Category: Side Dish

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!

 

 

Photo Gallery / Recipes / Side Dish / Traditional customs

Portuguese Rice With Green Beans

arroz-de-feijao

 

I make Portuguese rice once a week but I particularly use this recipe every summer during my green bean harvest.

If you’ve ever eaten Heirloom Green Beans you know there is nothing like them since they are tender, sweet, and full of vitamins.

I grow my  Portuguese green beans in my garden every year from bean seeds given to me by my friend who saves her seeds every year.

They are extremely easy to grow and all you need is about 6 plants to give you a pretty good harvest.

The only extra care they need is that need watering every day, and you may have to spray them once or twice to get the garden beetles off them.

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh green beans (use frozen Italian Green Beans if you don’t have fresh)

2 cups long grain rice

1/2 small onion finely chopped

1 small very ripe tomato

2 tbsp of Olive Oil

4 cups of chicken or vegetable stock

1 tsp salt

Instructions:

Saute the onion with the olive oil in a medium heavy saucepan until translucent. Add the tomato and cook for about 1 minute and crush it with your spoon.

Add the water or stock on cook until boiling on medium heat. Add the rice and salt. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.

Uncover the rice, and add the green beans. Stir, cover, and let the rice cook for another 10 minutes on medium.

Stir the rice a few times. If you notice the rice needs water, add only 1/2 cup of boiling water at a time.

*Do not add cold water to rice after it has already cooked.

Enjoy this recipe!

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

Main Dish / Photo Gallery / Recipes / Side Dish

Garlicky Piri Piri Shrimp and Pasta

 

Shrimp is loaded with protein, low in calories and only takes 5 minutes to cook!

This easy recipe takes less than 30 minutes to prepare but tastes like a high end bistro dish. I recommend that you keep a few 1 pound bags of frozen uncooked shrimp for quick meals like this one.

I make this recipe every few weeks and my family never gets tired of it!

Serve this dish with my Foccacia Bread for more Garlicky goodness!

 

Ingredients:

Shrimp Marinade

1 lb Shrimp

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp Garlic powder

1/4 tsp Chili powder

1/2 tsp Piri Piri or Tabasco Sauce

Dash of Vinho Verde or White wine

 

Pasta  Ingredients

1/2 package of Capellini Pasta *Or any you prefer

1/2 tsp salt

3 tbsp olive oil

3 large cloves garlic finely minced

1 tbsp butter or margarine

1 cup of frozen or fresh petite baby peas

1 squirt of lemon juice

2 tsp finely chopped parsley

Pecorino Cheese *optional

Fresh cracked pepper

Instructions:

Place all ingredients for the Shrimp Marinade in a small bowl and let marinate for 5 minutes. * Do not let the shrimp sit too long in the marinate.

Cook pasta in 1/2 tsp of salt and drain. Grill the shrimp on the grill or in a skillet for about 5 minutes or until pink. Set aside.

Place the olive oil, butter, and garlic in a skillet and cook on medium heat until garlic is translucent.

Add the pasta and peas and toss gently. Cook for about 5 minutes on low heat until pasta has absorbed the garlic and oil, and is hot.

Stir in the shrimp. When ready to serve, add parsley and the lemon juice. Top with cracked pepper and Pecorino to taste.

Enjoy!

Garlic, Olive Oil & Rosemary (Alecrim) Foccacia Bread

 

Photo Gallery / Recipes / Side Dish / Soups

Caldo Gallego – Galician Soup


Caldo Gallego is a hearty, nutritious, and inexpensive soup which originated in the western region of Spain which borders Portugal.

In most Spanish speaking countries and in Latin America this soup is a classic but it is just as popular in Portugal.

I hadn’t made this soup in a long time but after eating last week I decided to make it.

Here’s a photo of the lunch I had at Jose Garca’s Amada Restaurant at the Revel in AC,  last week.

Pictured: “Caldo Galego”, Grilled Baby Squid, Batatas Bravas, Grilled Chicken Sandwich

My family lived in Tras os Montes, along the northern border and we could see Spain beyond the horizon.

Spanish Peddlers often traveled through our local towns selling their goods and often stayed at our house which my mother ran as a small bed and breakfast type inn. She made this soup for these guests and for our family.

I was a young girl at that time who hadn’t learned my Geography, that’s why I never knew the true meaning of the world Gallego. I simply thought that it meant vagabond since my mother referred to the peddlers as “Gallegos”.

Through the years my mother learned how to speak Galician Spanish which fascinated me many years later when she watched the Spanish Soap Operas on Uni-vision and understood them perfectly! This map locates languages spoken in Galicia and Portugal.

