Category: Appetizers

Appetizers / Holiday Recipes / Photo Gallery / Recipes / Side Dish

Portuguese Style Antipasti – Aperitivo

When I serve Antipasti before diner, I make an easy and colorful presentation of cheeses and cured meats for my guests.

What’s great about this easy appetizer is that is requires no cooking, and it’s easy cleanup since you just through away the parchment paper when you finish this wonderful sampler.

My family loves both varieties of Portuguese and Italian meats so I use both and call it a “PortItalian” platter.

You can improvise and use your family favorites.

How to set up your Antipasti tray:

1. Use a big wooden cutting board (this gives it a rustic look) and place a large piece of parchment paper over the board.

2. Next, place the meats in small piles around the edge. Pile the cheeses in the middle of the meats. Arrange the sliced bread on the tray.

3. Add color with olives, cherry tomatoes, roasted peppers, pickled vegetables, or any of your favorites.

I also serve fruit along this platter to balance the saltiness with the sweet fruits.

Ingredient Ideas: 

Presunto – Prosciutto cured pork (Sliced very thin)

Salpicao – A spicy cured meat, made from Pork, wine garlic and salt  (Sliced very thin)

Chourico  – A spicy, pork cured sausage (Sliced very thin)

Queijo Fresco – A soft fresh cheese made from fresh milk – (Recipe for Queijo Fresco)

Queijo da ilha – São Jorge cheese – A hard, sharp, spicy taste is a famous cheese that comes from the island of St. Jorge in the Azores.

Queijo Casteloes –  Casteloes Cheese –  A semi-hard cheese and has a lovely mild and buttery flavor

Mortadela – Optional

Pepperoni – Optional 

Salami – Optional 

Azetitonas – Portuguese olives

Cherry Tomatoes

Dried figs

Shelled Nuts

Fresh ground pepper – For fresh cheese

Salt – For fresh cheese

Crushed red pepper paste – For the fresh cheese

Pao Caseiro Recipe – Or any Homestyle crusty bread sliced into thin slices.

Find more Pao –  bread recipes in search bar at the right top of this page.

 

There is an art to slicing Presunto very thinly. Watch this video it will make your mouth water!


There are many varieties of Portuguese cheeses which you can use. If you want to learn all about these cheeses, here’s a great resource at;  Catavino – The Ultimate Guide to Portuguese Cheeses!

You can also visit one of my favorite Pintrest Page – Portuguese Cheeses.

 

Here are some English translations of Portuguese cheese descriptions for your search.

DOP- Like DOC in wine, designated to cheeses produced in their traditional area Velho- Old, designation given to cheeses that have been aged at least 90 days or more
Curado, Semi-Curado- Cured, Semi-Cured Amanteigado- “Smooth Like Butter”, good for spreading on bread!
Mole/ de Pasta Mole, Semi-Mole- Soft, Semi-Soft Duro/ de Pasta Dura, Semi-Duro- Hard, Semi-Hard
Seco- Dry Leite – Milk
Leite de Vaca- Cow’s Milk Leite de Ovelha( “o-vayl-ya)- Sheep’s Milk
Leite de Cabra/Cabreiro- Goat’s Milk Cru- Raw
Gordura- Fat (in foods) Picante– Spicy
Casca- Casing, wrapping, shell Ligeiro/a- Light (in consistency and/or flavor)
Sabor Suave- Smooth Flavor Sabor Forte- Strong Flavor
Queijo em Barra- Block Cheese Queijo em Fatias- Sliced Cheese

( http://catavino.net/part-1-the-ultimate-user%E2%80%99s-guide-to-portuguese-cheese/)

 

 

 

 

 

Appetizers / Holiday Recipes / Photo Gallery / Recipes / Side Dish

Seafood Stuffed Mushrooms

stuffed-mushroomsThis stuffed mushroom recipe is perfect for a special occasion appetizer. It’s deliciously decadent, and full of flavor.

The mushrooms come out moist, and the crunchy topping adds texture creating a perfect bite! Enjoy!

