Author: Tia Maria

Main Dish / Photo Gallery / Recipes

Beef Stew with Sweet Potato – Carne Guisada com Batata Doce

This savory stew is my go to recipe when ever my family requests a stew for dinner.

I always add sweet potatoes to my beef stew since it adds great flavor and the texture thickens the broth. Make a big pot to enjoy the next day. I add mushrooms and peas, but of course this is optional to your taste.

Ingredients:

2 to 3 pounds beef stew meat (cut into 2 inch pieces)

2 large onions (chopped)

2 large stalks celery (chopped)

4 cloves garlic (finely minced)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoon paprika

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 beef bouillon cube or 1 cup beef broth

1 and 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup red wine

1/2 cup port wine

1 bay leaf

4 large potatoes (cut into 1 to 2 inch cubes)

2 large sweet potatoes (cut into 2 inch cubes)

1 to 2 pounds mushrooms (optional)

1 cup frozen sweet peas (optional)

parsley for garnish


Preparation:

Marinate meat in salt, garlic, pepper, paprika and red wine for a few hours or overnight in refrigerator in a bowl. When ready to cook take meat out of refrigerator and let sit for 20 minutes at room temperature. Reserve liquid and place meat in clean bowl and add the flour. Shake meat to coat with flour.

Heat the oil in large heavy dutch oven or pan and brown meat on all sides. Add onion, celery, carrots, bay leaf, beef bouillon, water, reserved marinade and port wine. Stir evenly and let cook on medium for about 1 hour. Stir often so the stew does not stick and burn. Add both potatoes and cook for another 30-45 minutes until cooked. Cook mushrooms in a small pan with 1 tablespoon butter for about 5 minutes. (I like to add the mushrooms on top of stew but this is optional you can also add the mushrooms into the stew to cook.) Add peas during the last few minutes.

Top with parsley for garnish. Serve with Portuguese red wine or any good red wine.

Order the glass cutting board seen in the Beef Stew image here.
PORTUGAL Glass cutting board

Serve with Portuguese red wine of course.


Main Dish

Tia Maria’s Portuguese Style Meatloaf

My meatloaf comes out flavorful because I use my spice mix recipe found in my second cookbook or simply use the ingredients listed. I also use fresh bread crumbs in the meat mix which makes the loaf moist. I often double the recipe to make 2 meatloaves for sandwiched during the week.

Order this beautiful Glass Cutting Board on our Lisbon Blue Shop
Order this beautiful glass cutting board and my Taste Portugal Seasoning mix here on Lisbon Blue Etsy shop.

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground beef or ground turkey

2 eggs

1 cup dried seasoned breadcrumbs

1 slice of fresh bread (crumbled, I use a grater)

1 medium onion (finely minced)

3/4 cup milk

2 tablespoons of my spice mix (order here on Lisbon Blue Etsy shop)

2 to 3 tablespoons minced parsley

1 cup ketchup

Preparation:

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Shape into loaf and place in a baking dish. Top with ketchup. Cook at 350 degrees F for about 1 hour or longer until it reaches 170 degrees on a meat thermometer.

I like a well done crispy edge on my meatloaf but this is optional.

chicken / Main Dish / Photo Gallery / Recipes

Lemon Rosemary Chicken – Galinha Assada com Alecrim e Limão

This classic Lemon Rosemary Chicken is moist, juicy and full of lemony flavor. I always make 2 chickens so we can enjoy the chicken the next day to make sandwiches, quesadillas and chicken salad. I love a crispy skin chicken so I always let the chicken bake at 400 degrees for at least 1 and 1/2 hours.

Ingredients:

2 roasting chickens (butterflied)

1/4 cup Portuguese olive oil

2 tablespoons butter (cut into pieces)

2 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon paprika

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 to 2 tablespoons dried rosemary flakes

2 lemons (sliced)

Preparation:

Place salt, paprika, garlic powder and pepper in a mortar and pestle and crush.

Marinate chicken with seasonings for at least 30 minutes or overnight in refrigerator. Coat chicken with olive oil and butter. Top with lemon slices and sprinkle on rosemary.

Bake at 400 degrees F. for 1 and 1/2 hours until golden and crispy. Chicken should reach 190 degrees F on a thermometer.

Recipes

Pork Chops Smothered in Tomato Onion Sauce

Cebolada – Tomato Onion Sauce recipe

Ingredients:

6 pork chops

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup white wine

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon crushed black pepper

3 to 4 cups of Cebolada sauce recipe

Preparation:

Marinate pork chops with all seasonings and wine. Let sit for a few hours or overnight in refrigerator.

When ready to cook take pork chops out of refrigerator and let come to room temperature. Brown on both sides in skillet or grill pan with the olive oil. Add the tomato sauce and cook on simmer for about 30 minutes or until pork is cooked.

