The origin of Açorda de Marisco (bread soup of seafood)
It seems unquestionable that the Açorda de Marisco is a gift of the Arab presence by our lands. It also appears that the bread soup is a dish of subsistence, probably due to food crises. And his arrival to us due to their ease of preparation and especially the simple mixture of basic products. The bread was always, and still is, a structural food from our food.
When analyzing the sources, formulary, the Arab presence in the peninsula we find many soups to which was added crumbled bread or coarsely cut. This seems to be the origin of açordas, including Açorda de Marisco. However almost only in the southern part of the country assumed the name açorda. This is never associated with the soups of bread that are still cooked in Borders or Tras-os-Montes.
And we have the great variation of corn porridge, which is no longer soup. which has become a reference plate in Portugal. Nobody gives up on the coast of the varied açordas fish and seafood.
In the treaty of Arabic cuisine, Kitab al-tabîj, the tenth and eleventh centuries, of anonymous author, we find the first appointment of corn porridge.
In another treatise, Ibn Abd al-Ra’uf also refers to açorda, with the appointment of Tarid [thari: d] or Tarida in Arabic, which means migado bread, to which garlic, coriander and hot water .
Arabic dictionaries query still find the term Ath thurdâ, which means soup with bread.
But it is in the thirteenth century that comes in the most famous treatise of the time. This is the work “Fudalat al-Khiwan …” written by Ibn Razin Tujibi between 1238 and 1266, and whose title I translate from the French for “The Delights of the table and the best kinds of food.” In this book there is a chapter dedicated to Panades (soups with bread) just below the chapter of bread.
We found 25 Panades revenues mainly enriched with meat from the chicken capon, through the pigeon and lamb or the lamb. Also there are three recipes milk that always end with sugar and cinnamon and they should belong to the confectionary group. It is curious to note that there was already a Panade aphrodisiac recipe.
- Separately, soak the clams and cockles to Drop the sand containing. Cook the shrimp in salted water and count two minutes after lift boil. Drain the shrimp and set aside the cooking water. Peel the prawns leaving some part to decorate the surface of the bread soup.
- Open the clams and cockles, separately, remove them from the shells and add the strained liquid that dropped the shrimp water. Bring this mixture to the boil and when boiling, pour it over the bread cut into pieces.
- Meanwhile chop the garlic and brown them lightly with olive oil and coriander laced. Add the squeezed bread and stir with a wooden spoon. Go beating the bread on the fire and, if necessary, add some of the liquid where the bread demolhou, so that the bread soup does not get dry. Season with salt, pepper and chilli and off the heat, remove the coriander. Add the shellfish, eggs and mix well. Stir very quickly. Garnish with the prawns in shell aside and sprinkle with chopped coriander.
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