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Ingredients

2 packages of white mushrooms

1 can finely chopped clams

1/2 cup of finely chopped raw shrimp

2 tbsp of finely chopped onion

2 tbsp of butter or margarine

1/4  tsp of Paprika

1 tsp very finely chopped parsley

1/2 cup of bread crumbs

1 cup of garlic flavored salad croutons

1 cup of ritz crackers

1/4 cup melted butter or margarine

 

Shrimp Sauce (optional)

1 can of shrimp soup

1/4 cup of milk

 

Instructions:

Prep mushrooms by removing the stems. Save stems to use in a different recipe in the refrigerator.

Rinse and pat dry. Place the mushrooms in a lightly greased medium baking pan. Saute the onion in the butter for about 1 minute in a small skillet.

Add the shrimp and cook for 1 minute and set aside off heat. Drain the clams but save the juice for later.  Add the clams and paprika to the cooked shrimp.

Place the crackers and croutons in a food safe plastic bag and crush with your kitchen mallet until very crumbly.

Place 1/2 of the cracker mix, and bread crumbs in a medium bowl. Add the seafood mix, and parsley, and mix well.

Slowly add a little of the clam juice until your stuffing is moist but not mushy. *If you find it to dry, add a few tbsp s of water.

Fill the mushroom caps with the stuffing. Top each mushroom with 1 tsp of the remaining cracker mix. *Don’t be afraid to use all of the topping mix.

Coat each mushroom cap with a little melted butter.

Cook at 350 for about 15-20 minutes or until the stuffing is golden brown and slightly crispy.

Mix the shrimp soup with the milk and heat in a small skillet.*The soup should be smooth but not runny.

Place the mushrooms onto your serving platter and spoon the shrimp sauce around them.

*You can make these mushrooms ahead of time, store in the refrigerator, and heat them in the oven with the shrimp sauce.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Appetizers / Photo Gallery / Recipes / Side Dish

Flaming Grilled Chourica – Chouriço Bombeiro

Chouriço Bombeiro

This appetizer creates a memorable cooking experience for your guests. The flaming chouriço creates a crispy browned skin and savory flavor. Chourico sausage is cured so don’t worry if think you haven’t cooked it long enough. Chourico sausage is cured so don’t worry if think you haven’t cooked it long enough. Serve with fresh crusty bread.

Recipe Ingredients:

1    Whole Linquica or Chourica Sausage

2 – 4 oz Whole grain – Alcohol (Preferably Portuguese)

1 Cooking Vessel – Assa Chourica Cookware

Long fireplace matches

Instructions:

Wash and dry the Chourica with paper towels. Place 2 oz of Alcohol in the bottom of the dish.

Make a few cuts into the top of the Chourica and place on cooking dish.

Light a match and slowly light the alcohol.

Let the flames cook the Chourica until crispy. *Caution* Do not touch flames

Turn the Chourica over to cook the other side if desired.

If the flames die out before the Chourica is cooked, start the process over!

Remove the Chourica onto a serving plate and serve in slices.

Serve with Portuguese bread such as Papo Seco, Caseiro, or Milho!

Enjoy!

Flaming chourico image credit: golisbon.com

Appetizers / Holiday Recipes / Main Dish / Photo Gallery / Recipes / Side Dish

Rose’s Stuffed Cabbage – Golumpki

It’s become a tradition of mine to make Polish Golumpki every September during the harvest season in New England.

Visiting the local farm stands you’ll find large cabbage heads selling at ridiculous low prices ranging from .99 cents to $1.49 each.

This recipe is adapted from my sister Rose’s recipe who got her recipe from her Polish Mother in Law!

Rose is the designated Golumpki maker for every family party and there is never enough!

Every time I make these I think of a nick name;  PortaPole (Being of Portuguese and Polish decent)!

I hope I have a pot big enough to cook this cabbage head that I bought at my local farmers market!

Enjoy!

