• Albacora

    Albacora

    Yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares)
  • Aquacultura/Aquicultura

    Aquacultura/Aquicultura

    Fish farm
  • Arraia, Raia

    Arraia, Raia

    Thornback ray or skate (Raja claviata)

    Arraia, also called raia is generally served like its cousin the starry ray (Raja radiata), as arraia alhada, though it is also used as an ingredient in caldeirada and tastes delicious when fried. Even so, the classic French way of preparing "ray au beurre noire" is unknown in Portugal, let alone the capers to go with it.

  • Atum

    Atum

    Bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus)
  • Bacalhau

    Bacalhau

    Bacalhau is the Portuguese word for dried and salted cod

    There are said to be over 1000 recipes in Portugal alone and Bacalhau can be considered the iconic ingredient of Portuguese cuisine. It is often cooked on social occasions and is the traditional Christmas Eve dinner in some parts of Portugal, prepared with egg, vegetables, potatoes and a lot of cream ((Bacalhau com natas).

  • Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá

    Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá

    One of the national dishes of Portugal
  • Besugo

    Besugo

    Axillary sea bream (Pagellus acarne)

    Besugo (Pagellus acarne), the axillary sea bream, is a perfect fish for grilling. Tastewise, you may compare or even prefer it to the bica.

  • Bica

    Bica

    Common pandora (Pagellus erythrinus)
  • Bonito

    Bonito

    Atlantic bonito (Sarda sarda)
  • Cabeça de peixe

    Cabeça de peixe

    Locals estimate the head of a lager fish as a special delicacy, e.g. Cherne; Pregado and Capatao
  • Caldeirada

    Caldeirada

    Popular fish soup, made of varous fish and seafood

    At the counters of market halls and super markets you can find a collection of selected fish and seafod varieties already cleaned and cut into pieces to prepare this delishes soup.

  • Carapau

    Carapau

    Atlantic horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus)

    Carapau (Trachurus trachurus), the Atlantic horse mackerel, is best eaten fried if small and slim, or grilled if big and fat. Depending on sub-species and size, the carapau is known as charro as soon as its length exceeds more than 20 centimeters

  • Cherne

    Cherne

    Atlantic wreckfish, Stone bass (Polyprion americanus)
  • Choupa

    Choupa

    Black seabream (Spondyliosoma cantharus)
  • Corvina

    Corvina

    Corvina (Argyrosomus regius), the croaking “meagre” , produces strange submarine sounds like all members of the drumfish family.

    It has attractive shimmering scales along the side and is just as tasty as the cherne provided it could grow big enough before caught.

  • Dourada

    Dourada

    Guilt-head bream (Sparus auratus)
  • Enchova

    Enchova

    Blue perch (Pomatomus saltatrix)
  • Estupeta de Atum

    Estupeta de Atum

    Raw tuna, pickled in brine and served as salad

    A popular dish in  the Eastern Algarve (Sotavento). In Vila Real de Santo António, the already pickled fish can be bought in small buckets at local markets and shops

    » Image & recipe: Sabores do Algarve

  • Ferreira

    Ferreira

    Striped seabream, Sand steenbra (Lithognathus mormyrus))
  • Galinha do Mar

    Galinha do Mar

    Red scorpion fish (Scorpaena scrofa) - a must for an excellent fish soup like the Caldeirada or Boullabaisse
  • Lamprey

    Lamprey

    Order: Petromyzontiformes
  • Lingua

    Lingua

    Yellow sole (Solea cuneata)
  • Linguado

    Linguado

    Sole (Solea solea)
  • Marlim, Espardate

    Marlim, Espardate

    Swordfish (Xiphias gladius)
  • Moreia (Morea)

    Moreia (Morea)

    Mediterranean morey, Roman eel (Muraena helena)
  • Ovas de Peixe

    Ovas de Peixe

    Fish eggs, roe
  • Pargo

    Pargo

    Red porgy, common seabream (pagrus pagrus)

