Photo Gallery – Page 7 – Tia Maria's Blog

chicken / Main Dish / Photo Gallery / Recipes

October 20, 2016

Portuguese Roast Chicken – Frango Assado a Portuguesa

Pure Portuguese comfort food! Look at that color!

Bring a taste of Portugal into kitchen table with one of the most popular dishes in Portuguese cooking. It will bring back sweet memories of your Avo’s, mae’s or pai’s home cooking.

The secret to getting this dark crispy look in your baked is to cook it at a higher 400 degrees F. for about 1-2 hours depending on the size of your chicken.

I love a crispy skin and a well done chicken that’s why I get this dark crispy look. Use a meat thermometer if you’re not sure on cooking time. Chicken should reach at least 190 degrees when done. The onions and carrots will also get a beautiful color and delicious caramelized taste! Be sure to double the recipe and you’ll have leftovers for the next day.

Ingredients:

1 or 2 (3-4 pound) roasting chickens

2 to 3 tbsp TASTE PORTUGAL SEASONING per chicken (use regular or spicy seasoning for piri piri style)

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp white wine

1 large onion (chopped)

1 pound chopped carrots or baby carrots (optional)

Preparation:

Wash chicken and pat dry. Make a rub with seasoning, oil and winem Let sit overnight in the refrigerator or at least 1-2 hours to marinate.

When ready to cook, remove chicken from the refrigerator and let sit for about 15 minutes to reach room temperature. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Grease a large roasting pan with olive oil and add the chopped onions and carrots. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables. Cook for 2 hours until the chicken is crispy and golden brown. Half hour into cooking, shake pan and stir the vegetables.

Photo Gallery / Traditional customs

October 13, 2016

How to roast “Castanhas” – Chestnuts

How to roast chestnuts:

1. Using sharp knife, make an incision about 1/8-inch deep through the top of chestnut.

2. After slitting place the chestnuts on roasting pan and roast them 400 degrees for about 20 – 30 minutes. To check for doneness, squeeze one holding a dish towel and it should be soft.

Note: Optional – Portuguese custom is to sprinkle the chestnuts with salt before roasting for a salty kick.

3. Place a damp towel over the chestnuts to retain the heat and moisture. While they are still hot and cool enough to handle squeeze them gently with a towel to peel the shell and then remove the inner skin.

Appetizers / fish / Holiday Recipes / Main Dish / Photo Gallery / Recipes / shrimp

October 12, 2016

Mariscada – Portuguese Shellfish Stew

Mariscada

This is my family’s favorite seafood dish which I learned from a Portuguese chef many years ago. I make it for Christmas Eve dinner every year. The combination of ingredients and spices blend perfectly with the fresh seafood and creates a rich flavorful broth. The seafood will pair perfectly with Portuguese rice.

This recipe is the main dish image page in my; Taste Portugal | 101 easy Portuguese recipes cookbook.

Recipe #47 ————– PORTUGUESE SHELLFISH STEW

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

1 whole uncooked lobster (chopped into quarters)

1 pound raw, peeled and de-veined Shrimp

1 pound little mussels or little neck clams (washed)

½ pound scallops

½ pound of squid (cut into rings) (optional)

1 small onion (finely chopped)

2 cloves garlic (minced)

¼ cup olive oil

1 cup Vinho Verde or white wine

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon paprika

1 cup chicken broth

2 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (garnish)

Squeeze of lemon juice

Dash of hot sauce (if desired)

Preparation

Saute the onions and garlic in the olive oil in a large heavy skillet on medium heat for one minute. Add lobster, and saute for a few minutes on low heat. Add clams, wine, paprika, salt and pepper, cover and let cook for 5 minutes.

Add the chicken broth, shrimp, squid, and scallops, cover and cook on medium heat for another 5 minutes or until the clams open.

Add butter and continue cooking for another 5 minutes for the butter to thicken the sauce.

Taste for saltiness and add hot sauce or more seasonings if desired.

Add the chopped cilantro and top with a squeeze of lemon juice before serving.

Serve with rice.

Note: You may substitute chicken broth with 1 chicken bouillon cube and 1 cup water.

Photo Gallery / Recipes

September 27, 2016

How to Grow and Dry Lemon Balm (Cidreira)

I also dry my mint and make mint tea. I enjoy mixing both cidreira and mint for wonderful mix of flavor. Follow the same instructions for drying mint as you do the lemon balm.

Buy this beautiful custom Galo de Barcelos Mug at Lisbon Blue shop

Growing your own Lemon Balm tea is easy and you’ll get to enjoy herbal organic tea all year long with these easy steps! This tea is perfect for you to enjoy on a quiet afternoon, a lazy Sunday, when you need a little comfort, or when you have an upset stomach.

“A member of the mint family, lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) (Cidreira in Portuguese), has a lovely lemon flavor and the ability to gently calm the nerves and lift one’s mood. Native to the Mediterranean, lemon balm’s medicinal and culinary use dates back over 2,000 years. Avicenna, the 11th-century Arab physician, wrote that lemon balm “causeth the mind and heart to become merry.” http://www.thekitchn.com

Notice the beautiful Vintage made in Portugal Vista Alegre tea cups that were my mothers.

