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The New Portuguese Table - Exciting Flavors from Europe's Western Coast
by David Leite
Clarkson Potter/Publisher
ISBN 978-0-307-39441-5
Published August 2009 - Hardcover - 256 pages - $32.50

I've been to Madeira and had espetada and port and the fortified wine also called Madeira.  That's about all I've experienced that is Portuguese.  Oh, piri piri chicken livers.  I've longed to visit the Algarve but that remains a dream.  This lovely and informative cookbook is part travelogue with interesting details about the country (including Madeira and the Azores).  David Leite's book is divided into these categories: Little Bites; Soups; Fish and Shellfish; Poultry; Meats; Eggs, Vegetables, and Rice; Breads; Sweets and Liqueurs, and Sundries.  I know that Portugal makes delicious cheeses and has an abundance of fish dishes, and I grew up tentatively enjoying the fiery piri piri spice back home.  I was tempted by these delicious-sounding recipes: Potato Skin Curls with Herbs; Rich Fish Soup with Corn Bread Croutons (looks wonderful); Azorean Kale, Sausage, and Bean Soup; Olive Oil-Poached Fresh Cod with Roasted Tomato Sauce; Curried Mussels; Momma Leite's Braised Beef in Wine and Garlic, and Sausage Tortilla.  Some of the ingredients may not be readily available here but Leite has given great substitutes and/or online resources information.  The only things missing from this book, to me, was a map and captions for the non-food photographs.
Visit Leite's website.
Beautifully illustrated.  No nutritional guides.
Conclusion - I loved reading about Portugal and look forward to trying some new recipe ideas from this fabulous book.