Algarve Chefs - The Art of Tasting Portugal

Bertílio Gomes

admin — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 18:27:42 +0000

Bertílio Gomes

This is chef Bertilio Gomes, the talent behind of Lisbon’s essential restaurants: Taberna Albricoque and he’s nown for his passion for regional products and his modern approach of tradicional recipes.

Chef Dishes

Cuttlefish with sweet potato

True to his roots, Bertilio Gomes has on Taberna Albricoque’s menu these cuttlefish with sweet potatoes, a tribute to the products of the land and sea of his ever delicious Algarve.

Sweet potato

“Eeny, meeny, miny, moe”. One product, four varieties, uncountable nutritional benefits!

Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of beta carotene, vitamin C, and potassium. They are also rich in fiber and have a relatively low glycemic index.

For many centuries, Aljezur’s rich soils have been growing an exceptional and unique variety of sweet potato, the Lira. An ancient culture that the hard work and dedication of many generations brought to modern days. The Aljezur sweet potato is a certified product known for its unique flavour, texture, nutritional value and immense gastronomical use! At this time of the year, the potatoes are still in the ground getting nice and big for the harvest later in October and November.

Algarve

The Algarve tastes of the sea, but it is much more than the beaches with warm and crystal-clear waters that make the cover of a travel magazine. It is also the mountains with a view of the sea, the rivers where migratory birds come to drink in the summer, the hidden fishing villages that appear to have stopped in time.

O conteúdo Bertílio Gomes aparece primeiro em The Art of Tasting Portugal.

Fábio Domingues

admin — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 16:10:56 +0000

Fábio Domingues

It is in Vila Real de Santo António that we meet this young chef. In the kitchen of the Grand House hotel, he is inspired by the local products of this paradisiacal area of the Algarve.

Chef Dishes

Salt Flower Dinner Grand House

An ode to salt flower, to Castro Marim, the south of Portugal, the local produce and intense flavours. This could summarise the tasting menu prepared by chef Fábio Domingues for the Grand Tasting that took us to the Algarve. Brilliant is an understatement! The scarlet prawn dish in a salt crust, with a cappuccino of its aromas and seaweed “açorda”, was the star of the night. ⠀

Sea Salt Flower

Sea salt flower (Flor de Sal) is made of delicate crystals that, on special days in which sun, wind and humidity are perfectly aligned, form on the surface of the salt pans.

Its fragility requires a meticulous and artisanal harvest. It‘s a unique relic made famous by chefs looking for an unprocessed product grown in the precepts of biological culture. It was first presented by France, setting the tone for other countries and places linked to salt production, such as Castro Marim, to do the same. Lighter and more delicate than sea salt, “Flor de Sal” is the final touch to finished dishes – whether salads, roasted meats, vegetables, or desserts – and a key ingredient in awakening the flavour of food.

Algarve

O conteúdo Fábio Domingues aparece primeiro em The Art of Tasting Portugal.

João Oliveira

admin — Tue, 09 Feb 2021 14:52:03 +0000

João Oliveira

He was born and raised in the North, where he became a chef, but he is considered “one of the most promising chefs of his generation” in the South. João Oliveira is the chef of Vista, the restaurant at Bela Vista Hotel & Spa, in Praia da Rocha, in Portimão. In addition to the Michelin star – which he earned before he turned 30 – João Oliveira also received the «Chef de L’Avenir» award. His cuisine is of unlimited creativity but with a well-established premise: each ingredient’s taste must excel.

Chef Dishes

Algarve Oranges

Yes. It’s a dessert. Or rather, a pre-dessert and one of chef João Oliveira’s signature dishes, which has accompanied him since he arrived at Vista six years ago. “A tribute to the Algarve and its famous oranges”, the idea is for the customer to pick their orange from the mini tree and taste it in various forms: gel, mousse, caramel, bread and even textured juice. Curious? Ask for it the next time you are in Portimão. The mini trees that the chef uses to present this pre-dessert are produced by local company Citrina.

Algarve orange

The Algarve orange is distinguished by its thin skin, shiny and bright colour, high juice content and sweetness – fruit of many hours in the Algarve sunshine.

This PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) Product grows almost all over the Algarve, with orchards in an integrated protection system, an agricultural system based on good practices, such as the rational management of natural resources favouring the use of environmentally friendly production for pest control. Among other benefits, it stands out for its high vitamin C content, which contributes to the normal functioning of the immune system and folic acid. As is, crystallised, in juices, jams, cakes or salads and sauces, the orange lends itself to everything! A tip: the heavier oranges tend to be juicier.

Algarve

O conteúdo João Oliveira aparece primeiro em The Art of Tasting Portugal.

Leandro Araújo

artoftasting — Tue, 23 Aug 2022 11:20:39 +0000

Leandro Araújo

Although he‘s been around a few places, his roots stand firmly in the place where he was born: the Algarve. Leandro Araújo graduated from the Algarve hotel and tourism school in 2008. He worked in several cuisines – including São Gabriel, by Leonel Pereira, and Viajante, by Nuno Mendes in London – before taking over Cafezique in 2019. Loulé‘s whooping restaurant is also an enoteca.

Chef Dishes

Ria Formosa oysters, seaweed and cucumber gazpacho

Oyster

Among many other attributes, Ria Formosa has to be one of the best nurseries in the world for oysters.

Why? Because of the water quality (which is excellent) and the warm and sunny climate that favors a faster and better development of the oysters. Here is a funny fact: most oysters raised in the Ria Formosa are born in France; they then grow in Portugal, and most of them return to France to be consumed – the French are the most avid consumers of oysters on the planet. The best way to taste them? “Au naturel,“ with a drop of lemon (or passion fruit), accompanied by a glass of white or sparkling wine.

