Tia Maria's Blog Blog

Main Dish / Photo Gallery

Bacalhau de Trás-os-Montes by Oceana Restaurant NYC

To showcase the incredible versatility of Portuguese wines with food, Wines of Portugal is launching an exciting new culinary-focused program in the United States this April. The program, known as “10 Chefs / 10 Wineries,” will match ten Portuguese wineries with ten of America’s top chefs, culminating in an online cooking series and limited edition printed recipe guide that will be available to trade, press and consumers by the end of the year. credits: http://www.winesofportugal.com/us/food-and-wine/10-chefs-10-wineries/

Executive Chef Ben Pollinger and Wine Director Pedro Goncalves

 First Offering April: Oceana – New York City

“House-made Bacalhau de Trás-os-Montes”

Paired with Duorum Colheita 2011

 
4 4-ounce portions bacalhau, soaked three days in equal parts milk and water, changing liquid every day 
 
Chickpea-potato ragout

3 Tbs EVOO
1/3 Cup chorizo, skinned and diced 1/3 inch (approximately one link)
1 ¼ Cup Vidalia onion, medium dice (approx ½ medium onion)
3 cloves garlic, sliced thin
2 plum tomatoes, cored and diced 1/3 inch
1 Cup cooked chickpeas
¾ Cup cooked fingerling potatoes, diced 1/3 inch (about 6 small potatoes)
1 Cup chicken stock
2 Tbs halved black olives
2 Tbs quartered large green olives
1 Tbs slivered parsley

 

1.   Heat a 12 inch skillet over medium heat. Add 2 Tbs EVOO.
2.   Add chorizo and fry over medium high heat for 3 minutes, until lightly browned and oil takes on a red color from the sausage.
3.   Add onion and garlic and sauté five minutes, until lightly colored
4.   Add tomatoes; cook five minutes until tomato starts to break down
5.   Add chickpeas, potatoes and stock. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.
6.   Nestle bacalhau into the ragout and spoon some of the ragout over the fish.
7.   Place cover on pan, cook 8 minutes.
8.   Add olives, remaining 1 Tbs EVOO and parsley, stir to combine.
9.   Spoon the ragout into four bowls. Place the fish on top of the ragout.
10. Spoon remaining ragout over the fish.
11. Place the halved quail egg over fish, top with a little more sliced parsley and a drizzle of EVOO.
 
Quail eggs (can substitute with chicken eggs if quail eggs are unavailable)
4 quail eggs (quarter a single chicken egg if substituting)
Place in a pot, cover with cold water.
Bring to a boil, boil two minutes.
Remove from water, peel and cut in half.

photos and text credits: http://www.winesofportugal.com/us/food-and-wine/10-chefs-10-wineries/

Photo Gallery / Side Dish

Green Beans with Crispy Bacon

Green Beans with Crispy Bacon

Just because everything tastes better with bacon!

Ingredients:

1 pound of fresh green beans

2 or 3 slices of bacon

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Chop the bacon into pieces and cook until crispy in a sauce pan. Remove the bacon from the pan, drain on paper towels and chop into very small pieces.

Remove the bacon fat from the pan but leave the pan for cooking the green beans.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Wash and take stems off the green beans. Pat dry with paper towel and place them in the same pan used to cook the bacon.

Saute the green beans on medium heat for about 1 minute then add 1/4 cup of water to the pan. Stir, cover and cook for about 10 minutes or until the green beans are tender.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stir the beans often so they cook evenly. Add more water if needed. Add the crumbled bacon to pan.

Cook for a few minutes to warm the bacon. Add butter, salt and pepper to taste.

 

Desserts / Holiday Recipes / Photo Gallery

Flourless Chocolate Cake

This flourless chocolate cake is very simple to make. It’s very light and moist and I promise your guests will love it!

I adapted it from Sarah Carvey. Here’s the link to the video which is part of the Martha Stewart video collection. My daughter Lisa and I made it yesterday and we were very pleasantly surprised at how easy this is to make. We served with fresh strawberries and real whipped cream.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons of unsalted butter

8 ounces dark chocolate chips (at least 50% cacao, the more the better)

6 large eggs (room temp and separated)

1/2 cup of granulated sugar

1 tablespoon of instant espresso (optional)

Pinch of salt

Sweetened whipped cream for serving

Chocolate shavings (optional)

strawberries (optional)

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.  Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan and set it aside.

