Tres recetas extremeñas y portuguesas bien fresquitas para este verano

Three cool recipes from Extremadura and Portugal for this summer

Extremadura and the southern half of Portugal are quite hot during the summer months. Avoid peak heat hours, hydrate well and avoid heavy meals. are very helpful factors to withstand the high temperatures. In this post we would like to suggest 3 dishes that will get rid of the hiccups, sorry... the heat in no time.

The climate of the interior of the Peninsula is characterised by being dry but very hot. In summer, temperatures reach over 40ºC in areas such as Andalusia, Castilla-La Mancha or Extremadura in Spain or the Alentejo or Centro in Portugal.

And how to cope with the heat? One of the essential tricks is to maintain a lighter diet. Prioritise foods such as vegetables and fruit, which have a higher water content, and avoid fatty foods that make digestion difficult.

Would you like to learn some typical recipes from the inhabitants of these areas? Read on!

Start with a plate of "cojongondo"

Although the name may seem somewhat inappropriate for many Spanish speakers, the truth is that it is a typical recipe from Extremadura. Some consider it to be an ancestor of the well-known "gazpacho".

Of humble origins, it is a very simple and, above all, refreshing dish. Typical of the Tierra de Barros area and with Arabic roots, it is made with bread, garlic, oil, vinegar, vegetables (such as peppers, cucumber or tomato) and water.

To make this dish, start with the dressing, cut up the vegetables and bread (preferably from the day before) and leave it to stand when everything is mixed so that it soaks in and picks up the flavour properly. Afterwards, just serve it cold.

Or would you prefer a portion of "ajoblanco"?

Another typical dish from the areas of Extremadura or Andalusia and which is believed to date back to Roman times is Ajoblanco. A very summery dish made with bread, garlic, oil, vinegar, water, salt and, depending on the area, almonds or egg. As you can imagine, yes, it is also considered an ancestor of gazpacho.

A recipe to eat cold and enjoy a savoury cream that is perfect to combine with other dishes.

Shall we finish with a dessert?

Not everything has to be savoury. There are many recipes for fresh desserts that, although they are not ice creams or sorbets as such, are served cold and sweeten our palates.

The Portuguese know this, for example, with recipes such as Baba de Camelo, a typical dessert that is very simple and served after resting in the fridge.

You only need 2 ingredients: a tin of condensed milk and eggs. Separate the yolks from the whites and bring the whites to stiff peaks, then carefully mix them with the condensed milk previously cooked with the yolks. Then serve it in small glasses, put it in the fridge for at least two hours... And that's it!

Taking advantage of the myriad of light and refreshing meals in summer will always help you to better withstand the high temperatures. But of course, the best thing of all is to be able to enjoy the authentic recipes in their places of origin. Would you like to know more about these destinations, please do not hesitate to contact us!