Category: Recipes

Recipes

Alfama Restaurant – Portuguese Flavor in Midtown Manhattan

ALFAMA restaurant brings Portuguese flavor to midtown Manhattan with a modern twist on the classics. The restaurant derives it’s name from Alfama , the oldest district in the capital city of Lisbon, Portugal, whose quaint neighborhoods have inspired poets, novelists and most notably the famous, yet melancholy Fado songs that are known so well throughout the world.

The West village in NYC, often referred to as  “Little Bohemia” has also inspired many writers, poets and artists. These two neighborhoods have very distinct similarities, but who would have known that they would also inspire the name of a restaurant owned by two men who were born in different continents.

Tarcísio Costa is from Brazil but his great grandparents were from Leiria Portugal. Miguel Jerónimo is from Lisbon, Portugal. They met in 1993 while working at the United Nations in New York City. The two friends soon discovered they shared a mutual passion for Portuguese cuisine and thus began their journey to bring those authentic culinary flavors New York City.  Ten years ago, they opened their restaurant in the bohemian neighborhood of the West Village naming it Alfama, due to the similarities of the two neighborhoods.

“When Alfama was in the West Village, it was a very popular restaurant. It had a clientele of people from all over the country, including some celebrities; (Al Pacino, Harvey Keitel, JK Rowling (author of Harry Potter), Connie Nilesen, Nora Jones, Vanessa Williams, Kate Winslet, among others. Cesária Évora once had dinner there and fado singer Mariza performed three times at Alfama. As a matter of fact, she had two parties there to launch her CDs – Fado Curvo and Concerto em Lisboa.  It was great publicity and extremely important, especially in a city like New York, which has more than twenty thousand restaurants. It is important to maintain a continuous flow of communication with the press and also with our customers.” said Tarcisio in a recent interview.

This May, Alfama re-opened to a new location in Midtown-East in an elegant and modern but relaxing atmosphere at 214 East 52nd Street. The restaurant’s new menu takes on a fresh approach to the Portuguese classics with the talents of Executive Chef Fransisco Rosa, who comes from the “School of Hospitality and Tourism of Coimbra”. The chef puts a modern twist on the classic Portuguese cuisine inspired by the former colonies such as Brazil, Goa and Southern Africa.

“Our clientele is made up of diplomats and UN officials, due to the restaurant’s proximity to the United Nations headquarters, and several executives who work in U.S. corporations with offices in Midtown East. But we also have many Luso-Americans who visit us from California and New England (Maine, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut) and Brazilians living in New York or just visiting New York”, says Tarcisio.



The restaurant has recently received rave reviews in the New York press including this current article from October 4, 2011 in Forbes by Larry Olmsted, titled; New York’s Best Portuguese Restaurant is Back!  In an article from a Portuguese website; Restaurant Alfama, um cantinho Portuguese nos EUA by Elisabete Maia,  gives a detailed and interesting interview with Tarcisio.
Alfama offers a taste tempting Diner menu, but you can stop by on any weekday and enjoy a delicious Lunch menu with classics such as;  Pastéis de Bacalhao – (Cod fish cakes with black olive tapenade), Polvo  – (Grilled octopus, fingerling potatoes, crispy pork belly, leeks, shallots, roasted garlic and olive oil), Chouriço Flambeado , and the popular Bife a Pedra – (8- oz. organic filet mignon with a fresh garlic crust, stone-grilled at the table, Portuguese potato chips and mixed greens)

Brunch is served on Saturday & Sunday from 12-4 with traditional breakfast favorites such as pancakes, fresh pastries, omelets, and sandwiches, all with a Portuguese twist. Authentic Breads and Pastries such as Broa, Pão Milho and Pão de Deus are baked by Chef Rosa, and now sold at the restaurant to the delight of their customers. See how you can win a $50 Lunch Gift Certificate at the end of this article.

Following in the tradition of the many famous Fado houses in Lisbon, Alfama has FADO NIGHTS @ ALFAMA where you can experience the underground Fado Taverna. This month of October the featured Fado singer will be Luisa Rocha.

