I think I have posted this one before but since I couldn't find it, here is one of my favourites -
Açorda de Camarão (Prawn Açorda)
How can I explain what açorda is? (said, assor-dah)
We make it from bread, garlic and olive oil. It looks like porridge. It tastes divine. What can I say, it's an acquired taste.
Here is how it's made:
Boil water with some salt in it.
Drop in frozen or fresh prawns, unpeeled.
Leave for a few minutes, until prawns are cooked. Remove the prawns to cool and reserve the cooking water.
Peel prawns, remove gut, and slice in half length ways. Set aside.
Take 1 large loaf of rustic bread. Something like this will do:
Add a couple of regular rolls for added softness.
Break all of this bread into walnut sized chunks and place in a bowl.
Cover the bread with a mixture of half water, half prawn cooking water (sieved).
Leave to soak through.
After maybe 10 mins, squeeze the bread in the bowl with your hands until it's all mashed up.
Peel and finely mince (or leave whole, depends on how worried you are about garlic breath!) 4 cloves of garlic.
Place in a pan with 6 tablespoons of olive oil, over medium heat.
When the garlic is soft and suitably fried (don't burn it!), squeeze the bread mash before adding it to the pan with garlic and oil. Do this for the entire amount of bread. Don't add the left-over water.
Once the bread is in the pan, mix it around well with a wooden spoon, and mash it up some more, until it turns into a medium brown thick paste. This will take maybe 10 mins or a little longer. Season generously with salt and black pepper. Near the end, add the peeled prawns to heat through.
Turn the heat off. wash and finely chop a large handful of parsley and another of coriander (fresh).
Add an egg yolk to the bread pan, a teaspoon of ketchup, and a teaspoon of mustard. Mix well.
Drop in the chopped herbs and mix in too.
Serve and enjoy the garlicky prawny goodness!
This photo was not taken by me but it looks a lot like what I'd make!