    Pargo (Pagrus pagrus), the common sea bream or red porgy, can officially be termed legítimo, according to current nomenclature, although no one could care less about this at the market. This species, which is better suited to the average household, does not come up to its namesake, the Pargo de mitra (Dentex gibbosus), the pink dentex,

  • Pargo da Mitra

    Pargo da Mitra

    Pink Dentex (Dentex gibbosus), also known as "Capatão legitimo" in the Lisbon area

    The pink dentex is so-called because of the distinctive bump on its head, resembling a bishop’s headgear. In Lisbon, it is known as capatão legítimo, and in the Algarve both terms merge in "Pargo legítimo"

  • Pastel de Bacalhau

    Pastel de Bacalhau

    Cod fish pasty
  • Pata Roxa

    Pata Roxa

    Small-spotted catshark (Scyliorhinus canicula)
  • Peixe do rio

    Peixe do rio

    Trouts, eel, shad and lamprey

    Freshwater fish comes from the Guadiana and the Tagus rivers as well as from the rivers and creeks in northern Portugal

  • Peixe espada

    Peixe espada

    Silver scabbardfish (Lepidopus caudatus) and Black scabbardfish (Aphanopus carbo)

    The silver and black scabbardfish are is strangely named after the sheath instead of what is meant to be guarded inside. Even so, this fish has a sword´s shape, whereas other species bear this weapon on their snouts.

  • Peixe Galo

    Peixe Galo

    John Dory (Zeus faber)
  • Peixe porco

    Peixe porco

    Triggerfish (Balistes capriscus)

    Peixe porco (Balistes capriscus), meaning “pig fish”, is how the Portuguese call the triggerfish, and it is quite an expert at cracking sea urchins and other echinoderms. The English name, on the other hand, derives from the trigger mechanism formed by the second dorsal "trigger" spine

  • Pescada

    Pescada

    Hake (Merluccius merluccius)
  • Pregado

    Pregado

    Turbot (Scophthalmus maximus)
  • Rasgasso

    Rasgasso

    Black scorpionfish (Scorpaena porcus), popular ingredient for the "Caldeirada"
  • Robalo

    Robalo

    European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax)

    Robalo (Dicentrarchus labrax), the European sea bass, is also known by its French name of »Loup de Mer«, and now more likely to be farmed than caught fresh from the sea. It is a popular item on the menu in first class restaurants.

  • Rodovalho

    Rodovalho

    Brill or Kite (Scophthalmus rhombus)

    Rodovalho has a smooth skin, unlike the turbot with its prickly upper side. It lags behind the latter in size, but certainly not in flavor.

     

  • Safio

    Safio

    Safio (Conger conger), the conger eel, is a vital ingredient in caldeirada.

    Its rear section, however, contains bones, which might well mar the enjoyment of this otherwise tasty fish.

  • Salmonete

    Salmonete

    Red mullet (Mullus barbatus), a tasteful fish, highly appreciated in the area of Setubal
  • Sarda (Cavala)

    Sarda (Cavala)

    Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus)
  • Sardinha

    Sardinha

    Pilchard (Sardina pilchardus), the most popular grilled fish in the Algarve

    Sardinha, the sardine or pilchard may be more familiar in the canned variety, but it is quite simply the Algarve’s main grill fish, traditionally even given away for free at São João, the festival of St John in June.

  • Sardinhas assadas

    Sardinhas assadas

    Grilles sardines

    One of the national emblematic dishes of Portugal

  • Sargo

    Sargo

    White seabream (Diplodus sargus lineatus and Diplodus sargus cadenati)
  • Tamboril

    Tamboril

    Angler, monkfish (Lophius piscatorius)

    Tamboril (Lophius piscatorius), the monkfish or anglerfish, has adopted a human practice by sporting a type of fishing rod on its head, hence its name. Like the John Dory, it is competitive in price, and  best baked in toto in the oven.

  • Trutas à escabeche

    Trutas à escabeche

    Boiled trouts marinated with sliced onions (escabeche) - to be served cold or warmed similar to fried herring
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