Neven Maguire is back with a brand new six part series of his popular Food Trails programmes, and this year his travels take him from Faro in the South of Portugal to the Douro Valley in the North of the country.
Locations that Neven visits include Lisbon, Evora, Aviero and Porto, where he meets an interesting collection of chefs and food and wine producers, including one producer who stores his wine underwater in Europe’s largest manmade lake. Neven also visits the Porches Pottery, set up by Irish artist Patrick Swift in 1968, and tries his hand at painting tiles in Porto.
Each week Neven also cooks a dish that has been inspired by his Portuguese Food Trails.
“I can definitely say that travelling through Portugal for this new series was one of the best trips I’ve ever had as a chef. Portugal is so varied, from the Algarve to Alentejo, Porto and Lisbon.
“We met some amazing people and tasted and experienced some great produce and food. Their wine is exceptional, the food is delicious, and the people are so kind and good natured” says Neven.
“I’m familiar with Portugal and I really like it. Each region is so different. They love Irish people and going there with the crew was a lovely experience. You’re working, but you’re learning”.
Programme four: Lisbon and Aveiro
This week Neven’s food trail begins in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon where he meets chef Hugo Freitas Araújo at Solar Dos Presuntos, a restaurant renowned for its traditional local cuisine. Hugo shares his recipe for a Lobster and Bread Stew made with a “secret sauce”.
Neven then heads north to the city of Aveiro. Portugal is famous for its tradition of artisan canned fish and seafood, and Neven travels to one of the country’s most famous canned fish factories ‘Comur’. From eels to octopus and anchovies, the fish is painstakingly processed and canned by hand. Neven meets Comur’s factory manager Carla Gonçalves who shows him the process of making canned roast cod, canned octopus and a particularly special product of sardines preserved in olive oil with flakes of real gold leaf. Neven is treated to a picnic on board a ‘Moliceiro’, a colourful gondola-like boat typically found on the canals of Aveiro. Comur’s Director Pedro Dias shares the sardines in gold leaf with Neven, and explains that the gold is added in tribute to Portugal’s fishermen in recognition of their hard work. Neven also tries canned octopus, and a local Aveiro delicacy; canned eels which are fried and preserved in vinegar sauce.
Eels are still fished using moliceiro boats in the nearby lagoon, the Ria de Aveiro and Neven takes a trip out onto the lagoon in a moliceiro with local guide Ana Cunha. Ana explains how moliceiro were historically used to harvest seaweed, and the eels were eaten on board by the fishermen. Today, local fishermen fish for eels using unique ‘‘Galrieho’,’ nets which are pulled up by hand. One of the best places to eat eel dishes is Casa Alcina, where 89-year -old chef Alcina Ruela runs her kitchen singlehandedly. Alcina established her restaurant in 1952, and she prepares two of her most popular dishes for Neven – Fried Eels, and an Eel and Potato Stew with Saffron.
Alcina was the first woman to open a restaurant in the town of Murtosa at the age of 19.
Inspired by his food trail, Neven uses Comur canned tuna to make Fish Cakes with a Tomato and Red Pepper Salsa.
Neven’s Portuguese Food Trails is produced and directed by David Hare for InproductionTV and is sponsored by FLOGAS
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