Episode 3
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 three: The Alentejo Region This week Neven visits the Alentejo region in southern Portugal. Neven’s first stop is the Ervideira Winery which has a very unusual way of producing wine. When it has been bottled, the wine is stored and aged deep underwater in the Alqueva Lake which is the largest artificial lake in the European Union. Neven meets the current Director Duarte Leal da Costa and his son Duarte Maria Alvarenga as they retrieve their ‘Water Wine’ from the bottom of the lake.
The lake is 25 – 30 metres deep and the pressure at this depth causes the wine to age more slowly. Crates of 300 bottles of wine are pulled from the lake floor using a tractor. Back at the winery, Neven is treated to a tasting of the Ervideira Winery’s signature wines, comparing the ‘Water Wine’ with wine that has been aged in the traditional way.Neven then travels to Évora, the capital of the Alentejo region. Évora is a lively university city and historic sights include a Roman temple. At the highly regarded Fialho restaurant Helena Fialho, a third-generation family member shows Neven a traditional Alentejo recipe: Pork with Clams and White Wine in a Bell Pepper Sauce.One of the most important aspects of wine production is the cork in the bottle.
The Alentejo region is famous for its cork trees and produces more than half of the world’s cork. Neven meets Iain Richardson whose family have been producing cork in Alentejo for 200 years, and discovers how cork is grown and harvested, and how sheep play a vital role.Iain’s family are also one of the oldest winemaking families in Alentejo and their vineyard dates back to the 1880s. They still use the traditional methods of handpicking and foot-treading grapes.
Neven’s final visit this week is to Joana Garcia, an artisan cheesemaker. Joana trained and practised as a lawyer but gave it up to establish Monte Da Vinha, an organic sheep’s milk cheese company. Joana’s cheese has only three ingredients – sheep’s milk, salt and a special rennet made from ‘thistle tea’. Neven has a cheese and wine tasting and particularly enjoys the typical Alentejan cheese which is aged for 6 – 9 months and has a spicy taste which comes from the thistles. Neven’s own recipe this week is a Portuguese style Chicken Piri Piri Tray Bake with Sweet Potato and Vegetables.
Neven’s Portuguese Food Trails is produced and directed by David Hare for InproductionTV and is sponsored by FLOGAS
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