Photo credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galician-Portuguese

 

Caldo Gallego

Ingredients:

1/2 pound of diced presunto, salt pork or baco

2 large potatoes cut into 1 inch cubes

2 cloves of garlic chopped

1 bay leaf

2 large cans of Great northern or cannelloni Beans (You may also use red beans)

8 cups of water or low sodium chicken broth

1 Ham bone (optional)

1 large onion diced

1 large turnip diced (optional)

1 large sliced chourica or linguica sausage

1 lb chopped collard greens (You may substitute with kale, mustard greens or kale)

2 tbsp olive oil

*Salt only if needed since the presunto has a lot of salt

Directions:

Saute the pork and chourica in the olive oil until slightly crispy then add the onions, garlic and bay leaf. Cook the onions until translucent about 1 or 2 minutes.
Remove the chourica to add later. Add the water or broth, potatoes, turnips, ham bone and the collard greens. (Note * if you use spinach only add it during the last 5 minutes of cooking time.)
Let the soup cook on low for about 1 hour. Add the beans and the Chourica, stir and cook for another 30 minutes on low heat to incorporate all the flavors.
Note*If you prefer a creamy style rather than chunky, cook the potatoes and turnips first before adding the collards.
Add the beans to the potatoes and turnips and puree with an immersion blender.
Add the collards and chourica last and let cook for 30 minutes longer.
Remove the bay leaf and add more olive oil as a garnish before serving.
This soup is even better served the next day! Enjoy!

 Caldo Galego: Photo credit: http://www.casateodora.com/menu/

 

 

 

Main Dish / Photo Gallery / Recipes / Side Dish

Crustless Spinach and Broccoli Quiche

Spinach and brocolli quiche

Crust-less Spinach and Broccoli quiche is an amazing savory dish. This is my go to dish for meatless hearty lunch, but I also prepare it as a side dish.

Did you know that 2 cups of Spinach has only 20 calories and 2 cups of Broccoli has 60?

 

Ingredients:

1 pound package frozen broccoli spears or (1 bunch fresh)

4 cups fresh Baby Spinach (approximate)

1/2 small onion (finely minced)

6 eggs

1 cup whole milk

1 cup shredded cheese

1 tablespoon melted butter or margarine

1/2 teaspoon salt

crushed black pepper

Preparation:

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Steam or cook broccoli in a small amount of water until tender. Drain, chop into small pieces and place in a bowl. Cook spinach in a skillet with butter and cook until slightly wilted. Drain any moister and add to the broccoli. Let mixture cool.

Beat eggs with milk, salt and pepper. Add to the broccoli mix and mix well.

Grease a deep dish souffle pan or baking dish with margarine or cooking spray. Add broccoli mix evenly submerging the mix into eggs. Top with the cheese.

Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes until a tooth pick comes out clean.

Let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

Photo Gallery / Recipes / Side Dish

Portuguese Heirloom Tomato & Chick Pea Salad

 

Tomato season is almost here! If you’re lucky enough to live in a Portuguese community you probably have already tasted Portuguese Heirloom tomatoes. I grew up eating these tomatoes which my parents called “Bull Heart Tomatoes” planted every year in their backyard garden.

Nothing compares to them which of course means, that I have to carry on the tradition with my own family. Here are some photos of my tomato crop.

We’re lucky enough to have a Portuguese neighbor that grows them from seed and sells the plants ready to transplant for a ridiculous price of 3/$1.00!

But don’t worry if you don’t live in a Portuguese community. The tomatoes are very popular now, and there are many online sites that sell the seeds. Visit the links at the bottom of this post for more information.

Here are some popular varieties. Please note that these links are for informational purposes. I can not give warranty to the product or the availability on these websites.

DaCosta’s Portuguese Tomato

A regular leaf plant with high yield of huge ribbed pink beefsteaks that are mostly round, 1 lb+, similar to variety called Joe’s (Portuguese), but with slightly larger and more ribbed fruits. This tomato is not always the delicious tomato you have described though. It tends to mature earlier than the others and is unpredictable in taste. (http://gianttomatoseeds.com/tomato_seeds.html)

Joe’s Portuguese

A regular leaf, large pink fruits 12-16 oz, round ribbed beefsteak shape, good flavor, meaty with few seeds. 80 days, indet., regular leaf, 8-18 oz pink beefsteak fruit, excellent flavor, high yield. http://www.doublehelixfarms.com/joes-portuguese

Michael’s Portuguese Monster


Growing up to 4.5 pounds, you’ll have to put this next one on a full size platter:regular leaf, very large fruits to 3 lbs, original seed said to have come from 4.5 lb fruit, from M. Johnson, Loule Market, northern Portugal 2006.

 

 

Neves Azorean Red

Tony Neves and his family immigrated from the Portuguese island of the Azores and settled in the Boston area. The family brought with them their prized family heirloom tomato seeds. (http://www.tomatogrowers.com/NEVES-AZOREAN-RED/productinfo/4484/)

 

Gran’s Portuguese Neighbour

The most widely grown heart shaped tomatoes in Portugal. They grow medium to large pink blunt heart shaped fruits, excellent flavor. It typically weighs under one pound. From wikipedia: regular leaf, high yield of medium size pink hearts with blunt end, some fruits are slightly ribbed, excellent balanced tomato flavor, do not let it get overripe as the fruit quality quickly deteriorates; very few seeds, especially in early fruits, 6-12 oz.

