Photo Gallery – Page 17 – Tia Maria's Blog

January 22, 2015

Sopa de Feijão com Presunto – White Bean Pasta Soup with Ham

I made this soup with my leftover ham bone that I had frozen from Christmas. I always save any leftover ham for making soup, because it creates a rich flavorful broth, but you can substitute the bone with any meat bone, ham or even chicken. Making soup is pretty easy and allows you to be creative using your favorite vegetables and spices. In this recipe you can also substitute the white beans for any beans as well. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 Ham bone, or a small piece (1/2 pound of presunto cured pork)

6 cups of water

2 cups chicken broth

2 carrots (diced)

1 can or 2 cups of cooked cannelloni beans

1/2 pound of elbow pasta

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 small onion (diced)

2 cloves garlic (diced)

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon salt

Black pepper to taste

2 cups any green cabbage (rinsed and finely chopped)

Instructions:

In a large soup pan, saute the onion for about 1 minute. Add the ham bone, bay leaf, and garlic and saute for a few more minutes.

Add the water, broth and seasonings. Simmer for about 45 minutes. Add the carrots, beans, pasta and cabbage and cook for about 15 minutes.

Taste the soup for saltiness. If you find the soup too salty add more water. If you prefer a thicker broth, smash half of the beans with a fork and let the soup cook for a few minutes to thicken. Remove from heat and let sit until ready to serve. The soup will thicken the longer it sits.

When ready to serve, shred the ham or presunto into small pieces and place into the bowls.

fish / Main Dish / Photo Gallery / Recipes

January 22, 2015

Bacalhau no Forno com Migas – Oven Backed Salt Cod with Migas

Bacalhau no forno com migas. (Oven backed salt cod with migas)

Guest Post by: Nelson De Sousa

In Danbury Connecticutt there is a great Portuguese Restaurant called “The Atlantic”. I ate there on a recent business trip and had the “Bacalhau a Lagareiro”. The chef there prepares this cod dish in by caramelizing the onions and garlic in olive oil in a pan before pouring it over the grilled codfish. I decided to adapt this recipe for home preparation on a weeknight.

“Bacalhau a Lagareiro” is typically grilled over a charcoal fire which is not so time friendly for a weekday night and obviously not weather friendly for those in northern climates in the winter…hence my adaptation for weeknight preparation no matter what the weather is. I am also not a big fan of potatoes…I love them fried but hate them boiled or baked so I decided to pair this dish with Migas which is a stir fry of sorts made with broccoli rabe, Portuguese corn bread, black eyed peas and pine nuts.

Easy to make on weeknight…in fact I made this in under 1 hour!

Ingredients:
3 to 4 salted cod pieces (previously soaked in daily rinses of fresh water for 3-5 days)
2 onions
13 garlic cloves
2 bunches broccoli rabe chopped
2 cans black eyed peas
1 loaf Portuguese corn bread
Portuguese Olive Oil
Portuguese Olives
Pine nuts (optional)

Instructions:

Boil Cod Fish but don’t overcook it you just want to blanch it. Remove and let drain.

Caramelize 2 onions cut into wedges and like 10 whole gain cloves in Portuguese Olive oil. You want brown not burnt.

Set cod in a Pyrex baking dish and cover with olive oil, onions and garlic. Bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile sauté 3 whole garlic cloves on olive oil until brown but not burnt. Remove garlic cloves then add the inside (not the crust) of Portuguese corn bread. You want to rip the bread by hand into the finest pieces you can.Let the bread fry for 5 minutes then add chopped broccoli rabe. Cover and let cook until broccoli rabe is wilted and cooked.

Add canned black eyed peas and pine nuts and a little of the water from the black eyed peas can. Stir and cover for 5 minutes on low to medium heat. Garnish cod with Portuguese olives.

chicken / Main Dish / Photo Gallery

January 21, 2015

Galinha a Caçador – Chicken Cacciatore

I make this dish very often because it’s simple to prepare and it cooks in one deep skillet on the stove top. The chicken comes out moist, flavorful and practically falling off the bone. Serve over pasta, potatoes or white rice.

One 4 pound chicken cut into eight pieces or 8 drumsticks and thighs (remove skin if desired)

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion (diced)

2 cloves of garlic (finely minced)

1 cup Vinho Verde or Dry white wine

2 cups water

1 chicken bouillon cube

1/2 red bell pepper (chopped into small pieces)

2 small carrots (cut into small chunks)

1 can or 2 cups of chopped tomatoes

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons parsley (chopped)

2 tablespoons basil (chopped)

1 pound any favorite pasta

Instructions:

Season the chicken with salt, pepper and garlic powder and let marinade for 20 minutes.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and add the chicken letting it brown for a few minutes on both sides until a golden color.

Add the wine and let it come to a boil for one minute. Add the water, and the remaining ingredients.

Stir, cover and let simmer on medium heat for about 1 hour stirring once in a while.

Cook pasta during the last 15 minutes of chicken cooking time.

