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If there is one dish synonymous with the Algarve’s rich ocean harvest, it’s this one. Fresh cockles are sealed in acataplana , a rounded copper cooking vessel resembling a wok. Allowed to cook in their own steam with a combination ofpresunto (cured ham),chouriço (sausage), tomato, lemon, olive oil and garnished with coriander and garlic, the result is a succulent seafood delight. Enjoy with chilled white wine.

A regional speciality which again evokes the Algarve’s love affair with the sea. Tender morsels of fresh octopus are added to a mix of fried onion and parsley, and then gently boiled with wine vinegar and a dash of chilli powder. Rice is added with salt and pepper to taste. The meal is usually served with a side dish of black olives and generous slices of crusty bread.

The humble and ubiquitous sardine is arguably the most popular menu choice in the region. Bursting with goodness, sardines are at their plumpest during summer, and are simply mouth-watering when charcoal grilled and served with boiled potatoes and salad.

The livelihoods of whole communities used to depend on tuna. It’s not fished so hard now, but is still a favourite in thousands of restaurants along the coast. Tryatum de cebola , a tasty blend of melted butter and tomato sauce with onions, garlic and parsley, poured over a firm tuna steak garnished with lemon wedges.

Roasted kid is what country folk sit down to. The meat is brushed with a thin layer of lard to keep it moist, sprinkled with minced bacon and laced with white wine. Garnished with whole garlic cloves and dusted liberally with paprika, it’s then slowly roasted until crispy brown. Rich and wholesome, this truly is one of the great gastronomic wonders of rural Algarve.

This intrepid marriage of pork and clams appears to bring the ocean and the countryside together, although it’s a feast that originated in the vast plains of the Alentejo. The ingredients are cooked in a spicy marinade of white wine, fresh garlic and paprika. If prepared correctly, the shells should be open when served.

The great Portuguese stand-by: some restaurants in the Algarve serve nothing else. Generous platters of juicy chicken portions are served with crisp french fries and green-pepper salad. The meat comes dabbed with red chilli sauce, which is home-made and usually hot.

This version of gaspacho soup differs from its well-known Spanish counterpart in that the ingredients are not pulverized and so it retains a delightfully crunchy texture. Served cold, this heavenly blend of tomato, garlic, cucumber, oregano and sweet pepper sprinkled with diced crouton is bliss on a hot day.

Figs were introduced by the Moors and soon became an integral part of Algarve cuisine. Fig lord cakes are dainty creations moulded from a fig-and-almond paste.

Almonds (another Moorish import) are used to make these colourful little delicacies that can look like fish, fruit, birds, smiling faces and even vegetable baskets. They make wonderful coffee companions or little gifts.