In Portugal on the night of June 12 (St. Anthony's Eve), June 23 (St. John's Eve) and June 28 (St. Peter's Eve), in the city of Lisbon, Vila Real for St. Anthony, in the cities of Porto and Braga for St. John and the towns of Povua do Varzim and Espinho, as well as many other cities, thousands of people come to the centres and more traditional areas to pay tribute to Saint Anthony, Saint John the Baptist and Saint Peter at parties that combine sacred and secular traditions. Traditional dishes are Caldo Verde soup and Roasted Sardines.
Ingredients:
- 16 Sardines
- 4 Peppers
- 1kg of boiled potatoes
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt
Steps:
- Light the barbecue and leave until embers form. Take the opportunity to roast some peppers directly on charcoal.
- Wash the sardines without removing the gut and transfer them to a container.
- Season with coarse sea salt.
- Remove the peppers and place them in a closed plastic bag for a few minutes, then put them in cold water to remove the skin and seeds.
- Shred the peppers and add two finely chopped garlic cloves, season with coarse sea salt and olive oil.
- Put the sardines on the hot grill and roast for a few minutes on both sides.
- Remove the sardines, place them on plates, serve with the pepper salad and baked potatoes with their skins sprinkle with olive oil.