Serve the chicken over the pasta and enjoy!

Photo Gallery / Soups

January 16, 2015

Kale with Meatball and Orzo Soup

You’ll love how easy this soup is to make. Use my recipe for turkey meatballs or use your favorite. It’s a hearty and healthy soup that your family will enjoy all winter long. Serve the soup with crusty garlic bread.

Ingredients:

12 or more small meatballs made with (1/2 turkey meatball recipe)

3 carrots (sliced thin)

3/4 cup Orzo pasta

1 small bunch Kale (finely chopped)

4 cups chicken broth

4 cups water

1 small onion (chopped)

1 stalk celery (chopped)

2 cloves garlic (chopped)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup canned crushed tomatoes with Italian seasonings

Shredded Parmesan or Pecorino cheese

Preparation:

Saute the onion, celery, garlic and carrots in olive oil for a few minutes until onion is translucent.

Add the broth, water, seasonings and tomato and bring to a simmering boil.

Add the kale and orzo and cook for about 10 minutes on medium heat.

Add the meatballs and simmer for another 5-10 minutes. Taste the broth and add more salt and pepper if desired.

To serve, place in bowls and top with shredded cheese.

Photo Gallery / Recipes / Traditional customs

January 7, 2015

Bacalhau in Food Predictions for 2015 – Bon Appetit Magazine

Bacalhau listed as one of 13 top World Predictions for 2015 in Bon Appetit Magazine!

The national dish of Portugal, is “bacalhau,” dried, salted cod. The Portuguese have been obsessed with it since the early 16th century, when their fishing boats reached Newfoundland.

The sailors salted and sun-dried their catch to make it last the long journey home, and today there are said to be 365 different ways of preparing it, one for each day of the year.

Search for Bacalhau on the search bar to find many recipes here on this site!

13 Food World Predictions for 2015 From Andrew Knowlton – Bon Appétit.

Photo credit: Bon Appetit Magazine

fish / Main Dish / Photo Gallery / Side Dish

January 6, 2015

Salada de Bacalhau com Feijão Frade – Salt Cod and Black Eyed Pea Salad

This is a perfect dish to prepare for a quick lunch or dinner. Cod is considered on of the world’s healthiest foods with; omega 3 fatty acids, vitamins and it has low calorie protein.

You can serve this dish cold in the summer, or as a hot dish in the colder months. Sometimes I also add 2 boiled potatoes cut into chunks to the recipe to make the dish heartier. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

8 oz Bacalhau (Salt Cod)

1 can black eyed peas (drained and rinsed)

1/2 small onion (finely minced)

2 cloves garlic (finely minced)

2 eggs (hard boiled)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

Chopped parsley (garnish)

2 boiled potatoes (optional)

Instructions:

Cook the cod in boiling water for about 8 minutes until flaky. Drain, let cool, shred into pieces and place in a medium bowl.

Make the vinaigrette by mixing together the onion, garlic, oil, and vinegar.

Add the peas to codfish and mix. Add the vinaigrette and mix gently.

Top with the eggs and parsley. Taste and add salt and pepper if desired.

Note:

If you want to serve this dish hot, heat the peas and add it to the warm cod along with the other ingredients.

Image credit: http://comidasreais.blogspot.com

Desserts / Holiday Recipes / Photo Gallery / Portuguese Christmas / Recipes / Traditional customs

December 30, 2014

Coscorões – Angel Wings Fried Pastry

photo credits: narwencuisine.blogspot.com

Coscorões are fried dough often referred to as Angel wings, and similar to filhos. However, no yeast or other leavening agents are used to make the dough. They are usually made during the Christmas season.

This recipe is from the SaborIntenso.com website which has many Portuguese recipes in video. It’s a good resource for those of you that like to watch the process of cooking recipes. Watch the video below.

Ingredients:

5 cups flour (600 gr flour)
4 eggs
zest of 1 orange
juice of 1 orange
4 tablespoons melted butter (60 gr)
4 tablespoons sugar ( 60 gr)
2 oz. of whiskey (50 ml aguardente)
cinnamon
sugar
pinch of salt
oil for frying

Instructions:

Beat the sugar, eggs and butter. Add the pinch of salt, orange rind, orange juice, aguardente, and the flour and continue beating until the batter is smooth. Cover the bowl and set aside for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, pour the batter onto a very floured counter. Knead the dough with enough flour until the batter is no longer sticky.

Roll out the dough into 3×5 inch rectangles 1/4 inch thick. Make cuts lengthwise in center of the rectangles.

Fry in hot oil until golden brown. Place on paper towels to absorb any grease.

Blend sugar with cinnamin in a bowl and coat each Coscorões.

Photo Gallery / Traditional customs

December 29, 2014

Galo de Barcelos – Portuguese Rooster

The Galo de Barcelos has become the national symbol of Portugal. It symbolizes honesty, integrity, trust and honor, and it is also believed to bring good luck!