Algarve

O conteúdo Leandro Araújo aparece primeiro em The Art of Tasting Portugal.

Noélia Jerónimo

artoftasting — Mon, 28 Mar 2022 09:55:03 +0000

Noélia Jerónimo

There are places you should go at least once in your life. This is one of them. No arabesques, no Michelin stars, no pretension. Genuine, simple, honest. Welcome to Noélia e Jerónimo, a shining star in the constellation of Portuguese gastronomy. The soul and heart of the most famous restaurant in Cabanas de Tavira is the woman with the easy smile in the image: Noélia Jerónimo. The self-taught chef makes no secret of the recipe for success: “it is in the simple things”, she says, in the seasonal products, hand-picked ingredients, and deep respect for the flavor.

Chef Dishes

Fig and almond soup

What to expect from a fig and almond soup? A spoonful of surprise and a perfect balance of texture and flavor. If your curious about this dish book a table at Noelia e Jerónimo and taste the delicacy.

Fig

The fig is spread all over the country and the Algarve is one of the leading regions in the production of the fruit.

In Portugal when we see someone eating something with pleasure, we say “he called it a fig!”. Sweet, versatile and loaded with vitamins and minerals, figs are one of the most appreciated fruits in summer months -better said of the second half of summer, since it is usual for summer to go halfway through when they are ready to harvest. The fig is spread all over the country and the Algarve is one of the leading regions in the production of the fruit (which, for the sake of scientific rigor, is a flower). Natural, simple or incorporated in sweet or savory recipes, dried or made into jams, they are delicious.

Algarve

O conteúdo Noélia Jerónimo aparece primeiro em The Art of Tasting Portugal.

Nuno Bergonse

artoftasting — Thu, 04 Nov 2021 15:10:57 +0000

Nuno Bergonse

Nuno Bergonse took the first step to become a chef at 16 when he joined the Lisbon Hotel and Tourism School. After going through several kitchens and leading others, including Pedro and Lobo, Ministerium Cantina and Duplex, the chef founded a catering and consulting company. Also, he dedicates a generous portion of his time to two social projects of which he is very proud: “Marhaba“ and “É um Restaurante“, one catering project and one restaurant that belong to Associação Crescer. In Marhaba, he works “with a team of people from Eritrea, Syria, and Palestine, with whom they create gastronomic events to strengthen their integration and social inclusion.“ “É um restaurante“ brings to the team people who are or have been homeless, giving them tools to make their way back to the job market.

Chef Dishes

Lemon thyme crème brûlée

Crème brûlée, the classic French dessert famous worldwide, has, in this recipe from chef Chef Nuno Bergonese, a special touch, courtesy of the aromatic Crete thyme.

Pea

Peas have been grown for thousands of years.

At the market stalls they present themselves in beautiful pods loaded with peas ready to go to the pot. When choosing, prefer the pods that are not broken and the greener and lush ones without dark spots. Peas have been grown for thousands of years. Its plant, the pea plant, originates in Southern and Central Europe, and its nutritional benefits are significant. Its unique flavor and texture make it very versatile. Peas can be consumed in the pod or in grains and can be used both as a side dish or as the key ingredient in a recipe. And is the ritual of peeling peas part of your childhood memories? It sure is part of ours!

Wild thyme

It can be used to season almost any type of food; however, its aroma combines perfectly with poultry meat.

An aromatic plant that appears spontaneously in typically Mediterranean sunny and rocky scrubs, the Crete thyme [Thymbra capitata] is found all over the Mediterranean basin and is easily found in Portugal in the Serra da Arrábida and in the Algarve. It‘s a small shrub (20 to 50 cm tall), woody but very aromatic, with a very branched stem, with upright branches and lilac flowers. It can be used to season almost any type of food; however, its aroma combines perfectly with poultry meat.

Algarve

O conteúdo Nuno Bergonse aparece primeiro em The Art of Tasting Portugal.

Rui Sequeira

artoftasting — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 16:28:11 +0000

Rui Sequeira

Finalist of Top Chef show, Algarvian Rui Sequeira used it as a launching pad for his career. He’s been at Ocean, at Vila Vita in Porches, and Serge Vieira, in France, and today he is the chef and owner of two restaurants in Faro, his hometown. Alameda, with a Portuguese base, and Monky – Asian restaurant, are two references in the Algarve’s food trends.

Chef Dishes

Ray carbonara with topinambur

A carbonara made entirely of ingredients from the sea? Well, there you go!
The “pasta” is made of algae and the fish, in this case ray, is slowly simmered and involved with the preparation of the algae. The sauce is an emulsion made from oysters and egg yolks. A photogenic and delicious dish!

Ray

There are more than 500 species of rays.

The ray is a fish of the shark family that is distinguished by its flat shape and spiked tail for protection. There are more than 500 species of rays, with the “lenga”, punctuated and spotted rays being some of the most common in Portuguese squares and markets – and plates.

Algarve

O conteúdo Rui Sequeira aparece primeiro em The Art of Tasting Portugal.

Algarve Chefs - The Art of Tasting Portugal

Bertílio Gomes

Bertílio Gomes

Chef Dishes

Products used

Regions

Fábio Domingues

Fábio Domingues

Chef Dishes

Products used

Regions

João Oliveira

João Oliveira

Chef Dishes

Products used

Regions

Leandro Araújo

Leandro Araújo

Chef Dishes

Products used

Regions

Noélia Jerónimo

Noélia Jerónimo

Chef Dishes

Products used

Regions

Nuno Bergonse

Nuno Bergonse

Chef Dishes

Products used

Regions

Rui Sequeira

Rui Sequeira

Chef Dishes

Products used

Regions