P O R T U G A L

W I N E A N D OL I V E OI L

I N T H E

M EDI T ER R A N E A N DI ET

We dream about having time. Time enough to have a long chat with friends. To sit conten-tedly together with children and parents,

grandparents, aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews; to enjoy them in an unhurried way. To tell the old sto-ries over again, to laugh about them once more and take another sip of wine. To relax and to be joyful. This sounds like a fantasy in our hectic everyday life, but somewhere else it has long been a part of living reality. And in truth, so important a part that UNESCO has classified it as a valuable cultural heritage, to be preserved: the ‘Mediterranean Diet’ is the official term for this way of life in UNESCO’s legalese. This way of living acknowledges the desire and the need of indivi-duals to sit at the table with friends and family, to eat and drink together. And above all, to simply pass the time with one another, fully relaxed and without stress.

If there is one region where this fantasy is realised, it is the Alentejo in the south of Portugal. Where the very landscape itself blesses us generously with both tran-quillity and joie de vivre. Endless vistas, softly undu-lating plains and an open, expansive sky of immacula-te blue: the region called Alentejo enchants its visitors with this picturebook landscape. Across the wide ho-rizon, grain fields meld into vineyards. Between them grow mighty cork oaks and gnarled, ancient olive trees, in whose shade the native ‘porcos pretos’ (black foot pigs) take their ease and feed on acorns.

A large table, good food, some wine – and many friends – this is the Mediterranean Lifestyle.

No stress, no duress: the endless vistas of the Alentejo...

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P L E N T Y O F T I M E A N D P L E N T Y O F S K Y . . .

4

The notion that consumption of wine and olive oil contributes to good health has been extensively discussed and recognised since (at the very latest) the famed French Paradox of 1992.

But this has been known for thousands of years. In addition, the so-cial aspects of the Mediterranean lifestyle contribute substantially to the well-being of the people: the element of conviviality, gathering in large numbers at table with friends and with family, the prepa- ration of meals from recipes that have been handed down – all in all a more ‘human’ rhythm of life, which allows more room for emotion and interpersonal relationships.

Shared mealtimes are such an important feature of the Mediterra-nean lifestyle that this is considered a fundamental aspect of cultu-ral identity in the region. And when we speak of the Mediterranean region, it includes all countries where the olive tree flourishes – in this context, the ‘olive-tree border’ is a term often used.

UNESCO has designated the Mediterranean Diet as an intan- gible cultural heritage, recognising it as a particular way of living that is shared by all nations in the Mediterranean region. This includes dedicated protection of the traditions, rituals and skills connected with this style of life. And of course, traditional recipes and methods of food preparation are considered particu- larly important.

In the Mediterranean region, people cook with simple ingredients, who-se flavours are presented in a straightforward and unadulterated fas-hion. The recipes that Grandmother handed down remain unaffected by the dictates of fashion, but rather reflect the changing seasons and the availability of ingredients. For the most part, these traditional dis-hes are vegetarian or vegan – so one could also call them ‘in tune with the times’... Here, the daily menu features a lot of vegetables, legumes, fresh fruit, nuts, seeds, sprouts and whole grains. Milk products such as cheeses and yoghurt are not consumed so frequently, and even fish is eaten in moderation. Red meat is a rarity, and when it does appear on the menu, it is served in very small portions. Olive oil is certainly the most important source of fats, and a glass of red wine at mealtimes is very welcome. Artisanally produced foodstuffs have long been at the core of Mediterranean nutritional choices. In this, the increasing use of sustainably produced provisions and the adoption of careful production techniques form an essential contribution to this society’s cultural, en-vironmental and organic identity.

DR SERGE RENAUD COINED THE PHRASE ‘THE FRENCH PARADOX’ IN CONNEXION WITH FRENCH CONSUMPTION OF RED WINE

UNESCO ADDED THE MEDITERRANEAN LIFESTYLE – IN ITALY, SPAIN, PORTUGAL, MOROCCO, GREECE, CYPRUS AND CROATIA – TO ITS LIST OF INTANGIBLE MANIFESTATIONS OF HUMAN CULTURAL HERITAGE.

1992

2013

AS EARLY AS 1614, GIACOMO CASTELVETRO WAS RECOMMENDING A DIET BASED UPON PRINCIPALS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN LIFESTYLE TO THE ENGLISH.

AMERICAN BIOLOGIST ANCEL KEYS AND HIS WIFE, CHEMIST MARGARET KEYS, PUBLISHED THE FIRST STUDY OF THE MEDITERRANEAN LIFESTYLE.

