Category: Main Dish

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Chef Rui Correia on “The Today Show”

 

Chef Rui Correia, chef/owner of Douro Restaurant in Greenwich Ct. made his Portuguese version of a croquet monsieur sandwich, “Francesinha”, on the “Today Show” Monday February 20th, 2012.

Francesinha (meaning Little Frenchie or simply Frenchie in Portuguese) is a Portuguese sandwich originally from Porto, made with bread, wet-cured ham, linguiça, fresh sausage like chipolata, steak or roast meat and covered with molten cheese and a hot thick tomato and beer sauce served with french fries.

It is said that the Francesinha was an invention in the 1960s. Daniel da Silva, a returned emigrant from France and Belgium, tried to adapt the croque-monsieur to Portuguese taste. Other versions date the Francesinha to the 19th century. It is a very popular dish in Porto and is connotated with the city, although it can be sometimes found elsewhere in Portugal. It is often a ritual meal for some that will eat it once a week or whenever they get together with friends before or after attending a football match from a local team (FC Porto, Boavista, Salgueiros, …) A classic francesinha meal would include the sandwich, surrounded on a bed of chips doused in the famous sauce, and complimented with a fino (literally meaning thin) draught beer. Locals will have their favorite restaurant with the best Francesinha in town, typically arguing about the quality of the sauce (a secret recipe that varies by restaurant) and the quality of the meats..(Wikipedia)

 

 

Chef Rui has had may guest appearances on The Today Show demonstrating his Pizza and Paelha recipes.

Here’s his bio from the restaurants website:

“Chef Correia was born in Porto, Portugal, a coastal city on the banks of the Douro River. Rui was raised in restaurants working with his grandfather at his restaurant in Gaia, Portugal. This is where his interest in the culinary arts started brewing, but the passion didn’t hit him until he moved to America.

Rui first attended Concordia University on a soccer scholarship, within a years time he decided to follow his passion of cooking. He left Concordia to attend the New York Restaurant School, in New York City. His studies and talent led him to some of the best kitchens in New York. Rui went to work for Bobby Flay at Mesa Grill Restaurant, then to acclaimed restauranteur Danny Meyer at Union Square Cafe.

Rui returned home to Westchester, and joined Palmer’s in Bronxville, New York as Executive Chef. Rui assisted in the opening of Palmer’s second restaurant in New York City called Washington Place, in the West Village. After traveling between both restaurants Rui decided to take the leap and open his own place, Cafe Porto.

Cafe Porto opened in 1999 and was located in Yonkers, New York, Rui brought a combination of his talent and what he learned years ago in Portugal with his grandfather. After five years of having Cafe Porto, Rui sold his business in 2004 to become the Executive Chef at Oporto Restaurant in Hartsdale, New York. During the five years Rui was at Oporto he always had dreams of getting back to his own kitchen and restaurant. In 2009 thats just what he did, in opening DOURO.”

R C

Congratulations Chef Correia!

 

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

Olive Oil Herb Dip

Extra Virgin Olive Oil Herb Dip | My Baking Addiction

Hi Everyone! Found this great recipe that I have to share with you from; mybakingaddiction.com.

perfect for serving with Portuguese Home Style Bread. Yum!

Extra Virgin Olive Oil Herb Dip

by Jamie on November 3, 2011

Extra Virgin Olive Oil Herb Dip

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes

A copycat of Carrabba’s Italian Butter made with a blend of herbs, garlic, and olive oil.

Ingredients:

1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon basil
1/4 teaspoon rosemary
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (or according to your taste)
freshly ground black pepper
1 pinch red pepper flakes
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, mix together the dry spices. Add crushed garlic, stirring to combine and moisten the herbs.

2. Transfer herb mixture to a small dish or bowl. Pour olive oil over herb mixture.

3. Serve with fresh bread.

Notes:

– Feel free to use fresh or dried herbs.

– For the recipe above, I used all dry herbs with the exception of the rosemary.

My Baking Addiction adapted from food.com

 

 

Appetizers / Holiday Recipes / Main Dish / Photo Gallery / Portuguese Christmas / Recipes / Traditional customs / Video Collection

Mariscada – Portuguese Seafood With Rice


Chef Luisa Fernandes sent me the following recipe to share with you.

