Charcoal grilled sardines

Ingredients (serves 4): - Fresh sardines (16-20) - 1 tablespoon of salt Preparation: Place the sardines on a tray and salt them. Lightly oil the grill with a little cooking oil to prevent fish from sticking. Grill the fish until cooked – about 5-8 minutes each side. When done, the skin will be crispy.

“Montanheira” Salad

Ingredients (serves 4): - 300g tomatoes - 150g cucumber - 1 green/red pepper - 0.5 dl olive oil - 1 onion - 2 tbsp vinegar - oregano - salt Preparation: Dice the pepper, the tomatoes, the cucumber and the onion. Mix all in a bowl and season it with salt, olive oil, vinegar and oregano.

Seafood rice

Ingredients (serves 4): - 1 onion, finely chopped - 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped - 4 tbsp olive oil - 4 ripe tomatoes, peeled and diced - 1 green/red peppers, cut in strips - salt and pepper - Seafood cocktail (cockles, clams, mussels, shrimp, crab paws) - 1 cube of fish stock - 3 cups of tea of hot water

- 2 cup of rice - fresh coriander, finely chopped

Preparation: Pour the olive oil into a heavy sauté pan. Add the onion and the garlic and sauté until the onion is transparent. Add the tomatoes and the peppers, season with salt and pepper and let it fry for 10 min. Then add the seafood cocktail, stir, cover the pan and let it cook in low heat for 15 min. Add the stock and 3 cups of tea of hot water. When it starts boiling, measure two cups of rice and pour into the pan. Stir and then return to boil for 10 min. Turn off the heat, sprinkle with a

handful of coriander and serve immediately.

Fish “Cataplana”

Ingredients (serves 4): - 700 grs of meaty white fish, cut in bite-sized pieces - 250 grs clams - 2 ripe tomatoes - 1 large onion - 250 g fresh coriander - 100 grs parsley - 1 glass of white wine - 1 green pepper, cut in stips - 200 grs large shrimps - 2 cloves garlic, minced - 3 or 4 bay leaves - olive oil - salt and pepper Preparation: In the Cataplana dish, put layers onion, tomato, fish and the seafood. Season it with olive oil. Repeat this process and add the bay leaves, parsley, green pepper, garlic and coriander, with another thread of olive oil. Add the white wine and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes with the Cataplana closed.

Baked Stuffed Squid

Ingredients (serves 4): - 1,200 kg of squid - 160 grs of rice - 100 grs of cured ham (presunto) - 300 grs of new potatoes - 500 grs of ripe tomatoes - 1 dl of dry white wine - 1,5 dl of olive oil - 1 bunch of parsley - 1 bay leaf - 250 grs of onions - salt - pepper - water

Preparation:

Wash the squid carefully. Prepare them, removing the tentacles and guts making sure they don't burst. Peel the onions and mince them. Dice the ham very finely, and do the same to the tentacles of the squid. Remove the stems from the tomatoes and scald the latter in boiling water. Remove the skin and seeds and then dice the tomatoes. Place a pan on the flame and pour in the olive oil. Add the onions and fry. Add the cured ham. Then add the tentacles of the squid, the chopped parsley and the tomatoes. Let the mixture thicken. Add the washed and drained rice, mix thoroughly and let it cook for about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stuff the squid with the stuffing obtained this way, not forgetting to drive a toothpick into the exterior part (mouth) so the stuffing won't be lost when cooking. In another pan, make more stuffing with chopped onions in olive oil, the bay leaf and chopped parsley. Add the white wine and water. Add the stuffed squid and let everything cook. Correct the seasonings. Take out the squid when ready. Serve them accompanied by the boiled new potatoes.

Hint: The squid should be medium-sized. The new potatoes should be small, boiled in water and salt, and only after this should they be peeled.

Rice with Razor Clams

Ingredients (serves 4): - 1 kg of razor clams - 300grs rice - 3 tbsp olive oil - 1 onion, finely chopped - 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped - 1 clove - 200grs ripe tomatoes - 1 small green pepper - 1 bay leaf - 1 dl white wine - parsley - salt and pepper - black olives Preparation: Wash the razor clams carefully in cold water. Mince the garlic and the onions. Remove the stems from the tomatoes and scald them in hot water. Remove the skin and seeds and dice the tomatoes finely. Then wash the green pepper, wash it and also dice it finely. Place a pan on the flame. Place the clams in the pan and cover them with water. When they are cooked, take out the edible part of the clams and wash them in water to free them from impurities. Strain the liquid in which the clams were cooked into a bowl, using a fine strainer. Wash the pan in which the clams were cooked and place it on the flame once again. Pour in the

olive oil and let it warm up. Then add the garlic, the onions, the bay leaf and the clove. Let the mixture brown, stirring it with a wooden spoon. Add the green pepper and tomato. Pour in the white wine and fry. Add the liquid in which the clams were cooked. Boil. Add the rice, season with salt and pepper and let it cook for about 15 minutes. When everything is cooked, add the edible part of the clams, stir, sprinkle with the chopped parsley, decorate it with olives and serve.