 

Portuguese Heirloom Tomato and Chick Pea Salad

Ingredients:

1 can Chick Peas

2 large Portuguese tomatoes (or any meaty variety)

1/2 small red onion thinly sliced

2 tbsp chopped olives

Salt

Pepper

1 – 2 tbsp Olive oil

1 – 2 tbsp Wine Vinegar

2 tbsp chopped parsley

Crumbled Blue Cheese, Gorgonzola, farmers cheese

Suggestion: You may also add; chopped hard boiled eggs or canned tuna for a different Portuguese flavor!

Instructions:

Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve. Enjoy!

 

Credits:

http://t.tatianastomatobase.com:88/wiki/Category:Portuguese_Tomatoes

http://gianttomatoseeds.wordpress.com/2012/12/06/portuguese_monster/

http://www.heritageharvestseed.com/tomatoespq.html

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/157975/

http://www.doublehelixfarms.com/joes-portuguese

 

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

Arroz de Camarao – Portuguese Shrimp and Rice

I love shrimp! This is one of my favorites! It’s is a perfect dish because of it’s versatility. It’s easy to prepare for a quick diner and good enough to serve for your guests for a special occasion. Enjoy!

 

Serves 6-10

Ingredients:

1 small chopped onion

3 tbsp olive oil

3 tablespoons red bell pepper (finely minced) optional

2 cups long grain rice *preferably Uncle Bens or Carolina brand 

3to4 cups boiling water (3 if you like a dryer rice)

1 chicken bouillon cube

2 to 3  teaspoons salt

1 cup frozen sweet peas (this is optional)

1 to 2 pounds medium raw, peeled and deveined shrimp

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 cup white wine or vinho verde

pinch of salt

Preparation:

In a heavy medium pan, saute 1/2 of the onion (and red peppers) in 2 tbsp of the olive oil until translucent on med high heat for 2 minutes. Add the rice and paprika and stir fry it for about 1 minute to coat with the olive oil.

Slowly add the boiling water.

When the rice comes to a boil, cover and reduce heat to medium. Cook for 15 minutes stirring only once or twice. * I like a firm rice so I only cook it for 15 minutes and then take it off the heat. Cook longer if you prefer. Leave the rice covered to keep it warm until you add the shrimp.(*instructions below)

Shrimp Preparation:

* I like to cook my shrimp separate since I think sauteing it with the seasonings and wine gives it more flavor.  

In a small skillet on high, saute the remaining onion in 1 tbsp olive oil until translucent. Add the shrimp and cook for about 1 minute or until the shrimp turns golden. Add the paprika. pinch of salt and wine, and let cook for a few minutes longer until pink. 

*Optional: At this point stir in the frozen peas and cook for a few minutes.  Cover and set aside until the rice is done.

Add the shrimp to the rice, stir gently. Sprinkle on some fresh minced parsley for presentation. Enjoy!

 

Photo Gallery / Recipes / Side Dish

Garlic, Olive Oil & Rosemary (Alecrim) Foccacia Bread

Making this flat bread took me back to my family’s hometown. Travassos, is a small village in Tras os Montes, Portugal near the city of Montalegre.

The bread for whole village was made in a communal oven shared by all. One local man, was in charge of preparing the wood fired oven twice a week. On those days, each family including our own, would bring their dough to bake their bread early in the morning.

The bread, called a “Bica” was simply made with flour, water, yeast and salt, sifted and mixed with the old traditional, wooden Peneira (flour sifter), and Maceira (dough mixer).

The next time you pass by a Panera Bread restaurant, you’ll know how it got it’s name. Panera is a flour sifter…Peneira in Portuguese!

This recipe uses garlic and rosemary, but you can adapt it by adding your favorite toppings such as pesto, sun dried tomatoes, olives, etc.

Ingredients:


5 1/2 cups flour

1 3/4 cups warm water

1/4 cup olive oil

1 package of yeast

1 tbsp salt

1 tbsp sugar

Toppings:

2 cloves garlic

1/4 cup olive oil

Rosemary

Sea Salt

Instructions:

Step 1

Place yeast warm water, salt & sugar in a small bowl. Stir well and let sit for about 10 minutes until bubbles form.

Step 2

Place flour n a large mixing bowl. Add olive oil, and the yeast mixture in the center of the flour and mix with dough hooks.

Mix until a round ball forms. * You may need to add a few sprinkles of flour if the dough is too sticky.

Remove from bowl and knead for 5-10 minutes until a smooth ball forms. Place in floured bowl, cover with plastic and a towel and set in a warm place for 1 hour or until the dough has doubled.

Mix the olive and garlic in a small bowl and set aside until the dough has risen.

When your dough is ready, brush a large baking sheet with some of the olive oil from the small bowl with garlic. (use olive oil only)

Spread the dough on the sheets. Use your fingers to spread the dough and make indentations to form crevasses.

Set the dough aside in a warm place for about 1 hour until it has doubled.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

When the dough has risen the second time, brush with the remaining olive oil and garlic, add rosemary and sea salt.* Add more or less to your desired taste. * At this point you can add sun dried tomatoes, pesto, olives, etc.

Cook for 20-25 minutes or until light golden brown.

Serve hot or cool and store for the next day!

Great for your Sardine cook outs this summer !