Algarve gastronomy – Xarem
We’ve talked a few days back about some of the basics of Algarve cuisine, but today we’ll go into a bit more detail and talk about some of the particularities and specialties that one should expect from this wonderful region.
We mentioned the importance of the Moorish influence and the fact that they introduced all manner of sweets and cakes, but they also introduced a dish called ‘Xarem’, which at its core is made of maize meal and shellfish.
Xavira is now a traditional dish especially in the Eastern Algarve and the city of Tavira for instance, has a plethora of different ways of preparing it, however there are a few basics which it must have, namely corn flour, clams, sardines, grilled meat and the sky is your limit from there on.
While the ingredients can and will vary, the mode of preparation varies very little, and it starts with washing the kilogram clams in cold water in order to get all the dirt and sand off of them. Once that is done, you should cover them with sea water for about four to five hours in order for any remaining sand and impurities to be expelled out.
Then you should thinly cut whatever pork you plan on using, whether it’s smoked, cured or whatever, and fry them in a pan on a low fire.
After the 4-5 hour soak, the clams are then boiled in a pot, covered in water for about ten minutes – you should save this water and then take the mussels out of the shells. The mussels should be added to a pot in which you add the saved water and 50 ml of white wine and then boil them for a while.
Then you add the flour from time to time, taking the pot off the fire in order to make sure that the corn flour blends uniformly with the rest of the concoction. Do this till you add the entire 200g of flour and set on the fire stirring once in a while. Add the rest of the meat and then serve hot.
It should be noted that the meat that you’ll be using should be unsalted, but for best results use our Algarve car hire services and go there.