Stuffed Cabbage

Makes: 18- 20 rolls

Ingredients:

1 large head of cabbage

2 lbs of ground turkey or lean ground beef

1 large onion finely chopped

2 tbsp of olive oil

4 cups of cooked rice (room temp or cold)

1 stick of margarine

3 eggs

1 tsp of salt

1 tsp of pepper

1 chicken bouillon  cube

1 tsp garlic powder

1 Jar of marinara sauce or (* 1 can of Tomato soup)

1 cup of water

1 small onion sliced

Directions:

Heat oven to 350°. Core the end of the cabbage but keep it a whole head, and boil for about 10 minutes (or until leaves are soft) in a large pot of water.

Remove from the water, drain and let the cabbage cool on a large tray.

Saute the diced onion in a small skillet in the olive oil and 1/2 if the stick of margarine on medium-low heat.

Add the chicken bouillon cube do dissolve it and set the onion mixture aside to cool.

In a large bowl, combine the rice, eggs, ground meat, onion and spices and mix well to incorporate all the ingredients as you would a meatloaf.

Pull the leaves of the cabbage apart. *Slowly and try not to tear them. With a small carving knife, remove the thick rib part from the leaves.

Coat the bottom of a large deep dish baking pan or lasagna dish with 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce.

Fill each cabbage leaf with about 1/2 cup of equal portions, roll each leaf like a wrap and slowly place them in the baking pan.

Slice the remaining cabbage into shreds.

Saute the small sliced onion and the shredded cabbage in a skillet with a couple of tbsp of the margarine until the onion is translucent.

Pour the cooked onion and cabbage over the rolls filling in the sides and open spaces.

Add the 1 cup of water to the remaining marinara sauce and pour it over the cabbage rolls and into the sides.

Shake the pan to incorporate the sauce evenly.

Dot the top of the cabbage rolls with the remaining margarine.

Cover with foil and cook for 1 – 1/2 to 2 hours or longer until the cabbage is tender. *Test by piercing with a fork.

Remove from oven and let the rolls sit for at least 15 minutes before serving.

You can freeze the rolls covered in any type of tomato sauce in a plastic food safe container.

Defrost them overnight in refrigerator and heat in the oven or microwave.

Serve with Rye bread or Pao caseiro. Enjoy!

 

Appetizers / Photo Gallery / Recipes / Side Dish

Broccolli Rabe with Presunto

Grellos (Broccoli Rabe) with Presunto

Ingredients:

1 bunch of fresh Broccoli Rabe

1/4 cup of minced onion

3 slices of chopped presunto

1/4 cup of Olive oil

Instructions:

In a large pan bring water to a boil. Add the Broccoli Rabe and cook for about 5 minutes. Take out the Broccoli Rabe and strain in colander to remove excess water.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute the onions and Presunto until crispy. Add the Broccoli Rabe and continue sauteing for about 5 – 10 minutes until the Broccoli is tender.

Drizzle some olive oil over the top when ready to serve. Enjoy!

 

 

Appetizers / Holiday Recipes / Photo Gallery / Recipes / Side Dish

Octopus Salad – Salada de Polvo

Many of you may of never eaten Octopus, but believe me it’s delicious! I find the taste similar to lobster but the meat is a bit chewier. This recipe is very easy to prepare and deliciously different than anything you’ve ever tasted!

Don’t let it’s appearance scare you away! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

3 cups chopped cooked octopus

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1/2 small chopped onion

2 cloves very finely chopped garlic

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup Olive Oil

1/4 cup White Wine Vinegar

Instructions:

Place all ingredients in a bowl. Mix together. Let sit for at least 15 minutes to marinate. Serve or store in refrigerator until the next day. (Best if eaten within 24 hours)

Appetizers / Holiday Recipes / Photo Gallery / Recipes / Side Dish

Bacon Wrapped Scallops

 

Bacon Wrapped Scallops

Ingredients:

8 large fresh Sea Scallops

4 slices of thick cut bacon

Instructions:

Slice bacon strips in half and cook in a dry skillet on medium until slightly browned.

Wrap each piece around the scallop and secure with a toothpick.

