
PETISCOS

Bolinhos de Bacalhau is one of our codfish favorite dishes. These bite-sized cakes combine dried and salted cod with mashed potatoes, parsley, and onion. They are deep-fried to create a crunchy crust with a soft, flavorful center.

Sardinhas Grilled sardines are a staple in Portuguese cuisine, seasoned simply with sea salt. They are grilled over charcoal for a smoky flavor and typically served with boiled potatoes, olive oil salad and bread. They’re best enjoyed fresh off the grill, often eaten whole for an authentic experience.

Presunto is dry-cured ham, similar to Italian prosciutto or Spanish jamón. Among the wide variety of presuntos in Portugal, the most famous are from Chaves, produced in the north of Portugal, and from the Alentejo, in the south, made from local Alentejano pigs. Presunto is often enjoyed thinly sliced, accompanied by cheese, bread, or olives, and is central on Portuguese charcuterie boards.

Chouriço Assado is popular at traditional gatherings. This Portuguese sausage is often flambéed tableside, giving it a smoky, charred exterior. The result is a juicy, flavorful treat that embodies the region’s love for smoked meats.

Alheira is a delicious sausage, originally created by Portuguese Jews as a pork-free alternative. It is made from a blend of meats and bread seasoned with garlic and spices. Alheira was traditionally grilled or roasted and served with boiled vegetables. Nowadays, it is often fried and served accompanied by French fries and a fried egg.

Morcela de Arroz is a unique blood sausage made with rice and flavored with garlic, onions, and spices. It’s usually grilled or fried, offering a hearty and satisfying petisco with a distinct taste and texture.

Salade de Polvo is a salad made of octopus boiled until very tender, chopped in little chunks, and mixed with tiny pieces of fresh vegetables such as onions and peppers. The salad is marinated in olive oil and vinegar and served with fresh tomatoes and chopped herbs.

Gambas ao Alhinho is prawns or shrimp fried in aromatic olive oil. The flavor is extracted from frying in plenty of garlic. If you like spicy food, you can order this dish with some red chili added. This is yet another petisco best enjoyed with bread.

Pica-pau is a very popular pork or chicken petisco. The most delicious part about this dish is the sauce, made from white wine, garlic, bay leaves, butter, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Pickles and olive oils are added to the sauce to enhance its flavor.

Prego is a popular Portuguese sandwich. It is traditionally made with thinly sliced beef steak marinated with garlic and then grilled or pan-fried. It may include toppings such as cheese, ham, or spicy mustard. Sometimes, it's served with a side of fries or alongside traditional Portuguese sauces.

Bifana is pork slices on typical Portuguese bread. However, there’s an entire art to cooking the meat to perfection, which includes marinating the meat in a sauce with white wine, garlic, and paprika. The Bifana is complete with a layer of mustard coated on the bun and the meat. Alternatively, it can be enjoyed with the Portuguese piri-piri sauce.

Azeitonas are marinated olives enhanced with garlic, herbs, and spice. They are commonly used in Portuguese cuisine and are often enjoyed as a simple snack to start a meal. The Portuguese olives combine the earthy, slightly bitter flavors of olives with aromatic seasonings.
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Olive oil from Portugal is of the highest quality. Portuguese olive oils are often at the top of international olive oil competitions. Many experts rank olive oils produced in Portugal as the best. If you want to explore olive oils of the highest quality, Portugal is the place to visit. At Casa das Descobertas, we grow olive trees and plan to produce our olive oil.

Tremoços, or lupini beans, are very popular while drinking beer. These yellow legumes are prepared by boiling and then soaking in salt water for several days to remove their natural bitterness. The result is a mildly salty, nutty-flavored snack with a satisfying bite. To properly eat a tremoço, remove the skin with your teeth, pull out the legume seed from within, and then chew on it.

Broa de milho is made with a blend of cornmeal and wheat or rye flour, giving it a dense, hearty texture and a slightly sweet, nutty flavor. This rustic bread is typically baked in a wood-fired oven, resulting in a thick, golden crust and a soft, crumbly interior. It pairs wonderfully with soups and stews, such as caldo verde, or as an accompaniment to cheeses, olives, and cured meats.
Portuguese cheese

Queijo da Serra da Estrela is a creamy, soft cheese made from raw milk of Bordaleira sheep in the Serra da Estrela mountains. Instead of using animal rennet, the milk is coagulated using thistle flower, giving the cheese a smooth, buttery texture and slightly vegetal undertones. This method has been used for centuries, making Queijo da Serra da Estrela a true representation of Portuguese culinary tradition. The cheese is then aged for a period ranging from 30 days to several months, depending on the desired texture and flavor.

Queijo São Jorge is a semi-hard cheese from the Azores that has been produced for over 500 years. It has a spicy, slightly tangy taste and a firm yet creamy texture. São Jorge cheese is made from raw cow's milk and aged for 3 to 24 months. Its distinct flavor is due to the lush Azorean pastures where the cows graze.

Queijo do Pico is a traditional cheese made on Pico Island, part of the Azores. This unique cheese is crafted using raw cow’s milk from local dairy herds that graze on the island’s fertile volcanic pastures. This cheese is known for its smooth, buttery texture and mildly salty flavor. Its distinctive aroma reflects the fresh, herbaceous qualities of the island’s pastures. Queijo do Pico is made using traditional methods passed down through generations of local cheesemakers.

Queijo de Azeitão originates from the regions of Palmela, Setúbal, and Sesimbra, all located to the south of Lisbon. In 2014, Queijo de Azeitão was recognized as one of the 50 best gastronomic products in the world at the Great Taste Awards. It combines a unique blend of acidic, salty, and spicy tastes that captivate the palate. Made from the raw milk of sheep, this cheese undergoes a careful curing process until it reaches a perfect balance of semi-hard and buttery texture.

Queijo do Rabaçal is a traditional cheese produced in the region of Rabaçal, near Coimbra and the Serra de Sicó mountains. This cheese is highly valued for its distinctive flavor, which comes from the unique combination of milk from both sheep and goats that graze on the aromatic wild herbs of the region. The milk is coagulated using traditional methods, and the cheese is then pressed into molds and left to age. The aging period can range from a few weeks to several months, during which the cheese develops a semi-hard texture and herbaceous aroma.

Queijo de Cabra Transmontano is a traditional goat cheese originating from the Trás-os-Montes region . It is made from goat's milk from local breeds and has a rich, tangy, and slightly salty flavor, typical of goat cheese, but with a unique earthy and herbal undertone that comes from the goats' diet in the wild Trás-os-Montes region. Younger cheese versions are mild and creamy, while aged varieties have a more robust, pronounced taste, with nutty and sometimes even spicy notes.

Queijo Terrincho is a traditional cheese made from the milk of the Churra da Terra Quente sheep. It is known for its smooth, creamy texture and rich, slightly tangy flavor. Younger versions are soft and spreadable, with a mild sweetness and buttery undertones, while the aged Terrincho Velho has a hard texture and a more pronounced, nutty, and earthy flavor. Tasting this cheese with honey, figs, or quince jam is pleasant.