Area 4

THE BEIRAS

Beira Alta specializes in Serra cheese, roast veal, kid and the thick "dry soups" with meat or fish patties. Trout is particularly good in Covilhã, which is also known for the local sheep cheese. In Beira Baixa you should try the delicious Pão de lo, a sponge‑like cake. Beira Littoral is the place to try the popular Portuguese duck and rice dish, while eels and lampreys are a seasonal specialty. The rich Chanfana kid or lamb stewed in red wine ‑ and veal or chicken in the pot, are other Beira favorites, but Mealhada's roast suckling pig is certainly the most famous. Coimbra has some local sweet‑meats worth trying especially Santa Clara cakes. Caldeirada and shellfish are Nazare's strong points while Aveiro's "ovos moles" (soft eggs) are renowned all over Portugal.

SOUP AND ENTREES

Sopa de feijão frade (Beira Alta) ‑ runner bean soup

Sopa de castanha pilada (Beira Baixa) ‑ dried chestnut soup

Sopa parda (Beira Alta) ‑ Brown soup, with water used for boiling brown beans, onions, parsley, etc.

Sopa de lebre à provinciana (Beira Baixa) ‑ hare soup

Sopa de Caldeirada (Aveiro and Costa Nova) ‑Bouillabaisse

Canja de enguia (Aveiro) ‑ eel soup

Papa laberga (Beira Litoral) ‑ finely chopped cabbage soup with maize flour

Papa de abóbora (Beira Litoral) ‑ pumpkin mash

Sopa casada (Beira Litoral) ‑ maize and wheat bread cut into slices, covered with broth of boiled meat, remains of meat, vegetables and sausages

Migas de nabiça (Beira Alta) ‑ turnip tops with bread crumbs.

FISH AND SEAFRUIT

Pescada lusitana (Beira Alta) ‑ hake baked in oven with potato puree

Trutas de escabeche (Manteigas) ‑ vinegared trout

Caldeirada à pescador (Lavos) ‑ Fishermen's Fish Stew

Caldeirada de enguias (Aveiro) ‑ eel stew

Enguias de escabeche (Aveiro) ‑ vinegared eels

Enguias fritas (Aveiro) ‑ fried eels

Bacalhau à lagareira (Beira Litoral) ‑ cod fish à lagareira

Mexilhões de escabeche (Aveiro) ‑ mussels in vinegar

Raia com molho de pitou (Figueira da Foz) ‑ skate in sauce.

MEAT

Lampatana (Beira Alta & Baixa) ‑ roast meat served at weddings

Bucho de porco recheado (Beira Alta) ‑ stuffed pig's stomach

Língua à Beiroa ‑ Beira ox tongue

Galinha de fricassé à moda da Beira ‑ Beira chicken fricassee

Sarrabulho de porco (Beira Alta) ‑ pig's blood

Maranhos (Beira Baixa) ‑ stuffed sheep's stomach

Cabidela de perua (Beira Baixa) ‑ turkey's liver and blood stew

Cabrito assado de Castelo Branco ‑ Castelo Branco roast kid

Laburdo (Beira Baixa) ‑ tiver and blood stew

Chispalhada (Beira Baixa) ‑ pig's trotters

Coelho com molho de vilão (Beira Baixa) ‑ rabbit in regional sauce

Chouriço de sangue e pão assado no borralho (Beira Alta) - blood sausage and bread roasted on embers

Feijoal branca (Beira Alta) ‑ white beans dish

Favas guisadas com negrito (Beira Alta) ‑ broad beans stewed with black sausage

Perna de cerneiro à Beiroa (Beira Alta) ‑ Beira leg of mutton

Baratos de Yindima (Beira Alta) ‑ new potatoes boiled in their skin, peeled and boiled again in onions and tomato sauce

Empadinhas de Canelo Branco ‑ Castelo Branco meat pies

Chanfana (Bairrada with Coimbra) - served at weddings; marinade of kid in red wine with seasonings, baked in oven with parsley, onion, fat and marinade

Pato coelho com arroz de cabidela (Bairraida) ‑ duck/rabbit with rice cooked in its blood

Leitão assado no espeto (Bairrada) ‑ spit roasted suckling pig

Bifes de cebolada (Ovar) ‑ steaks cooked in onions.

SWEETS

Ameixas recheadas com nozes (Beira Baixa) ‑ plums stuffed with walnuts

Doce de castanha (Beira Baixa) ‑ chestnut jam

Aletria doce (Baira Baixa) ‑ sweet made of very fine spaghetti

Broas de mel de Castelo Branco ‑ lemon flavored honey cakes from Castelo Branco

Esquecidos ‑ light pastry puffs'

Cavacas de Mizarela (Beira Baixa) Papos de anjo (Beira Alta) ‑ "Angel's Breasts", egg sweets cooked without sugar and soaked in syrup seasoned with cinnamon and lemon peei

Castanhas de ovos de Viseu ‑ egg chestnuts of Viseu

Bolinhos de coco de Viseu ‑ Viseu coconut cakes

Maçãs recheadas e assadas (Beira Alta) ‑ baked stuffed apeies

Pudim de maçã (Beira Alta) ‑ apele pudding

Batatada ‑ Beira sweet made with potatoes, egg yolks, cinnamon and syrup

Pudim de ovos de Coimbra ‑ Coimbra egg pudding

Ovos moles (Aveiro) ‑ very sweet egg dish.

Salada de laranjas Nazaré ‑ Nazaré Orange Salad

Arroz doce bairradino ‑ sweet rice of Bairrada, cooked with no milk but plenty of egg yolks

Manjar Branco (Coimbra) Arrufadas (Coimbra) Pastéis de Santa Clara (Coimbra) ‑ Santa Clara cakes

Lampreia de ovos (Tentugal) ‑ egg sweet shaped like lamprey

Folar de Páscoa ou Bolo dos casamentos (Bairrada) ‑ Easter Bun or wedding cake

Pudim de pão (Coimbra) ‑ bread pudding Velharacos ‑ pumpkin fritters

Pão de lo (Ovar) ‑ sponge cake.