Who reads the novel “Love of Perdition” You may get the idea that the writer Camilo Castelo Branco it fed only on tragedies and tears. But the truth is that, between one tempestuous passion and another, he also had a taste for good food. In his letters and chronicles there are countless references to the rural life of Minho in the past, and it is impossible not to imagine the full tables of the manor houses and the aroma of the fire that gave life to the iron pans. This abundance remains, even today, an inseparable mark of being Minho in the 21st century.
It’s in São Miguel de Seideparish in the municipality of Vila Nova de Famalicãowhich remains his House-Museum, the place where he lived intensely – and where he loved, wrote and ended up dying. It was also there that he enjoyed many of the dishes that are still part of the Famalicense soul today. One of them, which sharpened his “literary palate”, was the Moorish Chickenwho, although he found roots in the region, traveled (it is said) from distant eastern places, passing through Alentejo, before conquering Minho.
Camilo Castelo Branco portrayed by José Brito
Between tragedies, betrayals and passions, it is easy to imagine Camilo enjoying this robust delicacy, full of intense aromas and flavors, perhaps a consolation capable of balancing the weight of a tormented romantic soul. “It’s eating and screaming for more!…”can be read in his work “The Saint of the Mountain” (1866), where, through the character D. José de Noronha, the author goes beyond the usual sensory descriptions and even presents a recipe with technical details, practically identical to the one recorded by Domingos Rodrigues in “Kitchen Art”, book that, it is believed, was part of his personal library. What is certain is that, even today, the Moorish Chicken continues to arouse curiosity, both for its name and flavor, preserving a tradition that links literature, gastronomy and Minho identity.
But the first bibliographical references to Moorish Chicken date back to the 16th century, through the “Infanta D. Maria’s Cookbook” and it’s a piece of gastronomic history as enigmatic as one of Camilo’s novels. The name brings to mind ancient stories, perhaps of forbidden love between Christians and Moors, or of recipes passed down in secret between generations. What is certain is that it is a dish that requires time, like a good book, both in preparation and in tasting.
Rigor, emotion and a touch of rebellion
Ferrugem Restaurant
Mario Brandao
In the municipality of Famalicão, there are two restaurants that perpetuate this connection between the past and the present: Rust e The Dish. Both celebrate local roots in their own way (one with the sophistication of contemporary haute cuisine, the other with the warmth of family tradition) and with a common element: a Camillian Gastronomic Experience, which must be booked at least 48 hours in advance.
No Ferrugem restaurant (Rua das Pedrinhas, 32, Portela, Vila Nova de Famalicão. Tel. 252911700), from chef Renato Cunha, Minho’s gastronomic heritage is treated with the same respect with which Camilo treated the Portuguese language: with rigor, emotion and a touch of rebellion. Here, the Moorish Chicken it is made from ancient records, with the intention of preserving the authenticity of the dish. “This dish is not a contemporary interpretation, but rather a confection according to the records I found where, despite the differences, there are transversal elements such as Alentejo bread, chicken, the various spices, lemon and egg to thicken the sauce”, explains the chef.
Ferrugem Restaurant
Here, the Menu Camilianodesigned for groups of 12 people or more, is a meal that begins with a prelude of naturally fermented bread made with organic flours, accompanied by pataniscas and Bísaro pork ham, paired with an Arêgos Avesso DO Vinho Verde Branco 2023. The first part follows, with sardines on fried bread, heart-of-ox tomato chutney and roasted peppers, accompanied by Quinta de Ceis DO Douro Red 2022. The second moment presents white feijoca in a delicate vegetable and log broth, preparing the palate for the highlight of the meal: the Moorish Chickenmade with yellow animals and served with the refinement of a 10 year old Cottas Porto Tawny. It ends on a sweet note, with milk rice and coffee. The menu costs €50 per person, or €70, if it includes the pairing described.
The space is elegant and welcoming, with a philosophy that seems straight out of a Camillian novel. If Camilo were alive, it would be easy to imagine him at the table, surrounded by papers and pens, taking notes on the “refinement of the modern palate” while enjoying a glass of full-bodied wine.
Family tradition and Minho comfort
Moorish Chicken at O Prato restaurant
Already the O Prato restaurant (Rua da Estrada Nacional 204-5, 39, Avidos. Tel. 252321892)it’s one of those places where you enter hungry and leave with soul. Founded in 1990 and today managed by Nuno Oliveira, it represents family tradition and Minho comfort. THE Moorish Chicken It is cooked slowly, with seasonings that include parsley, mint, coriander, turmeric, lemon and many others. The dish can be ordered à la carte (€38, for two) or as a Camilian Gastronomic Experience version (€40 per person). The latter includes a starter, followed by vegetable soup with green beans, Moorish Chicken as the main course and dessert of your choice. Drinks include water, juices and house wines. According to the owner, “the dish can be prepared with hen or rooster, as long as it is more than one year old, and of a certified yellow or stone breed. The sauce is made with the less noble parts of the chicken and the dish is finished with a poached egg.” There is also a specialty much appreciated by regular customers: baits, available as starters, but only on request, as not everyone appreciates the intense flavor of this traditional delicacy.
The atmosphere is familiar, relaxed and the service has that friendliness that only Minho knows how to offer. It’s the kind of place where Camilo might have gone to dinner with Ana Plácido, disguised as a “modest neighbor”, to avoid bad language. And, between mouthfuls and complicit glances, perhaps he would even find inspiration for another one of his impossible loves.
Traditional desserts at O Prato restaurant
And if Camilo Castelo Branco said that “Love is the best and worst of human follies”we could add that eating well is the most sensible option. Because, in the end, everything passes – the passions, the intrigues, even the romances – but a good dish of Moorish Chicken served in Famalicão will forever be remembered.
For more information about this and other experiences, see the website Camillo – Writer’s Routes.
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