Cockles with maize flour (Xarém)

Ingredients (serves 4): - 1 kg of cockles (conquilhas) - 200 grs of maize flour - 100 grs bacon - 100 grs pork sausage (chouriço) - 100 grs of cured ham (presunto) - water - 2 tablespoons olive oil - onion - fresh coriander - salt

Preparation: Wash the cockles in a bowl of cold water in order to rid them from the impurities they may contain. Then cover the cockles with sea water for about 4 to 5 hours. Should you not have sea water available, use drinking water seasoned with salt. Cut the bacon and the ham into thin strips. Slice the pork sausage. Fry the bacon, the ham and the pork sausage in a frying-pan on a low flame. Sift the flour with a sieve. Put a pan on the flame with 2 liters of water and when it’s warm, add the flour and stir it with a wooden spoon so that it doesn't become lumpy. Cook the mixture, stirring from time to time. Add the meat and season with salt, if necessary. When the flour is almost cooked, add the cockles and let it boil for a while. It’s ready when the cockles are opened. Sprinkle with fresh coriander and serve.

Skate with garlic Ingredients (serves 4): - 1 bunch fresh coriander - 4 slices of skate - 1 tbsp flour - 1 tsp paprika - 1 bay leaf - 5 garlic cloves - lemon juice - 2 dl olive oil - 2 ½ cups hot water - slices of homemade bread

Preparation: Season the fish with salt and lemon juice. Place a pan on the stove with the olive oil and the garlic cloves, bruised, lightly fry in medium heat. When they are light brown but not burnt, add the flour and stir well, add the paprika and then the hot water stirring continuously. Then add the bay leaf and the chopped coriander. Season with salt and add the fish slices, let it cook in a moderate heat, shaking the pan occasionally. When it is cooked (it takes around 20 m), check the seasoning and serve with slices of homemade bread and boiled potatoes.

Fish “Cataplana”

Ingredients (serves 4): - 700 grs of meaty white fish, cut in bite-sized pieces - 250 grs clams - 2 ripe tomatoes - 1 large onion - 250 g fresh coriander - 100 grs parsley - 1 glass of white wine - 1 green pepper, cut in stips - 200 grs large shrimps - 2 cloves garlic, minced - 3 or 4 bay leaves - olive oil

- salt and pepper Preparation: In the Cataplana dish, put one layer of onion, tomato, fish and seafood. Season it with olive oil. Repeat this process and add the bay leaves, parsley, green pepper, garlic and coriander, with another thread of olive oil. Add the white wine and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes with the Cataplana closed.

Cuttlefish stew

Ingredients (serves 4): - 1.200 Kg of cuttlefish - 350grs potatoes - 3 ripe tomatoes - ½ red pepper - ½ green pepper - 2 onions - 2 garlic cloves finely chopped - 1 tsp pepper

- 1 bunch fresh coriander - 1 bay leaf - 2 dl olive oil - 2 dl white wine - salt Preparation: Start by washing the cuttlefish and slicing it. Dice the peppers, the onions and the potatoes. Remove the skin of the tomatoes, clean the seeds and dice them. In a pan, put half of the vegetables, cover with cuttlefish and finish with the remaining vegetables. Season each layer with a pinch of salt and pepper, flavored with herbs and drizzle with olive oil and white wine. Cover the pan. From time to time, stir well, so that the preparation does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Serve hot.

Prawn “Açorda” (bread-based stew)

Ingredients (serves 4): - 600 grs prawn - 300 grs homemade bread cut into chunks - 1 egg - 3 garlic cloves finely chopped - 1 bunch fresh coriander - 4 tbsp olive oil - 1 pinch of paprika - salt - pepper

Preparation: Boil the prawns in water seasoned with salt for 5 minutes, remove them and strain the water. Reserve the water. Take out the prawns heads and shelves. In a clay pan, put in the olive oil and the garlic. Fry gently for 2-3 m or until golden, then add the water and bring to the boil. Add the bread and stir with a wooden spoon, to mash the bread. Season it with paprika, salt and pepper. Add the prawns, stir the mixture and remove from the heat. Add the egg, stir it, sprinkle with chopped coriander and serve immediately.