Mariscada is an Atlantic Seafood inspiration based on rice and very popular along coastal Portugal.

The dish often has lobster, shrimp, clams, mussels, as well as cuttlefish and is seasoned with olive oil, sea salt, pepper and Portuguese paprika.

Chef Luisa is a very accomplished chef with an extensive resume. Currently she is the Executive Chef at Robert Restaurant. MOD Museum, NYC.

She has appeared on Chopped, The Food Network where she was crowned a Champion.

Read more about Chef Luisa here: tiamariasblog.com/chef-luisa-fernandes/

” I think that the victory is not mine, but all of ours, because I’m Portuguese and proud when people recognize our cuisine. That’s why I will never enter another contest unless I can cook the cuisine from our country” said Luisa, in an interview for ComunidadesUSA.

One year later, on September 14, 2010 she returned as one of the four contestants of Chopped Champions.

Watch Chef Luisa on Chopped

 

Mariscada - Portuguese Seafood With Rice
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Print
Mariscada is an Atlantic Seafood inspiration based on rice and very popular along coastal Portugal. The dish often has lobster, shrimp, clams, mussels, as well as cuttlefish and is seasoned with olive oil, sea salt, pepper and Portuguese paprika.
Ingredients
  • 3 ripe tomatoes
  • 2 cloves of minced garlic
  • 1 branch of Coriander leaves (finely chopped)
  • 2 sliced onions
  • ½ cup of oil
  • ½ cup of white wine
  • 1 chopped bell pepper
  • 8 clams – medium
  • 12 mussels
  • 4 squid (cut in pieces)
  • 2 lobster tails
  • 12 large shrimps with heads
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • salt, pepper, paprika
Instructions
  1. Put the olive oil in a saucepan and arrange the tomatoes, onions and peppers in layers.
  2. Add ½ of the chopped coriander, ½ cup of white wine , a little of Portuguese paprika and salt to taste.
  3. Cover the pan over medium heat until it starts to boil. At that time, add the clams and allow to cook for five minutes.
  4. Then add the lobster tails, shrimp and mussels. Increase heat slowly so that it does not retain a lot of liquid.
  5. Let the clams and mussels open and uncover the pan. Keep checking the heat for another 10 minutes or until everything is cooked.
  6. Add the other half of chopped coriander on top and the juice of a lemon. Serve with white rice.
  7. Note: Recipe was one of the dishes that Chef Luisa prepared for her casting at Chopped.

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

Chourica or Sausage Bread With Caramelized Onions and Peppers!

This bread is simply amazing and it will be one of favorite party foods! It’s savory, a little spicy and the crust is golden and crispy. You can use hot or mild sausage depending on your taste. You can also use Portuguese chourica or linguica. Pick up ready made pizza dough at your local supermarket or make it from scratch.

Ingredients:

2 pounds Hot Italian Sausage, Sweet Sausage or Chourico

2 large onions (sliced)

1 Roasted Red pepper (sliced)

2 pounds pizza dough

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 8 0z package of your favorite shredded cheese

Grated Parmesan cheese

Marinara Sauce (optional)

Instructions:

Put your pizza dough in a large bowl and let it rise for about 1/2 to 1 hour.

In a large skillet on high heat, add the sausages and 1 cup of water.  Bring to a boil piercing sausages as they cook until all of the water evaporates.

Turn heat to low and continue cooking sausages until they brown a little.  (Drain off fat if needed).

Add onions and peppers to the sausages and cook for about 5 minutes. Remove the sausages, slice and return them to the pan.

Cook for another few minutes until the onions are golden caramel colored. Add oregano and seasonings, stir and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile roll out the pizza dough to desired length for flat bread or you can make 1 large or 2 medium size breads.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Spread the sausage and onions mixture evenly over the dough. Add cheeses.

Cook for about 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Note: Flat breads will take less time to cook, approximately 15 minutes.

Serve with or without Marina Sauce for dipping.

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

Pasteis de Carne – Savory Beef Puff Pastry Pockets

dsc05907 dsc05906Pasteis de Carne

Pasteis de Carne are savory meat pies made with puff pastry dough that are perfect for parties, tailgating or anytime! This recipe is so easy to make, that it will be one of your favorites for entertaining.  I buy my puff pastry sheets at my local Portuguese bakery, but you can also use Pepperidge Farm puff pastry sheets.