Cook at 350 for about 10-15 minutes. *Do not overcook or they will become dry and spongy

Appetizers / Main Dish / Photo Gallery / Recipes / Side Dish

Skinny – Big Meatballs

Big……..A$$……I mean the meatballs of course!…This recipe’s name is a family – running joke every time I make them!

These meatballs are low in fat since they’re made with Turkey and a small amount of cheese instead of ground beef.

Sometimes cooking meatballs is a chore because they stick to the pan, burn, or are under cooked, but you’ll love this cooking technique.

They’re baked in your oven, not on the stove top, like the conventional way so they come out moist and juicy!

They’re perfect for a lazy Sunday, or a company diner because you can make them ahead of time, store them in the refrigerator and continue the cooking process one hour before your ready to serve your meal.

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

Meatballs

  • 3 lbs ground Turkey
  • 3/4 cup Italian Bread Crumbs
  • 1 slice wheat bread (shred with a cheese shredder)
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp dried oregeno
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 3 tbsp any tomato sauce
  • 1/4 cup shredded Pecorino cheese
  • 1/2 cup olive oil

RECIPE TIP: Never buy pre- shredded Parmesan or Pecorino cheese in the cans. Go to the cheese section at your grocery store and buy it by the whole chunk and keep it wrapped in your refrigerator. It’s much cheaper and much fresher because you can shred it as you need.

Sauce ingredients:

  • 2  28 oz cans of crushed tomatoes (preferably with basil or garlic)
  • 1 medium chopped onion
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp dried Oregano
  • 1 tsp dried Basil
  • 1/2 cup Shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 tsp sugar (optional)

Instructions:

Saute 1 onion in 1/4 cup of the Olive Oil until golden in a small skillet and set aside to cool. Meanwhile, place all the meatball ingredients in a large bowl.

I use a cheese crater to shred the slice of bread but you can dice it into very small cubes. (Using fresh bread crumbs makes the meatballs moister). Mix all ingredients until all incorporated but not too mushy. Form the meatballs using the insides of your palms to size between golf balls and baseballs.

Brown the meatballs in the remaining Olive Oil in large skillet until golden brown.

Place the meatballs in a large deep dish baking pan. Add all of the sauce ingredients except the cheese to the meatball pan. Stir the sauce to mix all the ingredients well. Top the meatballs with the cheese.

Cover with foil leaving a small opening for steam to escape and let them cook at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes depending on the size of the meatballs. *Note: After 30 minutes remove from oven and stir the sauce well.

Return to oven and let cook for another 15-30 minutes. *Note: Take one meatball out of the oven after 45 minutes and check to see if it’s cooked through. Let them rest in the pan for about 5-10 minutes so the sauce thickens.

P.S. They’re even better the next day so make a double batch!

 

Appetizers / Holiday Recipes / Main Dish / Photo Gallery / Recipes / Side Dish

Tia Maria’s Shrimp & Pork Dumplings

Shrimp & Pork Dumplings!

This is an easy recipe for all your parties! You will never order dumplings out again once you try this easy recipe! I made about 48 dumplings with this recipe using Nasoya wrappers but you can use any brand you want.

You can find them in the fresh produce section of your market. I made 2 batches for a party and they were the first to go! Normally when you order these out, you’d pay $5.95 for 6.  I spent about $12.00 for 48.

I always make it an Asian theme dinner so I make Won Ton Soup and Egg Rolls too! Find the recipes here.

 

Ingredients

1 package won ton wrappers (48)

12 oz raw ground pork

8 oz (about 15 medium 20 small) finely chopped raw shrimp

4 oz finely chopped water chestnuts (rinse & drain can)

1/4 cup finely chopped celery

3 finely chopped scallions

2  tsp sesame oil

2 tsp soy sauce

4  tsp corn starch

Instructions:

Mix all ingredients except wrappers and 1 tablespoon of scallions in a small bowl until all incorporated. Place 1 teaspoon of filling in center of each wrapper.

