Have you ever tried lapas before? The English name is limpets, and I had to ask what they were. On second thought, I should’ve just tried them before eating since the description (and let’s be honest, the name) is far from appetizing. Suffice to say, limpets are ocean dwellers and they look like suction cups for a reason.
I tasted limpets for the first time in Madeira, where they are present on all the menus. The usual way is grilled, but I chickened out eased in by hiding them in Portuguese rice, known locally as arroz de lapas. If you’re like me and didn’t grow up with seafood at all, I would compare them with mussels, perhaps chewier and less intense in flavour, but strong enough that I recommend trying them in sauce first and reducing the flavor commitment by adding rice. The combination of rice, limpets, and grilled vegetables in a tomato-based sauce was a crowd-pleaser that day.
I’m happy to report that the restaurant (Restaurante e Residencial Solmar, Seixal) did a fine job of converting me, and I’m ready for lapas grelhadas now.
If you’re already a seafood lover and want to deep-dive into limpet-eating, see A Portuguese Affair for how to prepare and feature limpets as a dish on its own.
December 5, 2016
Album: Madeira