Provincetown Portuguese Cookbook

Peixe

Spicy Salt Cod Cakes with Chouriço and Stewed Fava Beans | Essence - Rustic Rub | Cod Fish Cakes | Boiled Codfish Dinner | Codfish Casserole | Cod Fish Salad | Brazilian Fish Stew | Marinated Fish Steaks in Spicy Wine Sauce | Tim's Portuguese Codfish | Amêijoas Na Cataplana | Amêijoas Bulho Pato | Sea Clam Casserole | Portuguese Clams and Rice | Moon's Mussels | Shrimp Cake | Catfish Vinho D'Alhos | Joyce's Stuffed Flounder | Clara's Flounder | Stuffed Squid | Madeira Squid Stew with Couscous | Tillie's Mackerel | Portuguese Fish Bake

Joyce Perry Strong

Vinho d'alhos is Provincetown's most popular Portuguese main course. Literally, wine of the garlic, vinho d'alhos is a powerful marinade for either pork or salt water catfish. The ocean catfish is really wolf fish and is not to be confused with freshwater catfish. Wolf fish is a hideous fish with a very firm white flesh that soaks up the marinade without turning mushy. Traditionally, the pork chops are pan fried, but thick chops can be grilled. The fish, however, is always deep fried.

1-16 oz. bottle of cider vinegar

1 cup pickling spices

1 clove garlic, sliced

2 tbsp. onion powder

1 cup water

2 tbsp. saffron or turmeric

4 lbs. catfish, skinned, filleted and cut into pieces

Flour

Vegetable oil for frying the fish

Mix all the vinegar, pickling spices, garlic, onion powder, water and saffron in a bowl and add the fish. Refrigerate, stirring once a day for at least two days so the fish will marinate evenly. Remove from the bowl and drain on paper towels to remove any spices left on the fish.

Toss each piece of fish in flour and deep fry in 2 cups of oil until golden brown on each side. Drain.

Serves 12.