1614

1975

U N E S C O THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET: AN INTANGIBLE

WORLD- HERITAGE

5

W I N E A S P A R T O F T H EM E D I T E R R A N E A N D I E T 76

Shall we meet at 7PM for a glass of wine?’ ‘Sure! Where in town will we find the good Petiscos?’ ...this is how you make a date for a glass of wine in the Alentejo –

always combined with at least a bite to nibble on. Because that’s one particular thing about Mediterranean cuisine: wine is never drunk on its own, but always with food and in a social setting.

The Alentejo offers a splendid example of the Mediterranean lifes-tyle, with its simple but intensely flavourful cuisine and its relaxed way of living. The most important ingredients in this culinary cul-ture are olive oil, vegetables (fresh), fish, bread and red wine. Wine as part of the ‘cuisine’? Certainly! The famous glass of red wine at mealtimes is an indispensable part of the Mediterranean diet. But that’s what makes this way of living so special – everything is enjo-yed to a purpose and in moderation, including the glass of wine.

‘Red wines, which make up the majority of wines from the Alentejo, are often considered as a determining factor in cooking, since the wine will be chosen first, and then the appropriate course will be prepared to match with it. Alentejano rosés are particularly well suited to accompany a wide-ranging selection of petiscos, those small Portuguese canapés (sometimes one is even tempted to make an entire meal of them). White wines from the Alentejo, which are mostly fresh and fruity, provide a marvellous accompani-ment to fish, stews of white meat and to soft cheeses.

Mighty cork oaks shape the

landscape of the Alentejo.

The overwhelming majority of Alentejano wines are red.

THE FAMOUS GLASS OF RED WINE AT MEALTIMES...

OL I V E OI L 98

Along with vegetables, fish, bread and red wine, olive oil is one of the most important ingredients in Mediter-

ranean cuisine. Studies have shown that men and women living in countries where olive oil is traditionally consumed suffer less frequently from illnesses affecting the he-art and the circulatory system. Olive oil is particularly rich in unsaturated fats, vitamin E and natural antioxidants such as carotene and phenols, which support the body in its struggle against cellular aging.

With its fruity aromas and colour ranging from greenish yellow to gold, its complex flavour (from bitter to slightly sweet), Portu- guese olive oil provides a terrific basis for many tasty dishes out of the Mediterranean kitchen. Just as in some cultures one always finds salt and pepper on table (or soy sauce in others), in Portugal there’s always a canister of olive oil on the table. And if you add a bit of bread and coriander, you’ve got the Alentejo’s most important ingre-dients on hand.

Fine olive oil is also an essential element of one of the Alentejo’s most famous dishes, Carne de porco à alentejana, a stew of pork, clams and coriander. Or for the type of salad in which traditional beans like black-eyed peas are marinated in olive oil to take on an unmistakable regional flavour. And of course in the Pão-de-Ló, a sweet sponge cake enhanced with Portuguese olive oil.

But it is not only the authentic and unadulterated foodstuffs that charac-terise the beneficial lifestyle of the Alentejanos, but above all the wish and need of the individual to sit down to the table with friends and family, to eat and drink together. In short, a way of life that has endured for centuries in the Alentejo.

Olive groves are typical of the

Mediterranean region.

The flavour of Portuguese olive oils can vary widely, since there are many different varieties of olive.

THERE’S ALWAYS A CANISTER OF OLIVE OIL ON THE TABLE.

A F U N D A M E N T A L E L E M E N T O F T H E M E D I T E R R A N E A N D I E T

200 g broad green beans

400 g waxy potatoes

salt

5 tablespoons lemon juice

1 bay leaf

300 g thick cod filet

4 sprigs coriander leaves (cilantro)

8 sprigs parsley

100 ml Portuguese extra virgin olive oil

100 g fennel bulb with greens

a few coriander blossoms (optional)

80 g pitted green olives

Wash the beans and slice them on the diagonal. Peel and dice the potatoes. Boil the potatoes for 10 minu-tes in salt water, and add the beans after three minu-tes. Cool the boiled vegetables under cold water, and drain them in a sieve.

In a small pot, bring 200ml water to a boil with 1 tab-lespoon lemon juice, the bay leaf and a pinch of salt. Add the cod filets and simmer, turning them once, for 8 minutes without coming to a boil.

Purée the coriander greens and parsley in the extra virgin olive oilwith a hand mixer. Salt to taste. Either dice the fennel finely or shave it; finely pluck the greens.

