Let’s Go! Part III

Pottery is not the only thing for which Portugal is known.  It is also famous for its port wines, most of which are made in the city of Porto.  Do you think the name had anything to do with calling the wine port?

I hope you like port because today we are going to a tasting at Sandeman’s where the brand is identified by a familiar  Zorro-like caped figure.

Red or white, what is your choice?  I find that I enjoy the tawny or ruby ports in cool weather and the whites in summer.   Both can be served chilled though the reds are just as good at room temperature.

Most of the producers are near Porto’s waterfront as in times past the kegs of young wine were transported from the hills by vessels called rabelos.  Now they come by truck, and the rabelos simply enhance the atmosphere of the waterfront.

Porto has another distinction.  It is home to award winning chef Rui Paula‘s sensational restaurant Restaurante DOP where we will have lunch.

Rui Paula  meets us at the door with a refreshing drink of tonic mixed with white port and a touch of lime.  This is a mixture to remember on warm summer days.

Chef Paula has prepared for us a four course luncheon

which includes green cabbage soup, a popular starter in Portugal, 

sea bass with wild rice,

stewed neck of pork

and a yummy crispy creme brûlée  crepe.

How do you pick a favorite from such delectable dishes?  Difficult for sure, but because it was so delicious, the stewed pork neck gets my vote, and I have adapted the recipe from  the chef’s tantalizing cookbook Duoro Cuisine which I highly recommend if you are looking for some new taste treats.

Stewed Neck of Pork

2 lbs. boned neck of Bisaro pork (in the US, we’ll settle for what we can get since the  breed of pig native to Portugal is not likely to be available in the States)

2 onions, coarsely chopped

3/4 c. olive oil

3/4 c. white wine

fresh thyme

6 large cloves of minced garlic garlic

salt to taste

Remove fat from meat and cut into cubes.  Marinate for 12 hours in olive oil, white wine, thyme and garlic.  Saute the meat with chopped onion in olive oil until browned.  Season with salt.  Slow cook in marinating liquid for 12 hours at 165F.  (I’m going to use my Cuisinart multicooker instead of the oven.)

The meat is so tender it melts in your mouth.  It is attractively served a number of ways: over mashed potatoes, pureed cauliflower, polenta and topped with sauce from the cooking.  Now if I can just find a butcher who prepares pork neck……

Thanks for traveling with me today.  Let’s share the adventure at

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