Portugal: Recipes and Ingredients

This vibrant introduction to Portuguese cooking profiles a dozen chefs, each offering dishes from seaside restaurants, neighborhood bistros, and contemporary hotspots.

The book is rich in photography—plated dishes, local markets, wine shops, and street scenes all contribute to a strong sense of place. Seafood features prominently, especially octopus and salt cod,. There are even unexpected combinations like sweetbreads with shellfish sauce and watercress.

Other highlights include roasted spare ribs with savory French toast and a whimsically named “Nun’s Bottom Salad” made with black-eyed peas, fresh goat cheese, and tomato confit. Desserts and pastries often center on chocolate, orange, or both.

The energy and range of the food are engaging—but the book's design gets in the way. Recipe formatting is inconsistent, with ingredient lists sometimes squeezed at the bottom of the page or placed overleaf from instructions, requiring constant flipping. Some text, particularly in the chef profiles and introductory notes, is printed in black over dark backgrounds, making it difficult to read—as if legibility were an afterthought.

Hardcover. Color photographs throughout.