This recipe comes from the Portuguese islands of Madeira and the Azores (Chicharros de Agraco com Molho de Acafrao).
Fresh sardines and mackerel are favorites in the Portuguese cuisine and while fresh sardines are hard to find, mackerel are more readily available. Usually made in midsummer, the grapes used are sour because they are in the middle of their growing season and are thus immature — you can substitute mature grapes, unless you have a vineyard nearby!
The ingredients all speak of Portugal: fish, olive oil, saffron, garlic, onion, grapes.
Traditionally, this is made in a casuela, an unglazed earthenware dish which will fry without burning … you can substitute any heavy seasoned cast iron or non-stick pan. An unseasoned pan will ruin the wonderful cornmeal coating and skin of the fish …
We had this recipe at a restaurant in the Douro Valley, but this version is from Elisabeth Luard’s “The Food of Spain and Portugal”.
Submitted for Zaar World Tour 5 (2009).
Ingredients: [‘mackerel’, ‘salt’, ‘cornmeal’, ‘frying oil’, ‘onion’, ‘garlic cloves’, ‘red pepper’, ‘wine vinegar’, ‘salt’, ‘saffron thread’, ‘olive oil’, ‘grapes’]
Quantity of Ingredients: [“4 mackerel, fresh, gutted, the more subcutaneous fat the better “,”1 tablespoon salt, as needed “,”1/4 cup cornmeal”,”3 tablespoons frying oil (traditional is pork lard, next best olive oil or a mix of the two, donu0027t use a “flavorful”” oil like )””
Number of Servings: mild
Steps: chopped “”