The curious story of Alheira
Alheira de Mirandela com Grelos. Photo by Filipe Gill
Can you have a very tasty, yet healthy meal envolving a sausage? Yes you can, and this is one of those examples. But before we go into the cooking, let’s start with the remarkable story of the Alheira.
Back in the 16th century, the Jewish people were persecuted in Portugal and Spain. The extra-zealous (to put it mildly) Iberian Catholic Church, was very intolerant with any religion that wasn’t… Catholic.
So, the Jewish people were forced to convert to New Christians (Novos-Cristãos) to save their lives and livelihoods. In the north of Portugal, it was a habit to put the ‘linguiça’ hanging outside the door. Linguiça is made with pork meat and fat, a forbidden animal in the Jewish religion. So, the creative Jewish came up with a solution: make a linguiça without using any pork meat, and instead replace it with chicken, rabbit, turkey, and other kosher meats. And like this, the Alheira was invented. So the story goes…
– – –
5 centuries later the Alheira is one of the most popular ‘enchidos’ in Portugal, being served in restaurants all over the country.
But there are 2 possible culinary approaches to serving Alheira: the most common in restaurants is fried Alheira with potato chips and a fried egg on top. Makes sense if you just came back from running a marathon. Otherwise, a bit too caloric.
My favorite is pictured above: grilled with greens. Here is my recipe:
Ingredients (serves 4):
2 Alheiras
1 large bunch of Grelos (Turnip or Cabbage tops)
Preparation: In a frying pan put the Alheiras with no oil. Prick it a few times and grill on a medium heat. This should last 10 to 15 minutes, until it breaks down and turns golden and crispy.
Meanwhile, put a large pan with salted water to boil. Rinse and break down the Grelos and put it in the boiling water for 5 minutes. It should be soft but still with some crunch. Drain and keep warm.
Serving: Serve half a Alheira per person with plenty of greens. Drizzle with generous amounts of good olive oil.
Wine suggestion: A robust Baga from Bairrada.
What to look for in the supermarket, market or delicatessen:
Alheira de Mirandela (IG)
Alheira de Barroso-Montalegre (IGP)
Alheira de Vinhais (IGP).