Drain the fish on a paper towel and separated it into leaf-like portions with two forks. Arrange the vegetables and the fish on a platter or a plate. Drizz-le 4 tablespoons of lemon juice, and then drizzle the puréed coriander and parsley oil over the salad. Decorate this with coriander blossoms, olives and capers. Serve immediately.

Tip: The best extra virgin olive oil to use here would be a monovarietal oil of the Maçanilha olive from Portugal. This medium-fruity oil with its sweet notes of banana and almond, fresh tartness and crescendo of peppery spice accompanies the salad’s savoury in-gredients quite nicely. Recommended wine: match this dish with a white wine with the grape varieties Arinto, Antão Vaz and Roupeiro from the Alentejo.

R ECI PE #1

GREEN POTATO SALAD WITH WARMED CODFISH AND CORIANDER-OLIVE OILI N G R E D I E N T S ( 4 P ) : P R E P A R A T I O N :

for the tomato soup:1 can tomatoes (425 g before draining)400 g fresh tomatoes1 tablespoon tomato paste2 dried tomatoes1 clove garlic1 teaspoon sugar1-2 tablespoons white wine vinegar5 tablespoons Portuguese extra virgin olive oilsaltchilli powder for the pesto:40 g walnuts40 g green olives, pitted2 sardines80 g canned chickpeas1 clove garlicca. 150 ml Portuguese extra virgin olive oil6-8 sprigs coriander leaves (cilantro)1 small bunch of parsley4 sprigs dill40 g grated hard cheese (such as Queijo Terrin-cho or Queijo Rabaçal; if these are unobtainable, you may use Pecorino or Parmesan) additionally:½ loaf pita or other flatbreadPortuguese extra virgin olive oildill blossoms and coriander blossoms (optional)

for the soup – purée the canned to-matoes, fresh tomatoes, tomato paste, peeled garlic, sugar, vinegar and extra virgin olive oil with a hand mixer. Add salt and chilli powder to taste.

for the pesto – finely chop the walnuts, olives, sardines, chickpeas and pee-led garlic and blend with extra virgin olive oil. Finely chop the coriander, parsley and dill and stir in the cheese – very light on the salt!

slice the pita bread into strips, drizz-le with extra virgin olive oil and toast them on the grill, under the broiler or in a pan on the stove. Brush them with the pesto and garnish with the dill and coriander blossoms; serve them with the soup, which you can drizzle with an additional bit of fresh extra virgin olive oil.

Tip: The best extra virgin olive oil to use here would be a monovarie-tal oil of the Maçanilha olive from Portugal. The fresh ‘green’ oil with its shadings of artichoke and app-le harmonises beautifully with the cool tomato soup, its herbal notes providing the perfect accent. Recom-mended wine: match this dish with a Rosé with Aragonez grape variety from the Alentejo.

R ECI PE #2

COLD TOMATO SOUP WITH OLIVE-WALNUT PESTO AND TOAST

Recipe from Stevan Paul

I N G R E D I E N T S : P R E P A R A T I O N :

1110 Recipe from Stevan Paul

150 g green beans

salt

2 bunches romaine lettuce

1 can chickpeas (400 g before draining)

1 lemon

1 teaspoon honey

12 tablespoons Portuguese extra virgin olive oil

1 small clove garlic

8 sprigs blade parsley

1 small red onion

pepper

500 g small sardines, cleaned

3 tablespoons flour

Wash the beans and cook them in salt water 6–8 minutes. Cool the cooked beans under cold water; drain them in a sieve and part them lengthwise. Quarter the romaine let-tuce lengthwise and rinse under lukewarm water, dry on paper towels; arrange on a platter or a plate. Rinse and dry the chick-peas in a sieve under cold water.

Mix a vinaigrette from juice of the lemon, honey and 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Peel the garlic and chop it finely; blend it in. Pluck the parsley and mix it in. Peel the onion, slice it fine and mix with the other ingredients. Adjust the vinaigrette with salt and pepper to taste.

Dredge the sardines in flour; pat off the excess and sauté them in a large coated saucepan in 6 tablespoons hot extra virgin olive oil for 6 minutes, turning them once. Mix the chickpeas, green beans and olives with the vinaigrette and arrange atop the romaine lettuce. Arrange the sardines on the salad and serve immediately.

Tip: The best extra virgin olive oil to use here would be an oil of Arbequina and Cob-rançosa olives from the Alentejo. This crisp oil with its scents of artichoke and apple – along with a lovely tart hint of raw almonds – brings all of the flavours and aromas of the salad together in a very elegant fashion. Recommended wine: match this dish with a white oak aging wine from the Alentejo.