So the next time you’re longing for a taste of Portugal,  or the earthy and soulful sound of a Fado, stop by Alfama where you’ll be instantly transported to Lisbon, Portugal.

Alfama is giving away a $50 Lunch for 2 – Gift Certificate. Leave a comment to this post during the month of October 2011 for you chance to win! Good Luck..Tia Maria…

UPDATE: Contest ended on October 31, 2011

Lucky winner for this drawing: RDaCosta

(random drawing using Random.org)

Thanks for entering! Look for more contests soon!

 

Alfama Restaurant

Authentic flavors of Portugal

214 East 52nd Street, between 2nd and 3rd avenues

New York, NY 10022

Tel: 212-759-5552

www.alfamanyc.com

Follow them on Facebook and Twitter!


 

 

 

 

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…

 

 

 

Recipes

Renowned Chefs From Portugal Ritz Carlton Westchester NY

Chef Anthony Goncalves, Executive Chef of 42 The Restaurant/Bellota at the Ritz Carlton Westchester NY will welcome five renowned chefs from Portugal at his restaurants this fall where they will prepare a joint menu. The first of the five chefs scheduled will be Chef Luis Americo.

Luís Américo – Executive Chef at A Mesa Porto, Portugal

Luis Americo -introduction-to-portuguese-cuisine


October 19th – 7:00 PM – $150 per person

Reservations:

42/Bellota (914) 761-4242

1 Renaissance Square White Plains, NY 10601

8 COURSE MENU with WINE PAIRINGS

• Prato a confeccionar pelo  Chefe Luís Américo
-Cold Tomato Soup
Snow Crab Bread Stew & Fresh Oyster

• Prato a confeccionar pelo  Chefe Anthony Gonçalves
-Venison Carpaccio
Pickled Pio Pino Mushrooms, Pine Nuts, Smoked Chevre
Encapsulation, Boysenberry, Sorrel

• Prato a confeccionar pelo – Chefe Luís Américo
-Roasted Black Cod
Octopus Leg Confit wrapped with Bellota Iberian Ham,
Cararamelized Onion Purée, Mint-Rocket Risotto

• Prato a confeccionar pelo Chefe Anthony Gonçalves
-Squid
Farinheira Stuffed, White Bean Purée, Jamon Crisp, Sea Lettuce

• Prato a confeccionar pelo Chefe Luís Américo
-Leiton
Confit & Roasted Suckling Pig, Green Asparagus Scrambled Eggs,
Angel Hair Potatoes

• Prato a confeccionar pelo Chefe Anthony Gonçalves
-Arroz de Pato
Crispy Duck Breast, Confit, Barley, Lemon, Chouriço,
Cranberry Mostarda, Pickled Butternut Squash

• Prato a confeccionar pelo Chefe Luís Américo
-Pumpkin ‘Petit-Gateaux’
Toasted Almonds, Honey, Ricotta Cheese

• Prato a confeccionar pelo Chefe Anthony Gonçalves
-Carrot Cake Sticky Toffee Pudding
Powdered Cream Cheese Ice Cream, Carrot Shards

 

The remaining chefs will also be preparing a special menu with Chef Goncalves but specific dates and menus are yet to be determined.

November 14-25

 

José Avillez – Michelin Star Chef – formerly of Tavares Restaurant – Lisbon, Portugal – Soon to open his new restaurant-  Restaurante-Belcanto – Lisbon, Portugal

 


Henrique Sá Pessoa – Executive Chef –   Alma, Lisbon, Portugal –  RTP cooking site –  www.ingredientesecreto.tv


 

Marco Gomes Executive Chef – Foz Velha, Porto, Portugal –  web- chefmarcogomes.com

 

 

Jerónimo Ferreira – Executive Chef –  Sheraton Porto Hotel & Spa, Porto, Portugal

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

Photo Gallery / Recipes

Aldea Restaurant-The Art of Summer- NY Times

Dinner Theater Performed Backstage, in the Kitchen – NYTimes.com.

