A Portuguese bread soup of stale country loaf reborn in a garlicky broth with olive oil, coriander, poached egg and either shellfish or salt cod added.
Where to eat it: 4 restaurants across 1 city.
Acorda originates with the Alentejano shepherds in central Portugal as a hot bread-and-water sustenance, and travelled north into Lisbon kitchens in the 19th century. The seafood version, acorda de marisco, became the city's most-celebrated take, with Pap'Acorda the canonical room since 1981.
Common allergens: Gluten, Eggs
Tip from the editors. Day-old country bread holds its texture, sliced sandwich bread turns to paste. Sourdough works best.
This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.
Pap'Acorda in Cais do Sodre, Lisbon: a Bairro Alto classic reborn at Mercado da Ribeira, still cooking Manuela Brandao's signature seafood acorda.
Signature: Acorda de marisco, Chocolate mousse
Order: Acorda de marisco, the bread-and-shellfish stew that named the room.
Pateo at Bairro do Avillez in Chiado, Lisbon: the glass-roofed centre court of Jose Avillez's complex, modern Portuguese mains served at long tables.
Signature: Acorda real, Roast suckling pig
Order: Acorda real, bread-and-shellfish stew with prawns and lobster.
Solar dos Presuntos in Restauradores, Lisbon: a family seafood institution open since 1974, famous for cured ham, Minho cuisine and a celebrity wall.
Signature: Arroz de marisco, Roast kid, Bacalhau a Braz
Order: The plate of presunto first, then arroz de marisco for two.
Casa do Alentejo in Lisbon's Restauradores: a 17th-century palace with a Moorish patio serving the bread soups, migas and pork of the Alentejo.
Signature: Acorda alentejana, Migas com entrecosto, Carne de porco a alentejana
Order: Acorda alentejana, the bread-and-coriander soup, with a poached egg.
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