“Massada de Peixe” (Fish with Elbow pasta)

Ingredients (serves 4): - 1 chopped onion - 3 cloves chopped garlic - 1/2 green pepper cut in strips - 1/2 red pepper cut in strips - 1,5dl olive oil - 2 ripe chopped tomatoes (without the seeds and the skin) - 1 kg of cleaned fish cut in chunks (monkfish, grouper, snapper) - 250g clams - 250g prawns - salt - 1 cube of fish stock - 1/2 package of onion soup - 350g elbow pasta - 1 bunch fresh coriander - oregano Preparation: Boil the fish, remove the skin and the bones and reserve the water. Put the olive oil in a pan and add the chopped onion, garlic, tomatoes and peppers, stir until the onions are golden. Add the water, the fish stock and the onion soup. Let it boil for 3 minutes. Season with salt if necessary and add the elbow pasta. When the pasta is boiled, add the fish, the prawns and the clams and let it boil for 3 – 4 minutes or until prawns are cooked and the clams opened. Sprinkle with the coriander and oregano. Serve hot.

Fish Stew

Ingredients (for 4): - 2kg of fish: monkfish, skate, conger, bream or other - salt - olive oil - 4 onions - 5 medium potatoes - 8 medium tomatoes - 5 cloves of garlic - 1 bay leaf - 1 bunch finely chopped parsley - pepper - 1 green pepper - 1 cup white wine

Preparation: Prepare the fish and wash it in water. Clean away the skin and tripe. Cut it up into small slices and season with salt. Slice up the onion, tomatoes and green pepper. Peel, wash and slice the potatoes. Place the fish, onions, tomatoes, green pepper, potatoes, garlic, bay leaf and parsley in a pan in alternate layers. Pour the white wine and a little water over the ingredients. Add the olive oil and pepper. Correct the seasonings, cover the pan and cook over a low flame.

Tuna Fish Steaks Ingredients (serves 4): - 800 grs of cleaned fresh tuna fish - 200 grs of onions - 60 grs of butter ; - 2 dl of cooking oil - 2 cloves of garlic - 1 bunch of parsley - 1 kg of potatoes - 1 bay leaf - white pepper - salt - white wine

Preparation:

Scale the tuna fish with the aid of a scaler. Remove the guts and bones. Cut the fish into steaks. Place them on a tray. Season with salt, white pepper, peeled and chopped garlic and a little white wine. Peel the onions and cut them up into rings. Place the butter in an earthenware frying-pan and put it on the flame. Warm up the butter and then add the chopped garlic, onions and bay leaf. Add the steaks, taking care to turn them over to cook them on both sides and to stir the onions. Serve in the frying-pan, accompanied by potatoes fried in cooking oil in a separate vessel and sprinkled with chopped parsley.

Algarve Sardines ("Sardinhas de Escabeche")

Ingredients (serves 4): - 12 sardines - 1 sliced onion - 50g plain flour

- 3 bay leafs - 3 cloves of chopped garlic - 2 whole chillies (optional) - 1 tbsp salt - 5 tbsp olive oil

Preparation:

Clean the fish, removing the head, but leave the bone. Salt the fish, then lightly dust with the flour.

Fry the fish in 2 tbsp of olive oil for about a minute then turn the fish and cook for another minute. In a separate pan add the chopped onions, garlic, chillies (optional) and bay leafs with the rest of the olive oil and fry for cook for around 10-15 minutes. Add 1 tbsp of vinegar to the sauce. To serve place the sardines on a serving plate and cover in the sauce. Can be served hot or cold, and served with boiled potatoes.

Cuttlefish in their own ink

Ingredients (serves 4): - 1,200 kg of cuttlefish - 2 dl of olive oil - 2 bay leaves - 4 cloves of garlic - 800 grs of potatoes - salt - pepper

Preparation:

Wash the cuttlefish in cold water, being careful not to burst them. Drain them. Season with salt and pepper. Place a deep pan on the flame. Pour in the olive oil and warm it up. Peel the cloves of garlic, mince them and add them to the olive oil in the pan. Add the bay leaves. Let the garlic brown but without burning it. Add the whole cuttlefish, cover the pan and fry on a low flame. Stir once in a while so as to prevent burning. Fry the cuttlefish on both sides. Serve garnished with fried or boiled potatoes and lemon slices.