Christmas in Portugal is the most important national holiday, being both the grandest celebration of Christianity and a day for family reunions. On Christmas Eve, those who have immigrated to Portugal also follow local customs, with every household preparing a lavish "New Year's Eve dinner." Cod and octopus are two essential dishes for the Christmas "New Year's Eve dinner," and in addition, the "Christmas meals" from various regions also have their unique characteristics and traditional foods, such as the capon from Freamunde in Porto and the "Litão" from the Algarve region.
Willy Gil Nogueira Goss is an expert in food history, who believes: "Overall, the traditional Christmas cuisine in Portugal has been well-preserved and is still very popular today."
"Today's Christmas has changed significantly compared to the past. Firstly, the variety of dishes on the table has greatly increased, making it overwhelming. Moreover, with the fast pace of work and life, there is less free time, and fewer people are cooking Christmas meals at home, while restaurants offering Christmas meal services are increasing." This food scholar also reminds people to enjoy the food while not losing the essence of "family."
According to this scholar, the tradition of eating cod and octopus dates back a long time, tracing back to the end of the 16th century. At that time, during the week before Christmas, the church required people to eat vegetarian meals and prohibited meat. This mandatory religious regulation allowed people to eat fish, but fishing technology was not advanced, and the cod and octopus caught had to be dried before being transported to the inland areas of Portugal. After the midnight mass, people would begin to eat the Christmas dinner and meat. In addition, there are various local delicacies, such as the "roasted lamb" from Trás-os-Montes and the canned meat sandwiches from Madeira (the canned meat is primarily made with vinegar, garlic, and carrots, accompanied by pork or fish).
Additionally, the Portuguese-Chinese community (Lusa) has interviewed several renowned chefs, who are also considered innovative in the industry. However, when it comes to preparing Christmas meals, they still adhere to tradition. For example, Chef Victor Cláudio states that he has a deep affection for traditional Christmas meals.
"Christmas is not just a religious holiday; it is a holiday for every family." As he speaks, Chef Victor recalls the scenes of celebrating the holiday in his hometown. Back then, during the holidays, they would always eat cod and fragrant rice made with chicken offal. However, starting last year, a new dish has appeared on the Christmas table – roasted turkey.
"I don't want to eat it. I have always felt that Christmas dinner is a very traditional and serious matter. Whether it is capon or chicken offal, they are our traditional foods, but turkey is not," the chef remarked.
Alexander Silva is the chef of a restaurant in Lisbon, who believes that food carries a lot of meaning, allowing us to dine with family and enjoy the joy of kinship. He also insists on preparing traditional Christmas dinners. "We should not change them because they have already become part of our lives, history, and memories."
Although in recent years, more and more customers have requested Chef Silva's restaurant to open on Christmas, the chef still insists on closing the restaurant to keep the limited rest time to spend with family.
Finally, regarding how to prepare a delicious cod dish, Chef Victor suggests purchasing fresh cod from the farmers' market. After returning home, the cod should be placed under running water or have the water changed every six hours. The potatoes should be cut open and stewed to shorten the cooking time. When cooking the cod, it should be simmered on low heat. "Good work takes time; I hope everyone can make an authentic Portuguese cod dish."