 

The Art of Summer is where the New York Times critics write about their everyday experiences. In this article, NY Times critic CHARLES ISHERWOOD, takes us along with him on a night out at Aldea Restaurant, where he sits at the Chef’s table which sits directly in front of the Kitchen and enjoys what he calls Dinner Theater performed by Chef George Mendes. Watch this video where you can see Chef Mendes and his crew perform.

 

 

 

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.

Recipes

Maria Dias: From food lover to successful entrepreneur – People | Portuguese American Journal

Dear Readers,

This post is express my thanks to the Editor, Carolina Matos, and Guest Editor, Miquel Carvalho of the PORTUGUESE AMERICAN JOURNAL for the great article about me which was posted in the journal on July 30th.

The Portuguese-American Journal (PAJ) is an online interactive publication dedicated to the Portuguese-American heritage with the purpose of informing and offering an insight into the Portuguese-American experience. New material is added to the PAJ daily. I encourage all of you to visit the site for resourceful information with updates on Arts & Culture, Business, Community, Education, Entertainment, Life Style, Politics, Portugal, Sports, and World News.

Please share this informational and free, online resource with other members of the Portuguese American Community who share in our commitment of keeping our culture and traditions alive in America and throughout the world.

Maria Dias: From food lover to successful entrepreneur – People | Portuguese American Journal.

Cook Books / Recipes

Eat Portugal | The essential guide to Portuguese eating

Eat Portugal | The essential guide to Portuguese eating.

http://www.portugaldailyview.com/01-whats-new/eat-portugal-a-guide

New Cook book; The Essential Guide to Portuguese Food, by Lucy Pepper and Célia Pedroso, offers 52 recipes and is a glossary and a dictionary.

“Lucy Pepper is a British illustrator and writer who has lived in Portugal since 1999 with her Portuguese family. Her first cookery book, O Livro das Receitas Nojentas, a children”s book full of nasty looking things to eat, was published in 2006. Eat Portugal”

“Célia Pedroso is a Portuguese journalist specializing in travel and lifestyle. Her work appears in Metro International and Portuguese magazine Visão Vida & Viagens.In 2010, she co-authored the biography of Portuguese politician, Adelino Amaro da Costa. Eat Portugal”

This cook book is now available in printed form in Portuguese Book Shops, or as an ebook from Mediabooks. Pick up a copy as a gift to yourself or a fellow “Portuguese Foodie” if you plan to visit Portugal this year

Watch this video as the author talks about her favorite Portuguese foods.
http://www.portugaldailyview.com/01-whats-new/eat-portugal-a-guide

Following is the post from: Eat Portugal

Posted on July 5, 2011.”Eat Portugal/The essential guide to Portuguese eating”

Sit down to eat with the Portuguese and before pudding has arrived, they will be discussing the next meal, their favourite restaurant, or where to find the best cured sausages.

Come to Portugal on holiday, however, and you may miss out on all the really interesting food that they”re talking about.

Deciding what to eat can be quite tough if you don”t speak the language.
It”s often easier to plump for the simple option of something grilled than risk trying something else that might turn out to be some bit of offal you really can”t stomach.

With the help of Eat Portugal, you can dare to be bold and be surprised by Portuguese cuisine.

Lucy Pepper and Célia Pedroso have put together an essential guide book for you, with a selection of simple recipes, an extensive dictionary (English-Portuguese & Portuguese-English), a glossary and some other useful information for your trip to Portugal and help you to eat well.
Portuguese cookery is strongly rooted in peasant cookery; simple ingredients and simple recipes that make the most of produce in season and that which is preservable through the winter. Being a cuisine of the countryside and the sea, it has been passed down through the centuries by word of mouth and it is hard to find two recipes alike, even for the simplest dishes. A comprehensive and definitive encyclopedia of Portuguese cookery would be enormous and probably impossible, not because Portuguese cookery is so vast and complex – it isn’t – but because everyone has a different, strongly-held opinion about how dishes are cooked. Each region has its own set of recipes, delicacies and traditions that the others don’t even know about. There are cakes that have different names in different places and petiscos with the same name but different ingredients, depending on what city you are in. You’ll start to notice that if you cross the country from North to the South or fly to the islands.