The Legend of “O Galo de Barcelos”

The legend has it that a serious crime had been committed in the small town of Barcelos, Portugal. Some believed that on the day of the crime, a Spaniard was passing through Barcelos on a pilgrimage and various circumstances pointed to his guilt. The accused Spaniard proclaimed his innocence, but could not present any proof in his defense. As a result, he was arrested and condemned to be hanged. The poor man continued to plead his innocence to no avail.

As a last request, he asked to be brought before the judge one last time. The judge was in the middle of dinning with his friends and again, in front of everyone, the Spaniard declared his innocence. “There is nothing I can do” replied the judge. The Spaniard, turning to the Saints of his faith looked over at an already roasted chicken that was on a platter about to be served to the judge and his friends, and cried, “As surely as I stand innocent, so will that rooster crow”. Everyone laughed, but then suddenly to everyone’s amazement, just as the man was being escorted to his execution, the roasted chicken turned into a tall standing rooster, and began to crow. The judge immediately permitted the Spaniard to be released and set free.

History and culture:

Since the end of the 19^th Century, the legend of “The Rooster of Barcelos”, also known as “O Galo de Barcelos” in Portuguese, has lasted throughout time and has established itself in the history and culture of Portugal. The legend of “O Galo” is most commonly remembered and represented by a clay art piece that is in the shape of a rooster and colourfully painted (as shown above). The labour of making clay objects is a trade that has been passed down from generation to generation throughout the northern area of Portugal. The connection between the trade of clay making and the legend of “The Rooster” has matured into an extraordinarily strong relationship. In fact, now, the two things often go hand in hand.

It was around the year 1935 that the neighborhood of Galegos Santa Maria, Barcelos experienced the birth and creation of “O Galo de Barcelos”. It is widely known by many of the local inhabitants of the city of Barcelos that, with his hard working hands, his inherited skill, and through the inspiration brought to him by the original legend, Domingos Coto (the maternal grandfather of Eduardo Pereira) created the clay molded art piece.

Since then, this art piece has become a nationally recognized symbolic representation of the legend of “O Galo de Barcelos”. “O Galo” can now be found all over the country in local markets and souvenir shops. The continual existence of “The Rooster of Barcelos”, the art piece made of clay, paint and hard work, can be attributed to the important symbolic significance that the legend still carries in the hearts of the people of Galegos Santa Maria, Barcelos, Portugal. credits: http://www.galogrill.com/Legend

Cook Books / Photo Gallery / Recipes

December 14, 2014

Taste Portugal | 101 easy Portuguese recipes

Introducing!

Taste Portugal | 101 easy Portuguese recipes

What began for my daughter Lisa and I as a challenging labor of love by simply sharing recipes on this Blog, has now transformed into a commitment of preserving the rich Portuguese food culture, promoting the nation’s cuisine, and inspiring people to learn how to cook these recipes so they can pass them on to the next generation.

A heartfelt thank you to all of our fans for your encouragement and support!

Obrigado!

Maria and Lisa

Order print version here!

Download my e cookbook to your computers, laptops, kindle, iPad and iPhone, Android phones and other electronic devices! Order here!

The 101 recipes contained in our cookbook have many recipes from Tia Maria’s Blog along with other classics dishes in Portuguese cuisine. The recipes are easy for the everyday home cook to prepare, they’re made with simple ingredients, and they require basic equipment that most home cooks have in their kitchen.

Recipes include; Soups, Appetizers, Side Dishes, Breads, Main Dishes and Desserts!

Come along, let us show you how to cook 101 easy Portuguese recipes so you can taste Portugal!

Main Dish / Photo Gallery / Recipes / Side Dish

December 8, 2014

Lisa’s Portuguese Pot Roast

My daughter Lisa made Portuguese Pot Roast dinner on Sunday. It came out fabulous! This perfect pot roast is pure comfort food for the cold months. The sauce is so flavorful that you’ll want soak it all up, be sure you have a lot of fresh crusty bread on hand for dipping. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 (4) Pound Pot Roast

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon flour

4 tablespoons olive oil

4 large carrots (cut into chunks)

4 stalks of celery(chopped)

2 onions (chopped)

5 garlic cloves (chopped)

1 can chopped tomatoes

1 and 1/2 cups beef broth

1 chicken bouillon cube

1 cup red wine

2 tablespoons Madeira wine or any Portuguese brandy

1 sprig rosemary

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon basil

1 teaspoon thyme

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Season the beef with salt and pepper, dredge in flour and sear both sides in 2 tablespoons of olive oil in an oven proof dutch oven. Remove meat and set aside.

To the same pan, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, onions, celery, garlic and carrots and let cook for about 5 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, wine and brandy and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the broth, bouillion, remaining herbs and bring to a boil.

Add the meat back into the pan, cover and cook in oven for 2 hours.

Uncover, and cook for another 1 and 1/2 to 2 hours longer until meat is tender and falls apart.

Remove bay leaf and rosemary stem before serving.

Place the potatoes in the oven during the last 1 hour of pot roast cooking.