The final results after they dried in my kitchen for 3 weeks.

I planted in the spring from a small pot which I transplanted into my vegetable garden but you also grow it in a large pot all summer long. They require vertually no maintenance except watering which makes this so easy to grow.
How to dry the lemon balm leaves for tea:

Once the stems grow to about 1 foot in height and before they start to sprout seedlings trim the plant at the stem bottoms. Place in a bowl of very cold water and rinse 2 or 3 times to wash thoroughly.

Place leaves in a salad spinner or shake off the excess water gently not to break leaves. Place on paper towels to absorb water and turn them over. Replace the paper towels until all the moister is absorbed from the leaves. Let dry for a few hours or overnight on the paper towels.

Grab each piece gently by each stem and create a bunch tied with food safe twine or string. Hang in your kitchen or in a cool dark place for 2-3 weeks until the leaves are completely dry.

When leaves are dry break of the leaves and place into a food safe mason jar, a clean jar from your pantry or a food safe tin for storage. Close the lids tightly. You can place the leaves in zip lock bag but the leaves may break easily, that’s why I prefer a jar. The tea will store until the next summer when you’re ready to make a fresh new batch.

Make Lemon Balm tea by boiling about 2 tablespoons of the leaves in 2 cups water for about 3 minutes and let seep on low heat for another 5 minutes. The longer it seeps the deeper the flavor. However don’t took too long since the tea will get bitter. You can adjust the boil time to your preference.

Appetizers / Photo Gallery / Recipes / Side Dish

September 21, 2016

Fried Green Tomatoes

It’s September, and I still have tomatoes in my garden. They won’t be growing anymore and are slowly ripening on the vines. I decided to harvest them all and just let them ripen in my kitchen.

I made fried green tomatoes for the first time and my family loved them. Not sure if you’ve ever tried them, but they taste a little bit like sour pickles. So if you like fried pickles. you’ll love these.

They are really meaty with very little seeds.

Ingredients:

4 green tomatoes (cut into 1/2 inch slices)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

2 eggs (beaten)

1/2 cup milk

1 cup flour

1/2 cup flavored bread crumbs

1/2 cup corn meal (finely ground)

oil for frying

Preparation:

Season the tomatoes with salt, pepper, and paprika, dredge in flour and set aside. Beat the egg and milk in a small bowl. Mix the corn mean with the bread crumbs in a separate bowl.

Coat the slices in the egg and milk mix, and then dredge in the breadcrumbs.

Heat oil and test by dipping a tip of one tomato slice into oil. If the oil sizzles, the oil is ready. Fry tomatoes turning over on each side as they cook to a golden brown.

Place on paper towels to absorb grease.

What a beautiful color!

Main Dish / Photo Gallery / Recipes

September 21, 2016

Portuguese Papo Seco Stuffed Pork Chops

I never through out my day old Papo Secos (Portuguese rolls) because they are perfect for making stuffing like this one for these delicious baked pork chops.

You will never fry pork chops again once you try this recipe because they come out moist and flavorful.

Ingredients:

6 pork chops (1 inch thick)

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons paprika

2 eggs (beaten)

2 cups seasoned bread crumbs

Stuffing

3 Papo Seco rolls (cut into cubes)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

1 small onion (diced)

1 small celery stalk

2 cups chicken broth (or 1 chicken bouillon cube with 2 hot water)

1 tablespoon parsley (chopped)

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 cup cooked corn

Preparation:

Step 1: Cut a slit into each pork chop for stuffing. Season with the spices and set aside while you make the stuffing.

Step 2: Prepare stuffing by sauteing the onion and celery in the butter and oil for about 3 minutes until cooked. Add the bread and the rest of the stuffing ingredients except corn and mix well with a fork until the bread is soft and it has absorbed the broth. Add the corn and mix well. If you find the stuffing too wet add more bread, or add more broth if too dry.

Step 3: Place the beaten eggs and bread crumbs into 2 separate bowls big enough to hold the pork chops for dredging.

Stuff the pork chops with about 2 or 3 tablespoons of stuffing and secure with 2 toothpicks. Coat chops with the egg on both sides, then dredge into the bread crumbs.

Place on greased cooking tray and spray the tops with a coating of cooking spray.

Cook at 350 degrees F for about 45 minutes or until golden brown and temperature reaches 165 degrees. This recipe goes great with my Portuguese tomato rice recipe.

Photo Gallery / Recipes / soup

September 6, 2016

Sopa de FeijãoVerde da Horta – Garden Green Bean Soup

The cool weather is here. Let the soup cooking start. This soup is a bowl of healthy eating. Just serve with some crusty bread and dinner is served!

Ingredients:

2 pounds garden green beans (cut into 1 inch pieces)

2 large carrots (chopped)

1 large carrot (sliced)

1 large onion (minced)

1 clove garlic (minced)

1 large chopped tomato (seeded and skinned)

2 cups elbow macaroni (uncooked)

4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

4 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 bay leaf

2 large sprigs parsley (chopped)

1/4 cup olive oil

Preparation:

Saute onions, garlic and bay leaf in olive oil for few minutes. Add the tomato and chopped carrots and cook for about 3 minutes stirring often.