Recipes

Gorreana Tea Europe’s oldest tea since 1883

 

Gorreana Coupon | Exclusively on Azores Nation | European Fair Trade Tea.

Hi everyone. Did you know that Europe’s oldest tea company is in the Azores? I love tea! So when I received the email introducing me to the Gorreana Tea Co., I instantly knew that I had to share it. The teas are exotic and organic using no pesticides. Once available only in Europe now you can buy them online to be shipped to the US. (See shipping details below). I already on my Christmas list this year. If you have someone on your Christmas list that you have a hard time finding a special gift for because they have everything, the teas are the perfect gift!

“Originally only available to Europe’s elite, this rare tea has more recently only been available in specialty import shops at a limited number of locations outside of Europe. Finally, after five generations of continuous operation this Azorean family owned and operated tea plantation on Sao Miguel has their line of fair trade single estate teas available for shipment direct to tea drinkers around the globe.”

Gorreana Tea recognized internationally as “Cha Gorreana” is Europe’s oldest tea company. Family owned and operated since 1883, when Ermelinda Gago Da Camara and her son Jose-Honorato opened the factory selling the first production of teas grown under the Gorreana name.

Gorreana’s teas have remained a staple in European pantries for over a century. Grown in the lush emerald green hills of the Gorreana estate without the use of herbicides, pesticides or fungicides you can rest assured that only the finest fresh picked and packaged tea leaves makes its way to your cup of tea each and every time!


In 2010, Bertha Meireles-Hintze matriarch of the Gorreana tea estate was honored in Sao Miguel with the “Medal of Merit” for her business tenacity, and role in keeping the prestigious tea company a Portuguese family owned company. While celebrating Gorreana’s rich history of 125 years of tea producing in Portugal!

Visited by tens of thousands annually, Gorreana’s boutique factory and museum located in the county of Ribiera Grande is the perfect place to enjoy a cup of fresh picked tea while admiring the original ‘Marshalls’ machinery that dates back to the 1840’s. The scent of fresh flowers alongside sweeping ocean views takes you back to old Europe.

Current owners Hermano Mota and wife Margarida Hintze-Mota take pride in knowing that the same method of production has been in use at Gorreana since it’s founding in 1883. So enjoy a cup of Gorreana’s single estate teas today and taste 5 generations in the making! “Azores Nation”

Quote from website: “Gorreana’s boutique tea estate, we are pleased to now offer our exotic organic teas from Europe’s oldest tea gardens. There’s a reason why we have remained the oldest tea estate in Europe! Our teas do not compare in taste and quality to other teas you may find-since we are the standard for all other fine teas.

Family owned and operated since 1883 our teas range in variety and taste and can be enjoyed by the most discerning tea connoisseurs to first time tea drinkers. So treat yourself to a cup of fresh, spring picked -Portuguese grown teas, 5 generations in the making!

Shipping & Delivery Details…

At this time, Gorreana Tea ships tea to locations within the United States and U.S. territories, including Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the US Virgin Islands. Additionally, Gorreana Tea ships tea to Canada. The risk of loss and title for all merchandise ordered on this Web site pass to you when the merchandise is delivered to the shipping carrier.

Recipes

Chef Rui Correia Douro Restaurant

As you have read in my past posts, Portuguese chefs are becoming rising stars in the culinary world. Portuguese Chef Rui Correia is one of them. His dreams of opening his own restaurant was fulfilled in 2009 when he opened Douro Restaurant in Greenwich Ct.

“DOURO features a combination of traditional Portuguese dishes with a modern twist and Mediterranean dishes infused with Portuguese flavors”. The restaurant was recently featured in an article for ctbites.com: Douro: Portugese-Mediterranean in Greenwich – CT Bites – Restaurants, Recipes, Food, Fairfield County, CT

This past May, 2011 Rui became a chef instructor at The Clarke Culinary Center in Stamford, Ct

He’s also had guest appearances on The Today Show demonstrating his Pizza and Paelha recipes.

Here 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 on your success Chef Correia!