More than a salad
Salad prepared and eaten somewhere near Sesimbra. Photo by Filipe Gill
As we arrive on the Meco beach we have various options regarding parking: a bit further away you pay 80c for the day. If you want to get closer you pay a whooping €2! We decide for the €1 park. As we went to pay, there they were, red and glorious looking at us: beautiful ripe big “tomate bife” and “tomate coração de boi”.
Because the man that looks after the park is also a farmer, he brings some of his tomatos to sell. Makes sense: from farmer to consumer; from the land straight to our table. “2 Kilos bem pesados, caro amigo”. And so that would be lunch.
3 hours later, we chopped these babies and threw them in a large bowl, with all the sweet and slightly acid juices. Diced half a loaf of yesterday’s bread – make sure is good, proper bread – add cucumber, fresh coriander, dried oregano, sea salt and be generous with good olive oil. Serve it with “queijo fresco”, olives and slices of “presunto”. Round the organic, quasi-vegetarian feast with a glass of really cold Rosé. Then enjoy a relaxed afternoon listening to the “cigarras” and read a book until you dose off into a Summer siesta.
I think most of us believe that seasonal ingredients are best. But few things come close to tomato when we want to validate this thesis. Ripe, juicy tomatoes, eaten close to where they grew is one of the reasons to live in Portugal. So, dear ‘Gastronautas’ let’s make an effort and go to markets and side-of-the-road stalls and buy tomatos in season. There is so much you can do with it!
Suggested music:
Rodrigo Leão has been a legend of Portuguese music for the last 40 years. Starting with Sétima Legião in the early Eighties, he was a founding member of Madredeus, one of the most iconic Portuguese sounds of the Nighties. He has also a remarkable career as a solo artist and soundtrack composer.
