Hi Kim

I can't say what you can use other than olive oil or the big block of cooking margarine (green block) - that I can locally buy for between 70 cents and 1.45 Euros - and it says on it something like para cuisina (for kitchen). It has a "marg cooking" texture and taste to it although of course it depends if your supermarket sells this.

Otherwise, you may be able to get some actual lard from your neighbour if you're out in the countryside or possibly even in a town, as I'm fairly sure that they would produce their own if they keep their own animals for semi or full self sufficiency.

Enjoy your cooking whatever you decide to use.

 

When I were younger I worked for a butcher and we made lard (and sometime dripping) to sell by rendering pig fat. Get a very very fatty chunk of pig meat and slowly cook it whilst catching the dripping fat in a bowl, skim the top when nearly solid and under is the lard.

 

I found some lard in a very, very old clay pot at the property in Portugal that I bought and the house hadn't been occupied for over 7 years.

Whilst I wouldn't have "tested it", the mixture itself was without mould and looked useable once the soil had been scraped (which possibly preserved it), then it could have been extremely useable - what I'm saying is that it is likely it keeps and perhaps BodgieMcBodge can confirm this that you could make quite a lot and use it as and when if it's stored correctly?

I suspect that BodgieMcBodge has described what the locals would do to produce theirs if you're in that sort of area in Portugal.

If I can't find anything of that type (such as bones for dogs) - I find out how to ask for what I'm looking for and ask the chap or chapess behind the counter at the supermarkets' butchers counter - which most supermarkets have.

My Portuguese is limited so I cheat, look at something like Google translate for the Portuguese word and write it down on a piece of paper!

I usually manage to communicate sufficiently and sometimes even receive a surprise that the butcher at the supermarket speaks relatively good English and sometimes they don't!

 

I use a product called banha de porco which is widely available in 250g and 500g tubs. You'll find it in the chill cabinet alongside butters and margerine.

 

Which is lard also sell a block & liquid margarine for baking in same area of chiller cabinets

 

Banho do porto works perfectly well for pastry making.

 

In 60 years of cooking, have never ever used lard for pastry making. A good (firm) cooking margarine is fine. DON't use the 'light' stuff it is too full of water and will even turn to a watery mess when heated. Here in Spain, they have something that is labelled 3/4 which is a cooking margarine and also something called Holland (where it comes from) but it is more expensive and no better than 3/4. You may well find either in PT

 

I meant to add that anyone who is not too far from the border might nip over to a supermarket (e.g. Mercadona) and buy some.

 

I'll try your 3/4 Baldilocks if you try my lard. I find a 50/50 mix of either butter or margerine and lard makes a wonderful crumbly, melt-in-the-mouth pastry. I guess it's what the cheffy types call short.

 

Sorry don't use animal fat.

 

Baking

Because I have IBS (irritible bowl syndrome) and acid reflux attacks, I'm restricted in my diet and buying puds off the shelf causes problems so we make our own as far as possible.

It's great to make your own because then you know exactly what's in it and I'm sure that your pennies are going to go a lot further and baldilocks has also pointed out about animal fats where there are vegetarians and people who are unable to eat animal fats due to dietary restrictions.

Mind you, (upsetting completely), no matter what I've tried I just CANNOT eat chocolate cake! Something to do with the sponge.

:violin:

 

That must be a miserable condition Maidentales and I feel for you.

Obviously the wheat flour is a problem for you with conventional chocolate cake so you might like this recipe:

Auntie Joooooooolah's Cake

Serves 8 17g fat 4.9g saturates 26.7g sugars 0.13g salt 286 calories

150g dark chocolate
35g cocoa powder
80ml water
100g ground almonds
100g soft brown sugar
4 eggs, separated
icing sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 180C. Line a 20cm round, loose-based tin that is 6cm deep with baking paper.

Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of gently simmering water, ensuring that the water does not touch the bowl. Stir the chocolate until it melts.

Meanwhile, put the cocoa powder and water in a large mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. Add the melted chocolate, ground almonds, sugar and egg yolks and whisk well to combine.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gently fold them into the cake mixture.

Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 40-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and set aside to cool in the tin for about half an hour, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with icing sugar.

I hope there is no other ingredient there that aggravates your condition. Enjoy!

The recipe is from "Greedy Girl's Diet" by Nadia Sawalha and has been reproduced with her permission.

Apologies for the thread drift. Back to the lard...

 

Flour

Hi JohnBoy

Yes, conventional flour is a problem only if I don't eat it on a regular basis, such as I eat broa (made with a mix wheat flour/corn flour) although I can eat wheat pasta as long as it's not every day.

If I eat "white" bread with flour due to travelling and have no other option other than to fast, I take:

activated charcoal capsules

This prevents me absorbing certain foods and indeed does the trick as I've not been successful with prescriptions either from the UK or Portugal!

The recipe looks great - I'll write it down and give it a try - thank you!

Digressing a little from lard - hope the originator of the post doesn't mind!

I wondered about posting some recipes on this site to deal with health difficulties.

Such as, my partner has a really great cake recipe using low or no sugar using lots of fruit and even I can eat this in small doses.

Great possibly if you are diabtic and can consume fruit as I don't know much about diebetes except our Portuguese neighbour has diebetes, but I've seen her buying plenty of fruit from the mobile fruit van.

I'll get the recipe soon and look at posting it - although very busy at the moment!

 

Hi JohnBoy

Yes, conventional flour is a problem only if I don't eat it on a regular basis, such as I eat broa (made with a mix wheat flour/corn flour) although I can eat wheat pasta as long as it's not every day.

If I eat "white" bread with flour due to travelling and have no other option other than to fast, I take:

activated charcoal capsules

This prevents me absorbing certain foods and indeed does the trick as I've not been successful with prescriptions either from the UK or Portugal!

The recipe looks great - I'll write it down and give it a try - thank you!

Digressing a little from lard - hope the originator of the post doesn't mind!

I wondered about posting some recipes on this site to deal with health difficulties.

Such as, my partner has a really great cake recipe using low or no sugar using lots of fruit and even I can eat this in small doses.

Great possibly if you are diabtic and can consume fruit as I don't know much about diebetes except our Portuguese neighbour has diebetes, but I've seen her buying plenty of fruit from the mobile fruit van.

I'll get the recipe soon and look at posting it - although very busy at the moment!

Don't forget that if you have a gluten/wheat allergy, you can use maize flour, cornflour, potato flour, tapioca flour and/or rice flours.

 

All available in Portugal

 

Very interesting replies especially the choc cake recipe !!!!
I will give it a go very soon.
Back to the lard.... I did find it in inter marche beside the bacon, sausages etc, I was looking around the butters and spread section, silly me!!!!!
I have bought a tub and a large pack of 100% vegetable stuff ( like margarine ) which is far cheaper and will give them both a go to see which turns out the best.
Thanks again
Kim

 

To be honest KW60 even our local bakery uses the vegetable product that you mentioned instead of butter. Try using that 50/50 with the lard for making pastry.

 

If anyone c Ares to share recipes there is a specific thread in THE WELCOME INN. http://expatforum.sitesdebloques.org/expats/welcome-inn/33815-recipes-only.html

 

Hi Siobhan, what you have said is actually asking for a harbour bath! That is not good for making pastry!