that consists of a meaty sandwich consisting of ham, chorizo sausage and steak coated in melted cheese and then doused with w unique spiced-tomato sauce. This wet and indulgent sandwich is served with chips with the option of being topped off with a fried egg. Given the hearty nature of this meal, it’s probably best consumed as a breakfast dish.

 

Sea-food is one of the most notable staples in Portuguese cuisine and there are many iconic dishes for your indulgence, such as polvo a lagareiro which includes a whole octopus that has been boiled then oven-roasted while coated generously in olive-oil and garlic. The octopus is then usually served with potatoes that have been either roasted or pan-fried with the same ingredients.

 

If you ever find yourself in Portugal there’s a universe of culinary delights for you to explore, from indulgent meaty-treats to glorious sea-food and even some delightful desserts to sink your teeth into. Food is definitely an area where Portugal truly shines.

 

Caleb Falcon is a travel writer who specializes in writing content based on the many exciting world adventures that await intrepid travellers.

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