Segadas Soups

The Segada Soup is an ancient dish whose origin, as its name indicates (segada translates to the act of mowing the fields), is strongly associated with country life and an activity that was part of the agricultural calendar of Trás-os-Montes. In the torrid months of June and July, the sound of the scythe cutting the grain accompanied by the harvesters' chants echoed in the fields of the region. Hard and laborious work was only interrupted by the arrival of the traditional soup. The menu was invariably composed of this dish, with the necessary consistency to restore strength after 4 or 5 hours of hard work. It is a dry soup where bread, cod and oil are the main ingredients. The sliced wheat bread is placed in alternating layers with cod and mashed boiled potato. Finally, add the water from the cod and potato cooking and pour the hot oil into which the garlic was hardened. A boiled egg tops these soups, after being sprinkled with a little paprika. The dish is still served in a traditional way, with these soups being a constant presence on the tables of the municipalities of the Terra Quente area of Trás-os-Montes.