These meat puffs freeze well so you can make them ahead of time but of course they’re best eaten freshly cooked. Store in refrigerator for up to 3 days.

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

2 sheets Puff Pastry squares ( I use Pepperidge Farm)

1 lb ground beef

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 clove chopped garlic

1 tsp chopped parsley

salt and Pepper

1 chicken boullion cube

1/4 cup shredded cheese (optional)

1 egg and 1 tsp water (beat together for egg wash)

Instructions:

In a large skillet, cook meat until browned.  Remove from pan, drain and set aside. In same skillet add unions, boullion and garlic and cook until golden brown.  Add onion mix to meat and let cool.

Place meat mixture in food processor and pulse 5 times or until the meat is of a fine consistency. Add parsley and cheese and pulse 2 times.

Roll out dough and cut into 3″ x 6″ rectangle. Place 1 tablespoon meat in center of rectangle. Fold over one side onto the other to create a square pinching edges. *Freeze any leftover meat in a plastic bag and the pastry in a separate bag for next time.

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Cover 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  Place puffs onto the paper and brush with a light egg wash.

Cook in preheated oven at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown. *Every oven has different heat temperature watch the pies.

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Serve warm or at room temperature.

Freeze or store in refrigerator 3 days after cooking. Enjoy!

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Main Dish / Photo Gallery / Recipes / Soups

Broccoli & Cauliflower Corn Chowder

 

Here’s my recipe for Broccoli & Cauliflower Corn Chowder featured in Western Mass Women’s Magazine January 2011 issue.

By Maria Dias, Contributing Writer

whats_cooking_maria_dias_headshot

 

Happy New Year Everyone!
Let’s start off 2012, with healthy chowder for your family’s diet which will keep them warm during the cold winter months. This soup is loaded with iron, calcium and vitamins. I used low fat milk to reduce calories, but you can use regular milk if you prefer. Enjoy!

Serve with my Corn Muffins recipe on this blog…..Stay warm and start cooking!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Holiday Recipes / Main Dish / Recipes / Side Dish

Pear Pecan Salad with Queijo Fresco and Balsamic Vinaigrette

Happy New Year everyone!

Like most of you, I indulged this past holiday season. Now it’s time to start the new year with a healthy recipe for my favorite salad. It’s a very easy recipe, yet it’s very elegant and it will make you feel like you’ve ordered it at a fine dining restaurant.

I used Portuguese Queijo Fresco, but you can substitute with farmers cheese which is also about 60 calories per ounce. I prefer a lightly dressed salad but you can double the recipe if you prefer more dressing.

You’ll find that I used mustard in the dressing but don’t be afraid to use it. The mustard actually cuts the tartness in the vinegar. This dressing will store nicely in the refrigerator for up to 3 days so don’t worry if you make too much of it. However don’t make the salad until a few hours before serving. Store it in the refrigerator to retain it’s freshness.  (Note: This salad goes well with a light Raspberry Vinaigrette if you prefer.)  Enjoy!

 

 

Ingredients:

4 cups Spring mix salad

1/2 cup candied or regular pecans (or walnuts)

1 whole sliced ripe pear

4  oz Queijo Fresco or Farmers cheese in cubes

 

Balsamic Dressing:

4 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp Olive Oil

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 small (crushed) clove garlic

1/8 tsp yellow mustard

 

Preparation:

Prepare dressing by mixing all ingredients in a small cup and mix well. Taste and add more salt or pepper if desired. Set aside until you are ready to serve salad.

Wash and then dry salad by absorbing moisture with a paper towel and place in large salad bowl.

Add the pear, pecans and cheese. Add dressing and toss lightly.

 

 

 

 

Desserts / Holiday Recipes / Main Dish / Photo Gallery / Recipes / Side Dish / Soups / Traditional customs

Portugal’s Seven Favorite Dishes

These famous Portuguese foods are the winners of the online voting contest.   

7 Maravilhas da Gastronomia (7 Wonders of Gastronomy). The winners were announced in September.

Click on the links below each photo to find the location in Portugal from where the dish is famous! If you can’t read Portuguese just paste the pages URL’s  onto Google Translate.