Add the all of the remaining ingredients except pasta sliced carrots and parsley. Bring to a boil and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the macaroni and sliced carrots and cook on medium for about 15 – 20 minutes until pasta is cooked.

Taste the soup for saltiness and add more if desired. Take soup off heat and let it sit to thicken. Add more broth if you like your soup thinner. Garnish with parsley and a little drizzle of olive oil.

Photo Gallery / Recipes / Sauces and Jams / Side Dish

September 6, 2016

Cebolada – Onion Sauce

This Cebolada (Onion Sauce) is great to put on steak, pork chops or as a base for baking fish. I like to make large batch and freeze into portions for later use.

To defrost simply leave the sauce defrosting overnight in the refrigerator or heat on low heat in a heavy saucepan.

Ingredients:

3 – 4 pounds ripe tomatoes (skinned, and partially seeded)

3 large onions (sliced)

1 large red bell peppers (sliced) optional

5 cloves garlic (minced)

2 large sprigs parsley (chopped)

1/2 cup white wine

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 cup olive oil

1 chicken or vegetable bouillon cube

Preparation:

Saute the onions, peppers and garlic in olive oil until translucent. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook on low medium heat for about 20 -30 minutes stirring often.

The sauce will thicken as it cooks. Taste for saltiness and add more to your taste. If you like the sauce thicker, simply add a tablespoon of tomato paste to thicken and let cook for a few minutes longer.

Let sauce cool and place into portions in freezer safe Tupperware or plastic. Store in freezer for a later use.

Appetizers / Photo Gallery / Recipes / Side Dish

September 6, 2016

Peixinhos da Horta – (Little Fish from the Garden)) Tempura Fried Green Beans

Did you know that the cooking method used in Japanese cooking “tempura” was taught to the Japanese by the Portuguese Explorers? So the next time you order anything tempura at a restaurant you can thank your Portuguese ancestors.

Peixinhos da Horta means fish from the garden because these lightly tempura fried green beans resemble small fried fish. I grow my own Portuguese heirloom green beans in my garden, but you can substitute the recipe with any green beans. I took this picture below of one from my garden which measured 11 inches long. As you can see, the green beans resemble Italian flat green beans.

The beans are silky and nutty flavored which are perfect for soups, salads and as add ins to stir fry, rice and pasta dishes as well.

Ingredients:

2 pounds green beans

1 and 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup beer or seltzer soda

Oil for frying

Preparation:

Cut of stems and wash the green beans and cook for about 3-5 minutes until tender. Drain put aside and let dry. (Note: I cut my green beans in half since they were long and wide, but it’s up to your taste.)

Meanwhile, mix all of the ingredients except green beans and mix to form a slightly thick pancake like batter. Let the batter sit for a few minutes to thicken. If you find the batter is too thick add more liquid.

Heat the oil on medium high heat. Dredge the green beans in the batter. Test the oil for readiness by dipping a green bean into the oil. If the batter sizzles, the oil is ready.

Begin frying each green bean by shaking off excess batter and dip into the hot oil one by one. Flip the beans onto the other side as they become golden. Drain on paper towels. Watch this video: for frying technique.

Appetizers / Photo Gallery / Recipes / Sauces and Jams

September 6, 2016

Sun Dried Tomatoes in Portuguese Olive Oil

I had a very bountiful tomato harvest this year so I had to use the tomatoes in many different recipes. These sun dried tomatoes came out perfect! This was the first time I made the recipe and I was pleasantly surprised at the results. These tomatoes last up to 1 – 2 months in the refrigerator and are great on pizza, bruschetta, served on toast or crackers as appetizers, as a garnish or as an add on to sauces and soups!

Ingredients:

Ripe tomatoes (3 pounds or more)

(small red tomatoes sliced in half and seeded, or thin sliced larger tomatoes mostly seeds removed)

Sea Salt

Portuguese Virgin Olive Oil (2 cups or more)

Garlic (about 8 cloves or more)

Basil (optional)

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Place the tomatoes slices and haves on lightly greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with a little drizzle of olive oil and salt.

Cook for about 6-10 hours depending on how much moisture your tomatoes have. Check after the 6 hours to see it they are dried.

While the tomatoes dry, mix 1 cup olive oil with the garlic and cook on low heat for about 5 minutes or until the oil is infused with the garlic and let cool. Chop basil if desired and add to the olive oil and garlic blend.

When tomatoes are done, let cool and mix in the olive oil blend. Place the tomatoes into very clean mason jars or clean lidded jars. Add more olive oil to cover and store in the refrigerator.

They’ll stay edible for up 1 month in the oil. Check for signs of mold or a rancid smell before using them. If you find mold discard them.

If you find the oil has thickened and turned a whitish color, just remove your desired amount of tomatoes and let the oil reach room temperature for about 30 minutes. It will thin out.