Perfect over rice, mashed potatoes or fries.

Recipes

How to Cook Polvo/Octopus

Don’t be intimidated by cooking octopus. It’s relatively easy to do. I learned this method from my mother of boiling the octopus in water with only 1 onion and no salt required since the octopus is salty already. After boiling I like to bake the octopus with some onions and peppers and olive oil. If you have any leftovers simply make octopus salad, add it to omelets, stews and rice dishes.


Taste Portugal More easy Portuguese recipes – ORDER HERE
Taste Portugal More easy Portuguese recipes – ORDER HERE

Recipe # 15 HOW TO COOK OCTOPUS – TASTE PORTUGAL MORE EASY PORTUGUESE RECIPES

If your octopus is frozen let defrost in the refrigerator for about 2 days in a large pan. The octopus retains a lot of water so be sure you have a very large pan. When ready to cook boil water in a large pan with 1 onion. Follow the video below. Your octopus should boil for about 45 minutes, then turn off heat and let it sit in the water for another 20 minutes. You can eat as is by cutting individual portions or bake with onions and peppers and some olive oil. Serve with more olive oil and white vinegar.

    Recipes

    Presunto Spiral Bread With Fig and Nut Spread

    This bread is savory, salty and sweet all in the same bite. Make 2 because this will be the first appetizer to go. It a great bread to freeze and enjoy the next time. The fig spread is optional but it adds a sweet and nutty texture. Enjoy!

    Find this delicious recipe in my Taste Portugal More Easy Recipes Cookbook

    Ingredients:

    Makes 1 large or 2 smaller loaves

    1 flat bread recipe # 19

    1 small chouriço or linguica sausage (cut into thin slices)

    3 or 4 slices of presunto, or ham (cut into strips)

    3 slices of salami (optional, cut into strips)

    1 medium onion (sliced)

    1 medium red pepper (sliced)

    1 cup of shredded cheese

    1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil

    1 tablespoon of coarse corn meal

    flour for dusting

    Fig Spread:

    1 cup fig jam (or any brand)

    ¼ cup mixed chopped almonds and walnuts.

    Preparation:

    Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

    Sauté the onions and peppers for a few minutes in 1 tablespoon olive oil until translucent. Let cool.

    Sprinkle a dusting of flour and corn meal on a large sheet pan or pizza pan.

    Roll out each half of dough into a rectangle. Add a layer of onions followed by a layer of meats. Top with cheese.

    Begin gently rolling the dough evenly into a log shape. Seal the edges tightly with your fingers.

    Place on pan and brush with olive oil. Let rise for about 20 minutes.

    Cook for 15 to 20 minutes at 375 degrees F. or until the bread is golden and crispy.

    Let cool slightly before slicing into ½

    to 1- inch slices.

    Mix fig jam with nuts and place in a small ramekin. Serve bread with fig spread.

    Recipes

    Sugar Free Caramel Flan – Pudim Flan Sem Açucar

    This Caramel Flan is delicious, so creamy, and you can’t tell it from the original flan recipe. Watch my original Caramel Flan video recipe below from Tia Maria’s Blog Youtube Channel.

    It’s a wonderful sugar free dessert. I used Crystallized Monk Fruit, a natural sweetener in place of granulated sugar. You can find the sweetener at most grocery and specialty stores and also online.

    I also made the caramel sauce using the Monk Fruit, but for a short cut you can use store bought sugar free caramel sauce. The natural sweetener replaces sugar 1-to-1, but has zero calories, zero net carbs, and zero glycemic index. For those on strict diabetic desserts, consult with your nutrition specialist.

    I top the flan with real whipped cream. Most whipped creams are very low in calories about 15 per tablespoon and have only 1 gram of sugar. This is optional of course and you can use any unsweetened whipped topping.

    Ingredients:

    6 large eggs

    3 cups (whole milk)

    1 cup crytalized monk fruit sweetener

    1/4 teaspoon salt

    1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    Caramel Glaze Ingredients:

    4 tablespoons butter

    3 tablespoons (Monk Fruit granulated blend)

    1/4 cup heavy cream

    1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

    Original Caramel Flan video recipe from our Youtube channel.

    Preparation

    Note: Take your eggs out of the fridge a few hours before you start to get them to room temp or place them in a bowl of lukewarm water for about 20 minutes.

    Prepare Caramel glaze first:

    Place the Monk Fruit sweetener and butter in a large heavy skillet. Continue stirring while cooking on medium heat until the mixture melts and begins to turn caramel colored and thickens like corn syrup. (probably 5-8 minutes depending on your burners) If you notice it begin to smoke remove immediately from the burner. Add the cream and continue cooking until creamy caramel colored. Pour the caramel into a souffle dish and slightly rotate the dish side to side to coat the bottom and sides up to 1/2 inch or so. Set aside while you make the flan. You will notice the caramel has hardened slightly.