My favorite is “Seafood Rice” and “Queijo Serra da Estrela” What’s your favorite?

 

 

 

Appetizer Category: Caldo Verde – (Collard Green With Potato Puree)

Entry from: Douro e Minho Region

 

Appetizer Category: Alheira de Mirandela – (Chicken & Bread Sausage)

 Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro – Mirandela

 

 

 

Appetizer Category: Queijo Serra da Estrela – (Sheeps Milk Cheese)

Beira Litoral / Beira Interior – Serra da Estrela

 

Seafood Category: Arroz de Marisco – (Seafood Rice)

Estremadura e Ribatejo – Praia de Viera – Marinha Grande

 

 

Fish Category: Sardinha Assada – (Grilled Sardines)

Lisboa e Setúbal – Setúbal

Meat Category: Leitão da Bairrada – (Roast Sucking Pig)

Beira Litoral – Bairrada

 

 

Dessert Category: Pastel de Belem – (Custard Tart)

Lisboa e Setúbal – Lisboa

Holiday Recipes / Main Dish / Photo Gallery / Recipes

Carne de Porco à Alentejana

“Carne Alentejana is just like JELLO” my husband tells me;

“There’s always room for Carne Alentejana!” 🙂

Carne de Porco à Alentejana is one of the most traditional Portuguese dishes found on the menus of Portuguese restaurants through out the world.  The dishes name, “Alentejana” meas that the dish comes from the Alentejo region of Portugal.

The origin of its name, “Além-Tejo”, literally translates to “Beyond the Tagus” or “Across the Tagus”. The region is separated from the rest of Portugal by the Tagus river, and extends to the south where it borders the Algarve region.

The name Carne de Porco Alentejana was to distinguish that the pork used in the dish is from that region of the country which produces the Black Iberian Pig. The meat from the Iberian pig has a higher fat content which produces a more tender and flavorful meat.

 

Ingredients:

2 lbs pork loin (cut into 2 in cubes)

1 small onion chopped

2 cloves chopped garlic

1 teaspoon red pepper paste

1 – 1 /2 teaspoon Sea Salt

1/4 cup olive oil

1 bay leaf

1 cup white wine or Vinho Verde

1 tablespoon  smoked paprika

2 teaspoons Piri Piri or Tabasco hot sauce

4 cups raw potatoes cut into 2 inch cubes

2 lbs small fresh little neck clams

1/2 cup pickled vegetables (Gardeneira)

1 chicken boullion cube

Chopped Cilantro for garnish (if desired)

Olives for garnish

Oil for frying

 

Instructions:

In a large bowl, season pork with; salt, garlic, bay leaf, paprika, cumin, red pepper, and 1/2 cup of the wine.

Stir well and let the meat marinate for at least 2 hours or leave overnight.

Before you begin cooking the pork, fry potatoes in hot oil until golden brown, season with sea salt and set aside.

Place clams in a bowl with cold water and 1 tsp sea salt. Let them sit for about 1/2 -1 hour in refrigerator so they let the sandiness out of them.

Preheat large skillet or wok on high heat with 1/4 cup olive oil and add onions.

Cook for about 1 minute then add the drained, marinaded pork mixture, (save the liquid). Let meat brown on all sides and cook for about 5 minutes.

Rinse and dry clams and add to the pork with 1/2 cup of wine, bouillon  and the leftover marinade. (Add more wine if desired to make more sauce)

Cover and cook on med heat until the clams open.

Taste the pork and add more salt or Tabasco sauce if desired. Add the potatoes into the pork and stir gently.  Add pickled vegetables, olives and  chopped cilantro for garnish if desired.

Here’s a great video that shows you the classic step by step recipe that is similar to mine.

 

 

Enjoy! Tia Maria…

 

 

 

Cook Books / Desserts / Holiday Recipes / Main Dish / Photo Gallery / Recipes / Side Dish

Ana Patuleia Ortins – Portuguese Homestyle Cooking

Cook book author Ana Patuleia Ortins begins her cook book’s website; Portuguese Homestyle Cooking with a welcoming phrase; “Welcome to the flavors of Portuguese Homestyle Cooking. Traditional Portuguese recipes combine a blend of flavors and techniques of many other cultures dating back centuries. My book, Portuguese Homestyle Cooking, gives an overview of centuries old cultural influences on Portugal’s cuisine.”

