The combination of sausage and shrimp cooked together in a Portuguese meal is a long standing tradition that has been used since the Medieval times. The Portuguese sausages, known as either enchidos, or chourico, or linguica, began as a way to preserve meats by using salt, garlic and smoke before refrigeration existed. Unlike fresh sausages (like Italian sausage) or Spanish chorizo (which is often dry-cured and harder), Portuguese sausages are typically smoked in smokehouses, giving them a rich, distinctively smoky flavor and a fully cooked state ready for slicing, frying, or flaming tableside (chouriço assado). The Portuguese Jews used chicken and bread in their “sausages” instead of pork. They hung these pork-free sausages in their smokehouses to trick authorities during the Inquisition into thinking they ate pork. Alheira is one type of these “fake” sausages and uses poultry or game mixed with bread for texture. Farinheira is another type that uses a base of flour, spices, and pork fat. Seafood of all kinds is also iconic in Portuguese cooking, since most of the country is on the coast. By the 12th century, Lisbon’s food culture combined Christian ingredients like pork and shellfish with Moorish and Mediterranean flavors, making the foods of Portugal what they are today, and loved by all.
I LOVE Portugal and everything Portuguese. And the food is AMAZING. Ever since our trip to Portugal in March, I have been making Portuguese meals here at home too. This time I made some Portuguese sausage & shrimp, though I have been making versions of this with either shrimp or scallops for a long time, never knowing they were Portuguese in origin. 🙂
Portuguese Sausage & Shrimp
This time I used kielbasa, which is more like Portuguese chourico, because that is what I had on hand at the time. This dish, like so many other Portuguese dishes brings the earth to the sea.
1 lb large shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed
1/3-1/2 lb sausage, sliced
1 red onion, sliced very thin
1 TBSP garlic
1 tsp red pepper flakes
salt & pepper to taste
2-3 tomatoes, diced
2 cups dry white wine
1 TBSP mixed fresh herbs like thyme and oregano
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/3 cup sliced olives
olive oil
cooked pasta
Get a large skillet very hot then add the shrimp sausage. Cook until mostly cooked.
Add the onions, garlic, mushrooms and red pepper flakes and seasonings. Continue to cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the wine, tomatoes, herbs and olives. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to cook, for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serve over cooked pasta of your choice, with some warmed bread and wine of your choice on the side. !Deliciosa! This is definitely a dish of the people, bringing the earth to the sea.
Life is short. Make the most out of everyday and live life to the fullest. Enjoy the ride. Have a great day and make everyday great. ‘Til next time.
