São Marcos Blog

                                      

In Portugal the acorn is so important that they have a different name for each type of acorn. The acorn of the cork oak (sobreiro) is called a lande (or landre) and the acorn of a holm oak (azinheira) is called a bolota (or boleta).  The acorns mainly serve as food for the pigs, but the bolota also used to be a very important source of food since the ancient Lusitanian people populated Iberia. It was a welcome addition to the shortage of cereals in the winter. People gathered the acorns in the autumn and turned them into flour to make bread in the winter. Even today they are still being consumed in some rural areas, such as São Marcos da Serra. The bolota is called the chestnut of the south.

Bolota, although containing tannins, which gives it a slightly bitter taste, is a fruit that continues to be consumed and enjoyed by some of the Alentejo region and in the rural Algarve. Unfortunately the traditional use of cooking acorn has been lost over the years and it is almost impossible to get acorns in large urban centers, but here are some recipes that did not fall into oblivion and are continue to be made by the people of southern Portugal . For those who never had the opportunity to consume acorns, you are strongly advised to do so. As well as being an important part of the food culture, it is a great and tasty food with various nutrients, vitamins and proteins.

The Acorns can be eaten raw, but it is common to roast them in the coals of the fireplace. The sweet acorns can be eaten raw or roasted without any problem

Take sweet acorns. Remove the peel and soak for several days, changing water frequently. Tannins will stain the water red. Resume until water comes out clear. This step is essential so that the loaves of bread are not bitter or indigestible. 

Then grind the acorns in a manual mill to obtain flour.

To make the bread, follow a common recipe of bread (acorn flour, water, salt, yeast). You can make it more attractive, as would the Lusitanian, incorporating honey, dried fruit or by adding a little olive oil, following the Roman fashion.

* You can add corn flour or wheat to make the bread more palatable.

Prepare a common bean soup, but substitute potatoes for acorns. Soups in Portugal once had all chestnuts or acorns at its base, but after the discovery and introduction of the potato in Portugal, this replaced the traditional nuts and acorns.

Boil the acorns and after being well cooked, remove the peel and the skin. Grind the acorns and weigh them. Take the husks back up on the stove with a little water and sugar equivalent to the weight of the acorns. Let it boil a few minutes until dry. 

Serve in bowls with some dried fruit or jam, or use it as a filling for cakes, spread on bread ...

Just give it a try, you will be surprised!