When I asked the Author how she was influenced and why she decided to write a Portuguese cook book she responded;

“Like most Portuguese girls, growing up in America, I grew up with a vast influence of Portuguese culture from my family and other Portuguese friends. I had to learn to sew, crochet, cook and clean, etc, etc, etc. Eventually I became a medical secretary, and while raising a family decided to follow my passion and went to culinary school.
The biggest influence for the cook book was my father’s passion for our traditional recipes. I realized when my father passed away that I needed to record these favorites for my children or the real versions, as we knew them would be lost. After the urging of one of my brothers, what was to be a book for my children, became the idea to make a community book which then went on to be what it is today.”

Her original book was first published in 2008, but a new edition with a beautiful new cover was just released in 2011. The book has received great  Reviews including the following in the Boston Globe.

 
Portuguese Homestyle Cooking by Ana Patuleia Ortins


 

“Startlingly delicious…superb…Ortin’s meticulously assembled collection should be widely welcomed…liberally interspersed with words of wisdom from her ‘Pai’ and classic tidbits of folklore…extremely thorough, addressing not only mainland cooking but Portuguese-American variations and the distinctive styles of the Azores islands…Though often built from just a few ingredients, Ortin’s recipes usually yield spectacular results…. Longer more complicated recipes are just as rewarding.”
–The Boston Globe

Ana has many favorite Portuguese dishes. “I love Pork with Clams, made in the real Alentejo style with massa de pimentão (red pepper paste). I also love Bacalhau com Natas, – but I could go on forever.” She says.
Although Ana hasn’t been to Portugal in a few years, she longs to take a trip back to visit to her homeland along her family and her husband who is also Portuguese and from Graciosa, in the Azores.

You may contact the Author on her website with any questions about her recipes.
Free Cook Book Giveaway! … Sign up for Ana’s newsletter this month and just mention ‘Tia Maria’s Blog”. She will give away one cook book to my fans! * (Contest ended Sept 2011)

Thank you, Ana for the great cook book and for the following classic Portuguese barbecue chicken that we all love. This recipe is perfect for “tailgating” and to make “party wings”.

Frango Piri Piri – From Portuguese Homestyle Cooking (2008)

Variations of this dish abound, from the simple basting of hot sauce while grilling to the addition of other seasoning including whiskey and a mayonnaide type coating. Mine is a simple one that I have made for years. I hope you like it. You can use small fryer chickens but I find cornish hens are really tasty for this dish. the sweet paprika is a counterpoint to the hot chili. With a lighter hand with the spices, use the seasonings to flavor shrimp and the grill for Camarao Pir Piri.

Serves 2-4

1 tablespoon coarse kosher or sea salt

4 cloves garlic, halved

1 tablespoon sweet paprika

2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro or parsley

1/4 teaspoon ground black or white pepper

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 to 3/4 cup olive oil as needed

1/4 cup hot chili sauce (malequeta moida) or 1/2 cup bottled hot sauce

1. Toss the salt into a mortar and using the pestle crush the garlic into the salt forming a paste. Grind in the paprika, follow by the cilantro or parsley and the ground pepper. Mix in the wine vinegar. Drizzle in enough olive oil to make a mushy spreadable paste. Stir in the hot sauce of your choice.

2. Cut the cornish hens from the stem to stern, down the belly to open them up. Turn them over and cut along the back bone so that you cut each chicken in half. You also can just leave them butterflied. Place them in a non-reactive pan. Coat them with the garlic seasoning sauce and turn to evenly season them. Cover the dish and chill over night turning occasionally and at least once before retiring for the night.

3. Bring them to room temperature about 1/2 hour before cooking. Drain and reserve the marinade, you will need it for basting.

4. Place skin side up on the hot grill, basting and grilling for about 15 minutes. Turn the birds over, skin side down, and continue to grill for another 15 minutes. Stop basting about 2 minutes before the birds are done so that any raw marinade applied will have time to cook. If using a thermometer, the internal Temperature of the thick part of the thigh should be 165 degrees F. In any event, when cooking chicken, the juices should be clear. Serve with a bottle of hot sauce on the side for extra dousing. Serve with Sauteed Broccoli Rabe or turnip greens and fried potatoes.