A “Galinha Cerejada” é um prato que personifica a cozinha portuguesa rústica e de conforto. O seu segredo reside num processo de duas etapas: primeiro, a galinha é cozida lentamente num caldo aromático até ficar tenra e suculenta; depois, é frita em banha até a pele ficar dourada e estaladiça. O resultado é uma combinação de texturas e sabores profundos que nos transporta diretamente para a cozinha das nossas avós.

Ingredientes

  • 1 Galinha
  • 100gr Toucinho
  • 1 Cebola
  • 1 Ramo de salsa
  • 1 Cenoura
  • 6 Dentes de alho esmagados e com casca
  • 5 Grãos de pimenta preta
  • 100ml Vinho branco
  • 4 Colheres sopa de banha de porco

Preparação

  1. Leve ao lume uma panela com água, acrescente o toucinho, a cenoura, a cebola inteira, a salsa, os grãos de pimenta, a galinha em pedaços grandes(previamente temperada com sal) e deixe cozer lentamente.
  2. Leve ao lume uma frigideira, adicione a banha de porco, os dentes de alho e core bem a galinha dos dois lados, adicione o vinho branco, deixe evaporar o álcool e sirva acompanhado por um gostoso e tradicional arroz de forno.

Here’s a classic Portuguese recipe that turns a humble hen into a masterpiece of flavour and texture.

Classic Portuguese Golden Hen

This dish is a fantastic example of traditional Portuguese country cooking, where simple techniques are used to create incredibly flavourful results. The name “cerejada” alludes to the beautiful, glistening, cherry-gold colour the hen achieves in the final frying stage. It’s a two-step process that guarantees perfection: first, the hen is gently simmered in an aromatic broth, which makes the meat incredibly tender and succulent. Then, it’s fried in lard with garlic until the skin is irresistibly golden and crispy.

This method, while simple, is the secret to getting the best of both worlds—meat that is moist and falling off the bone, with a savoury, crunchy exterior. Using a mature hen (galinha) rather than a young chicken (frango) provides a deeper, more pronounced flavour, though a large, good-quality chicken will also work beautifully.

The recipe is a celebration of simple, hearty flavours. It’s traditionally served with “arroz de forno” (oven-baked rice), which you can make using the flavourful broth left over from poaching the hen, ensuring no drop of flavour goes to waste.

Ingredients

  • 1 Hen (or a large free-range chicken)
  • 100g bacon or fatty salt pork
  • 1 Onion
  • 1 bunch of parsley
  • 1 Carrot
  • 6 cloves of garlic, smashed, skin on
  • 5 black peppercorns
  • 100ml white wine
  • 4 tbsp pork lard

Method

  1. Place a pot of water over the heat. Add the bacon, carrot, the whole onion, parsley, peppercorns, and the hen, cut into large pieces (previously seasoned with salt). Let it simmer slowly until the meat is tender.
  2. Heat the pork lard in a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan. Add the smashed garlic cloves, then carefully place the pieces of cooked hen in the pan. Brown the hen well on all sides until the skin is golden and crisp. Pour in the white wine, let the alcohol evaporate for a minute, and serve immediately with a delicious, traditional oven-baked rice.

Tips:

  • Don’t discard the broth after poaching the hen! It is liquid gold and makes the perfect base for cooking your accompanying rice, or it can be saved for future soups and stews.
  • For extra crispy skin, remove the hen pieces from the broth and pat them thoroughly dry with paper towels before frying.
  • Pork lard provides the most authentic and traditional flavour for frying, but if you don’t have it, a neutral oil like sunflower oil can be used instead.
  • Be careful when adding the wine to the hot pan, as it will bubble up vigorously.