Açorda de Camarão is a traditional Portuguese bread soup made with jumbo shrimp stewed with pieces of a crusty bread and a rich shrimp stock. This classic Portuguese soup has creamy risotto like texture, and it can be paired with fish dishes or eaten on its own. It’s simply delicious and fairly easy to prepare. Continue to read to learn how to make this traditional Portuguese seafood dish.
What is Açorda?
Açorda can be described as a Portuguese soup that’s prepared by mixing broth with bread, and other local ingredients such as cured meats, sausages, and fish. There are dozens of different ways of preparing this dish that has been long enjoyed by Portuguese families. From the quick Açorda à Alentejana, to more sophisticated versions made with shellfish or salt cod.
Discover More: Açorda à Alentejana
The Origins of Açorda
The roots of this quintessential dish can be traced back to the Moorish occupation of the Iberian Peninsula between the 8th to the 15th centuries. The Moors would’ve brought with them the practice of adding soaked bread to stews and broths. The locals adopted the technique, adapting it into what now we now know as açorda. Originally a peasant dish, açorda was a great way to stretch ingredients and use stale bread. Nowadays it’s much more than a frugal dish, it’s a celebration to Portuguese flavours!
Key Ingredients in Traditional Portuguese Shrimp Açorda
The main ingredients used in this açorda are shrimp, shrimp stock, Alentejo bread, garlic, egg yolks, fresh herbs, salt, and pepper. If you are preparing the shrimp stock from scratch, I recommend buying whole shrimp, frozen or fresh. The head and skin of the shellfish make it for a beautiful shrimp stock. Alentejo bread or Pão Alentejano is a rustic bread with a thick crust and dense interior. It’s better if the bread is slightly stale (2 days old) or it might end up too mushy.
Making Authentic Portuguese Shrimp Açorda
The recipe can be divided in four parts, first you prepare a simple stock with the head and skin of the shrimp, chopped carrots and onions, garlic, parsley, black pepper, and salt.
The second part is the part where you cut the bread into smaller chunks and soak it with some of the shrimp stock. The third part consists of lightly frying the shrimp with some garlic, olive oil, and chilli flakes.
The final step is to mix the soaked bread with the remaining shrimp stock and cook in the same pan you fried the shrimp, stirring constantly, to form the soup base.
To finish it, add in the egg yolks and stir in the cooked shrimp and season it with fresh cilantro, salt, black pepper, a squeeze of lemon and some chilli oil.
How to Make Traditional Açorda de Camarão
Have you tried this recipe? Let me know in the comments!