Portuguese A Go-Go

Cafe Drake never thought too much of the cuisine of Portugal, and rarely ate it outside of the occasional overnight in Providence (or another city in Rhode Island). Singularly unsophisticated in our opinion, burdened with an addiction to excessive amounts of garlic and chorizo, the food of this Mediterranean nation never rang our bell, but as of late we've warmed to the subtler dimensions of a few national dishes. Above are photos of a haphazard Night in Lisbon-themed meal we recently constructed: cubes of monkfish were lightly simmered in a classic sauce of tomatoes, bell peppers and chopped green olives; boiled wheatberries and red onions were added to the mix to create a most hearty and healthy stew. Sides included kale (surely the most beloved vegetable in all of Portugal) poached with tomatoes (another ubiquitous ingredient) and a salad of watercress, almonds and sliced oranges. Below we offer two more favorite Portuguese recipes, all delicious when enjoyed with the famous Vinho Verde of the region - a most inexpensive white wine, barely matured and containing a hint of effervescence.

CALDO VERDE

This is the famous soup of Portugal: simple but strangely satisfying on a chilly evening. In the recipe below we've omitted the chorizo sausage, as we prepared this recently for a dinner populated with guests abstaining from pork. Add if you like for a deeper complexity to the soup.

3 cups of water / 3 cups of chicken or vegetable broth / 3 cups of kale chopped or shredded /3 or 4 med. size potatoes, peeled and halved /1 tbsp. of salt /2 tbsp. of olive oil

1. In a pan deep enough add water, olive oil, salt and potatoes.



2. Cook until the potatoes are tender.



3. When the potatoes are cooked mash them lightly.



4. Once this is done add them back to the pan. Stir in and bring to a boil.



5. Add the kale and boil uncovered for 15 minutes.



6. If desired, garnish with green onions and grated cheese (Manchego, Gruyere or Parmesan-Reggiano will all do nicely).

NEW ENGLAND FISH CHOWDER

A staple all across coastal Rhode Island, home to the largest percentage of fishermen of Portuguese descent. What Mexican food is to California, what Indian is to England, so is Portuguese cuisine to the Ocean State. Far from fancy the following stew is nonetheless perfect for a weeknight meal with only crusty bread and a green salad needed as sides.

1 lb. cod or haddock fillets, cut into 1-inch pieces /1 lb. of small red potatoes /2 tsp. olive oil /3 tbsp. chopped Canadian bacon /1 red bell pepper, cut into med. pieces /1 green bell pepper, cut into med. pieces /2 or 3 cloves of garlic /2 tbsp. of flour /11/2 cups of milk /1/2 tsp. salt /1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1. Cook the potatoes until just tender, using a medium pot.



2. In a large skillet heat the oil ( don't burn it) (use med. heat).



3. Put in bacon, peppers, garlic and cook until the peppers are somewhat soft.



4. Add flour into pan, stir into cooked ingredients.



5. Now stir in milk, salt and cayenne pepper. Bring all to a boil.



6. Place the fish on top, reduce to simmer, cover and cook until the fish is opaque, around 5 minutes or so. DO NOT BOIL THE FISH, as it will fall apart and lose both texture and flavor in the ruinous process.