More Than Just Cod
When visiting Portugal, it is easy to assume that the cuisine is cod all the time. On the menu of many restaurants in Lisbon you find cod. You assume that cod is a local fish. And yet, Portugues do not fish for cod in their own waters. Cod does not live in warm waters off the coast of Portugal. These fish prefer the colder waters of Iceland and Norway. As a matter of fact, 70% of all cod consumed in Portugal is imported from Norway.
So why is it that cod is on the menu of so many Portuguese restaurants?
First of all, Portuguese are fishing folk. They have been fishing the North Atlantic for centuries. In the 15th century, Portuguese explorers discovered cod fishing grounds off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador. This led to a boom in the Portuguese cod fishery, and cod became a staple food in Portugal. Even in the US, Portuguese are now to be fishers. it was the Portuguese who ruled the Monterey, CA sardine canneries.
Secondly, cod is a very abundant fish that is easy to catch.
Thirdly, cod is an inexpensive fish, which makes it affordable for people of all income levels in Portugal.
Lastly, cod is a mild flavored fish, appealing to many people.
The result is that cod is the most commonly consumed fish in Portugal. The Portuguese consume an average of 10 kilograms of cod per person per year. This sounds a lot, yet, Argentines consume 110 kg per year of their favorite protein, beef. Portugal is the world’s largest importer of cod. There are over 365 different cod dishes in Portuguese cuisine, one for each day of the year. Bacalhau à Brás is one of the most popular cod dishes in Portugal. It is made with shredded cod, potatoes, eggs, and onions.
Even so, when visiting Lisbon, go beyond the traditional cod dish. At Nossa Casa, a hard to get into small restaurant in the heart of Lisbon, when tasted an amazing cod in cream dish.