Jantar de Consoada

The Consoada is the most important meal in the Portuguese calendar, built around bacalhau cozido com todos — boiled salt cod served with potatoes, cabbage, carrots, hard-boiled eggs, and generous amounts of olive oil. The meal deliberately avoids meat, honouring the Catholic tradition of abstinence.

After the main course, the table fills with rabanadas, filhós, sonhos, arroz doce, aletria, bolo-rei, dried figs, walnuts, and seasonal fruits. Tradition dictates that the table should not be cleared that night, leaving food for the souls of departed family members.