Moisten the edges with water and fold over to form a triangle. Pinch firmly to seal edges. Adjust filling accordingly by adding more or less filling. Set the dumplings aside until ready to cook.

In a medium skillet, heat vegetable oil to medium – high heat.  Place about 12 dumplings at time in the oil and let them brown for about 3 minutes, turning them over as needed. Reduce heat if you notice the dumplings are browning too dark.

Set the dumplings aside onto a platter until they are all browned. Add 1/2 cup water to the skillet and let it come to a boil.

Add 12 dumplings at a time back into the skillet, reduce heat to medium, cover and let them cook for about 5 minutes or until cooked through.

Add more water if needed. Test one to see if it’s cooked through.  Don’t let them over cook because the dough will become mushy and fall apart.

You can make these ahead of time to serve later, but let them cool and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Reheat by browning them in a greased skillet on low heat, or in your oven.

Serve with Soy Sauce topped with chopped scallions. Enjoy the Party!

Appetizers / Holiday Recipes / Photo Gallery / Recipes / Side Dish

The Ultimate User’s Guide to Portuguese Cheese by Catavino

Part 1: The Ultimate User’s Guide to Portuguese Cheese | Catavino. July 20, 2009 | by Andrea Smith

Part 2. The Ultimate Guide to Portuguese Cheese/Catavino July 20, 2009 | by Andrea Smith

Part 3. The Ultimate Guide to Portuguese Cheese/Catavino July 20, 2009 | by Andrea Smith

Hi Everyone. I found a great blog to share with you. Catavino, is a wine blog run by husband wife team Ryan and Gabriella,who moved to Spain in 2004. “ Gabriella and Ryan combine their deep knowledge of Iberian wines and digital culture to develop a unique perspective on the wine industry.” (Catavino.net)

This amazing article written by one the blog’s writer’s Andrea Smith goes into detail about 15 Portuguese Cheeses given the designation: Denominação de Origem Protegida (DOP) – Protected Designation of Origin (PDO.  The article has three parts so be sure to click on each of the links above.


“Andrea Smith moved to Campo de Ourique, Lisbon, in early 2008 with a dream to work and learn more about Portuguese wine. Born in Northern Virginia in 1983, Andrea’s Italian family taught her the importance of pairing fresh food with great wine, eventually motivating her to graduate from the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), where she earned an Associates and Bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts and Business Management, as well as her Introductory Certificate from the Court of Master Sommeliers in 2004. Andrea plans to use her love of culture, gastronomy and language to research the hidden recipes and wines of Portugal.” ( Catavino.net – http://catavino.net/part-1-the-ultimate-user%E2%80%99s-guide-to-portuguese-cheese/)

“Based in Barcelona, Spain, the two have founded Catavino, a comprehensive educational website covering Spanish and Portuguese wine through Iberian food, culture and travel. After years of exploring the Peninsula, they discovered that wine was the life blood and the common bond that unites this exceptionally diverse peninsula. And by sharing the stories that enhance, encompass and explain wine’s intricate relationship within the culture, we might better understand meaning and history of Spanish and Portuguese wine itself. However, Catavino wouldn’t be possible without our talented and passionate team of correspondent writers located across the globe in 5 different countries. Without their vast and profound knowledge of Iberian wine, food and culture, our content would lack significantly in both breadth and richness. If you are passionate about Iberian food, wine or culture and would like to become a correspondent writer for Catavino, please contact us.

In the past 6 years, Catavino has grown immensely, allowing us to not only expand our website to include Iberian wine content as it relates to food and culture, but also enhance the wine blogging community as a whole by committing our time to equally important side projects, such as:

Vrazon, our wine marketing and conversation agency. With our partner, Robert McIntosh, we’re finding ways to build “social” into the wine world through our events, blogs, podcasts, client projects, speaking engagements, workshops and consultancy. Under the Vrazon banner, you can join the conversation in 5 distinct ways: Wine Conversation (our blog), European Wine Bloggers Conference, Born Digital Wine Awards, Access Zone and Wineblogger. (Catavino.net –  http://catavino.net/about-us/)