The delicious touch of wine - Visit Madeira | Madeira Islands Tourism Board official website

Sauces created from our wines

If, on the one hand, the foundation of traditional Madeira food lies in its simplicity, it is equally true, on the other hand, that often the seasoning is the surprise note. In the Madeira archipelago, the basis for regional gastronomy lies in the combination of original flavours and the addition of the best seasonings.

Tuna is an abundant fish on our coast. Our speciality? Tuna steak with a 'vilão' sauce (fried fish sauce). This delicious dish has a sauce - made with white wine, vinegar, onion and summer savory - which is a hallmark of our region's gastronomy. A sauce that can also be used on mackerel - another very common fish in the seas of the archipelago.

In Madeira, wine and vinegar are two ingredients that invite everyone on a journey of tastes. One of the other delicacies of traditional Madeira food is the "carne vinho e alhos" which consists of pork meat marinated with wine and garlic. This delicacy, which may be eaten all year round, is best enjoyed at Christmas time. At home, in a restaurant or in the typical food stalls that adorn the Christmas markets throughout the region, these tasty bits of meat can be served on a plate or in a "papo-seco" (traditional bread roll).

To close this chapter, the famous Madeira wine is also a staple in the kitchen. Much requested in the confection of sauces made from its reduction, Madeira wine is a chameleon of flavours and textures, adding its distinctive sweet or dry characteristics to the meat and fish of the region.