"You make pork rind; you go to the dripping; you pour it into a bowl, where the undercooked or half-roasted chicken is; on top you pour a dash of white wine, a little vinegar and water, almost nothing; then, bay leaf, cloves, pepper, egg yolks, slices underneath and slices of lemon on top. It's eating and screaming for more!
The recipe contains various juicy details appears in the book “The Saint of the Mountain”, 1866, by Camilo Castelo Branco. One hundred and fifty-five years later, the recipe was recovered and reinvented in Famalicão in a joint effort involving two local chefs – Renato Cunha and Lígia Santos- Oparto Restaurant and Camilo House – Museum.
The delicacy was presented to the Mayor, Paulo Cunha, last Friday, at a lunch that was attended by the representative of the Turismo Porto e Norte of Portugal (“Tourism of Porto and North of Portugal”), Marco Sousa, the town councillor for Tourism, Augusto Lima, and Chef Lígia Santos, among other guests.
Famalicão, not having exactly a dish that is exclusive to the county, has a vast legacy of historical references connected to restaurants and is known for the quality and eclecticism of its offer within the Minho regional gastronomy. For Augusto Lima, "the bet on the Galinha Mourisca is thus an extraordinary opportunity to evoke that DNA, calling upon the work of Camilo to tell stories at the table and to reinforce the Camillian Route as a strategic product for the county".
By betting on this delicacy, the City Council intends to value, qualify and promote the famalicense gastronomy, through the consolidation of the Chicken Mourisca as a dish of cultural and gastronomic interest; to encourage local production and its economic enhancement in restaurants and producers, through the use of autochthonous products such as the Portuguese chicken breeds; to consolidate the Camillian Route, summoning the author and his narrative to the table, through dishes or menus inspired by his work; and finally to affirm and promote Famalicão as an eclectic gastronomic destination of excellence.
The presentation of this dish to the famalicenses will be made through another initiative of the Days at the Table. On the coming days of 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th of June, the Galinha Mourisca will be served in seven restaurants in the county, which participated in qualification actions and recipe sharing. The restaurants are the following: Ferrugem; Fondue; ME.AT; Moutados; Oprato; Outeirinho and 26 Restaurante Lounge.
The menu is harmonised with wines from the region and accompanied by genuine starters and desserts of the season with contemporary registration.
The first bibliographic references to the Galinha Mourisca date back to the 16th century through the Cookbook of Infanta D. Maria. The Galinha Mourisca of the 21st century presents a renewed flavour, but respects the standards and the valorisation of local products.