    Note: if you use pre-made caramel cook in a skillet for a few minutes to harden slightly.

    Prepare custard:

    In med bowl, beat the eggs for a few minutes. Meanwhile, heat up the milk until warm. Add sweetener and vanilla to milk. Stir to dissolve sweetener.

    Let the milk mixture cool down a little and then add about 1/4 cup to the eggs while continuing to beat on low. *If the milk is too hot, you’ll  discover that you just made scrambled eggs.

    Continue beating and slowly add the milk 1 cup at a time until all of the milk is incorporated.

    Let the egg mixture rest to let the foam subside a little, then run through a strainer and slowly pour it into the souffle dish that has been coated with the caramel.

    Place the flan dish into a larger oven proof deep dish pan (bain -marie) that has been filled with 1 inch of water.

    Cook at 350 for 60 -75 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

    Note: I cooked my flan the full 75 minutes.

    Let the flan cool in it’s pan and place in the refrigerator overnight or at least 3 hours.

    When ready to serve, loosen the sides of the flan with a knife and giggle the pan to loosen it. Watch my video above.

    Cover the top of the flan with a deep serving dish and invert it. Spoon out the caramel over the flan.

    Serve with real whipped cream. Most whipped creams don’t have any, or only 1 gram of sugar.

    +

    Recipes

    Galinha a Avo com Masa – Grandmother’s Chicken with Pasta

    This chicken and pasta recipe is a one pan dish that’s simple to prepare and cooks in under 1 hour. The chicken comes out tender, and full of flavor. Chose your favorite pasta such as ziti, elbows or even spaghetti to complete this comforting dish.

    Ingredients:

    8-10 drumstick or thighs (skin removed if preferred)

    8 oz. to 1 pound of your favorite pasta

    1 large onions (chopped)

    3 cloves garlic (chopped)

    1 bay leaf (whole)

    1 cup chopped ripe tomatoes

    2 carrots (chopped)

    1/4 cup olive oil

    1/4 cup white wine

    1 tablespoon paprika

    1 tablespoon salt

    1 teaspoon black pepper (if desired)

    2 cups chicken broth

    2 cups water

    Preparation:

    Season chicken with spices and wine and let sit overnight or at least 1 hour in refrigerator.

    Let chicken come to room temperature save any liquid from marinade. Brown on both sides in olive oil in a heavy dutch oven pan with a lid.

    Add onion, garlic, bay leaf and carrots and stir well. Let cook for a few minutes to brown. Add the tomatoes and broth, cover and cook for about 25 minutes on medium heat.

    Cook pasta as directed in package and add to the cooked chicken and cook for another 5-10 minutes or add water to the chicken, let come to a boil and add pasta. Stir well, cover and cook until pasta is cooked. Remove bay leaf. Remove any excess skin on chicken if desired and serve.



    Recipes

    Chicken and Matzo Ball Soup

    A perfect soup on a cold day. I make a regular chicken noodle soup and then add the matzo balls to it. The secret to make light and fluffy matzo balls are to add a little seltzer to the batter. Here’s the photo of best matzo mix that I’ve tried but you can also use your favorite brand.

    Matzo Ball Ingredients:

    3 eggs (separated)

    1 and 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

    2 tablespoons club soda (seltzer)

    1 package Matzo Ball soup mix (I use Streitz)

    Soup ingredients:

    1 bone in chicken breast

    2 stalks celery (chopped)

    1 small onion (chopped

    2 large carrots (sliced)

    8 cups chicken broth or more

    4 oz egg noddles (optional)

    salt to taste

    crushed black pepper

    parsley for garnish

    Preparation:

    Prepare the matzo balls by beating egg whites in a small bowl. In a separate bowl beat yolks, add olive oil, matzo, and seltzer and mix slightly. Fold in egg whites gently until incorporated. Don’t over mix. Place mix in refrigerator to set for at least 20 minutes while you cook the soup.

    Soup:

    Place broth, onion, celery, 1/2 of carrots and soup mix seasoning in a medium soup pan and bring to a boil. Add chicken breast, cover and cook for about 20 minutes on medium heat. Remove chicken and remove any bone, skin and cartilage. Shred chicken and add back into soup.

    Make matzo balls:

    Spoon 1 teaspoon of mix onto your slightly greased palm and shape gently into balls. *Do not compress. Add to simmering soup.

    Add remaining carrots and noodles to soup and let cook along with the matzo balls for about 20 minutes. Stir gently once in a while.
    Taste for saltiness and add more salt if desired. Garnish with crushed black pepper and parsley.