R ECI PE #3

SALAD ‘ÉVORA’

I N G R E D I E N T S : P R E P A R A T I O N :

12 13

R ECI PE #4

CARNE DE PORCO À ALENTEJANA

400 g pork necks

1 onion

1 clove garlic

8 tablespoons Portuguese extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoons sweet paprika powder

1 pinch of spicy paprika powder

1 teaspoon tomato paste

1 bay leaf

pepper

125 ml white wine

400 ml vegetable broth

1 tablespoon liquid honey

salt

400 g large waxy potatoes

100 g small green peppers

150 g grilled red bell pepper (canned)

60 g black olives

250 g clams

some coriander leaves as a garnish

Cut the pork into bite-sized pieces. Peel the onion and cut into slices. Peel the garlic and dice it finely. Heat 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a lar-ge saucepan; brown the meat and onions together. Dust with the powdered paprika and stir in the to-mato paste. Add the garlic and bay leaf, season with pepper.

Deglaze with white wine and reduce. Add broth and honey, season with salt and cook for 20 minu-tes, uncovered on medium heat.

Peel the potatoes and cut them into small cubes. Heat 5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large coated saucepan, then sauté the potatoes for 10 minutes under medium heat until golden brown. Add the Padrón peppers and cook 5 minutes longer. Salt to taste.

Drain the grilled bell peppers, slice them in broad strips and stir them into the pork along with the oli-ves. Rinse the clams under cold water – if an open shell does not close once more under pressure, discard the clam. Add the clams to the pork, cover and cook for a further five minutes. Serve the stew on warmed plates and sprinkle with the cubed potatoes. Sprinkle with plucked coriander leaves. Serve optional lemon wedges along with.

Tip: The best extra virgin olive oil for this would be a mono-varietal oil of the Galega olive from Portu-gal. This complex, spicy oil with its slight pungency accompanies the meat to perfection. Recommen-ded wine: match this dish with a young red wine with the grape varieties Alicante Bouschet and Aragonez from the Alentejo.

I N G R E D I E N T S : P R E P A R A T I O N :

Recipe from Stevan Paul Recipe from Stevan Paul

100 g black-eyed peas

2 tablespoons pear juice

4 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon fig mustard

(if unavailable, 1 tablespoon mustard

and 1 tablespoon honey)

Portuguese extra virgin olive oil

1 sprig coriander

1 sprig thyme

salt

black pepper from the mill

1 small pear (Forelle pear or similar)

4–6 slices pão alentejano (if unavailable,

white bread or ciabatta)

150 g fresh goat cheese

thyme blossoms (optional)

Without soaking them previously, cook the black-eyed peas in unsalted water for 45 minutes.

Mix a vinaigrette from the pear juice, lemon juice, fig mustard and 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Finely chop the cori-ander and thyme and blend them in. Season with salt and pepper. Halve and pit the pear; slice it finely. Add the slices to the vinaigrette.

Cut the bread into slices and drizzle with a bit of extra virgin olive oil; toast the slices on the grill, under the broiler or in a pan on the stove. Drain the black-eyed peas and briefly rinse them in cold water. Let them drain and mix them, still lukewarm, with the vinaigrette – salt and pepper to tas-te. Arrange the salad on the toast slices, crumble the cheese on top and garnish with a thyme blossom.

Tip: The best xtra virgin olive oil for this would be a mono-varietal oil of the Cobrançosa olive from the Alentejo. This grassy and fresh oil harmonises with the sweetness of the pears, bringing just the right accent with its piquant spice, while interacting nicely with the cre-amy cheese. Recommended wine: match this dish with a light white wine with Antão Vaz and Arinto from the Alentejo.

R ECI PE #5

TOAST SLICES WITH BLACK-EYED PEA & PEAR SALAD AND FRESH CHEESEI N G R E D I E N T S (4–6 SLICES): P R E P A R A T I O N :

Recipe from Stevan Paul Recipe from Stevan Paul

14 15

R ECI PE #6

PÃO-DE-LÓ MINIS

for the Pão-de-Ló:

4 medium eggs

salt

100 g sugar

80 g flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon Portuguese extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon or orange rind

for orange cream and fig sauce:

150 ml double cream (whipping cream)

2 tablespoons fine orange marmalade or jelly

4 figs

1 teaspoon Portuguese extra virgin olive oil

plus:

6 figs

Portuguese extra virgin olive oil

powdered sugar

Put the eggs into the food processer with a pinch of salt or beat them till foamy with the whip attachment of a hand mixer for five minutes. Gradually add the sugar and beat for 15 minutes until thick and creamy. Mix flour and baking powder and blend it in with a whip, one tablespoon at a time. Blend in one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and the grated lemon rind. Prepare a muffin pan with paper inserts and fill with the batter. Bake for 10 minutes in a preheated oven at 175° C.

For the orange cream, whip the cream un-til halfway stiff, then blend in the orange marmalade. For the fig sauce, halve four figs and scrape out the flesh, purée with one teas-poon extra virgin olive oil.

Shortly before serving, halve the 6 figs and bake them for 2–3 minutes with the cut side down in a lightly oiled pan, then turn them over and bake for another 1–2 minutes. Arrange the cakes from the oven, with the baked figs, pour the sauces over and dust with powdered sugar; serve immediately.

Tip: The best extra virgin olive oill for this would be a blend of Cobrançosa and Arbe-quina olives from Portugal. Its notes of bana-na and almond make it a good match for the sweet cakes, figs and orange marmalade. The oil’s tart freshness and mild peppery spice bring just the right accent. Recommended wine: match this dish with a fortified white wine whith Antão Vaz from the Alentejo.

I N G R E D I E N T S (12 PORT.): P R E P A R A T I O N :

1716

Portugal is well known for its authentic native cuisine and its multifoliate wealth of native wines, as well as for being a beloved holiday destination. But how many people know

about the Alentejo?

The Alentejo is one of Portugal’s five component regions, and occupies more than a third of its continental area. The region is situated south of the Tejo, the longest river of the Iberian Penin- sula (Alen-tejo translated means ’beyond the Tejo‘, in English occasionally called the Tagus River).

Alentejo is often referred to informally as the ‘breadbasket of Portugal’. In some areas, its fertile soils are ideal for the culti-vation of wheat, while on the more meagre hillsides olive trees, cork oaks and grapevines are planted. These plants are essen-tially less demanding than wheat! Some 20% of Portugal’s wine and almost 70% of Portugal’s olive oil are produced here in the Alentejo, and the region is the world’s largest producer of cork.

For residents of the Alentejo, the Mediterranean Lifestyle is lived on a daily basis. So it’s easy to understand: Alentejano red wines can be said to be so warm-hearted, so generous and so relaxed as the folks who life there. It is also said that the wealth of a citizen of the Alentejo consists not so much of money and possessions, but rather his/her humanity, composure and generosity – this is what tips the balance on the scales of life.

Conviviality is the one quality that ultimately comes to characterise the Mediterranean way of living practised by the people of the Alentejo.

One gets to know them quickly, visiting the region as a tourist. It’s not very long before somebody has invited you to have a glass of wine. And then the glass of wine develops into sharing a meal – and by the end of the day one has made many new friends.

IN THE ALENTEJO, A MEDITERRANEAN DIET IS PART OF THE RESIDENTS’ WAY OF LIFE...

The ancient Greeks were already making wine in amphoras in the Alentejo.

Walls painted white with blue or yellow coloured stripes are characteristic for houses in the Alentejo.

F A C T S & F IG U R E S18

IS RECOMMENDED TO ACCOMPANY A MEAL, ACCORDING TO THE MEDITERRANEAN LIFESTYLE.

IS THE AMOUNT CONSUMED BY PORTUGUESE RESIDENTS ON THE AVERAGE EACH YEAR – COMPARED WITH THE GERMANS, WHO CONSUME 0,7 LITRES PER YEAR PER CAPITA. WORLD LEADERS ARE THE GREEKS, WITH A YEARLY CONSUMPTION OF 20 LITRES PER CAPITA.

IS THE AMOUNT NEEDED TO PRODUCE ONE LITRE OF HIGH- QUALITY PORTUGUESE OLIVE OIL.

IN THE MEDITERRANEAN REGIONENJOY THE INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE OF THE MEDITERRANEAN LIFESTYLE: ITALY, SPAIN, PORTUGAL, MOROCCO, GREECE, CYPRUS AND CROATIA.

1 GLASS OF RED WINE

8 LITRES OF OLIVE OIL

5.5 KG OF OLIVES

7 NATIONS

19

THE DIVERSITY OF THE CUISINE AND THE CON- VIVIALITY OF THE INHABITANTS DISTINGUISH THE ALENTEJO AND ITS MEDITERRANEAN LIFESTYLE.

19

CAMPAIGN FINANCEDWITH THE CONTRIBUTIONOF THE EUROPEAN UNIONAND PORTUGAL

More Information:www.winesofalentejo.com | www.casadoazeite.pt | www.wineinmoderation.eu

www.tasting-mediterranean.eu

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