Place the butter and chocolate in a large heatproof bowl over a pan of water on your stove on medium heat. Don’t let the water touch the bottom of the bowl.

Reduce the heat to simmer making sure the water does not boil. This is a slow process but be patient and keep stirring until completely melted.

Let the chocolate cool slightly and then whisk in egg yolks until completely absorbed into the chocolate.

Beat the egg whites in a large bowl until semi hard peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to over beat.

Whisk some of the egg whites into the chocolate and then fold in the remaining egg whites very gently.

You may notice some white streaks in the batter but that’s OK since you don’t want to over mix the egg whites which may make them collapse.

 

Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake 50 minutes on the center oven rack until the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan.

 

 

Cool the cake completely and remove the sides of the spingform pan.

 

Let the cake sit for a few hours before serving because the chocolate gets richer as it sits. Serve with either dusted confectioners’ sugar or with whipped cream and strawberries as pictured below.

Main Dish / Photo Gallery / Side Dish

Spinach & Cheese Omelet Wrap with Salsa

 

Spinach & Cheese Omelet with Salsa – A perfect healthy lunch or dinner that’s under 350 calories in just 5 minutes.

It’s perfect for those days when you’re feeling a little bit lazy!

Ingredients:

1 fajita wrap

2 eggs

1 cup of baby spinach (washed and dried)

Shredded cheese

salt

pepper

Salsa

Instructions:

Coat a medium non stick skillet with cooking spray. Add eggs and cook for 45 seconds on low medium heat. Add spinach, salt and pepper.

Cook for about 1 minute. Flip the omelet over and add cheese. Cover the omelet with the wrap to heat it a little.

Flip the wrap onto a plate. Add your favorite salsa. Roll up the omelet inside the wrap. Eat and enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

Chick Pea & Egg Giardiniera

This Chick Pea & Egg Salad with  crunchy pickled vegetables called Giardiniera, can be served as a main dish on your meatless days, a side dish or as an appetizer. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 or 2 cans of cooked Chick Peas’

3 hard boiled eggs

1 cup of Gardeneira – pickled vegetables (finely chopped)

1/4 cup olive oil

salt

pepper

parsley flakes

Ingredients:

Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix. Cut the eggs into chunks and add them to the chick peas. Add the olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.

Garnish with parsley if desired. Store in the refrigerator.

Beverage / Holiday Recipes / Photo Gallery

Portuguese Sangria

Sangria is a perfect drink to quench your thirst on a hot day. It’s beautiful fruity color makes it a great crowd pleaser for your next picnic or a party.

The use of the word sangria in labels is now restricted under European law. Only sangria made in Spain and Portugal will be allowed to be sold under that name after the European Parliament green-lighted new wine labeling in January 2014. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sangria

I served my Sangria with a Portuguese Antipasti Platter of cold meats, cheese, olives, roasted red peppers and breads but you can make up your party platter with your favorites.

My recipe is easy because you don’t have to spend time making a simple syrup to sweeten it, you simply add orange Sumol which has a sweet orange flavor.

Cheers! Saude!

 

Ingredients:

1 liter bottle of Portuguese Red Wine

1 liter of Sumol or any Orange soda

1/2 cup of 1920 Brandy

2 oranges (sliced)

1 lemon (sliced) optional

2 cups of ice cubes

Grapes

Strawberries

Instructions:

Place the ice in a large pitcher and add the wine. Add the remaining ingredients, stir well and place in the refrigerator for a few hours for the flavor to intensify and to chill.

Decorate serving glasses with a slice of orange and a strawberry. Add ice and serve cold.

Look at the beautiful color!

 

Appetizers / Main Dish / Photo Gallery / Side Dish / soup / Soups

Black Eyed Peas & Corn Succotash – Sopa de Feijao Frade com Milho

Black-eyed peas are very popular in Portugal and typically served with Bacalhau (dried salt Cod), stews, soups and in cold salads.

In the southern region of the Unites States, the dish “Hoppin John” is made with the peas, rice and pork.

This recipe for Succotash, (Narragansett language meaning; broken corn kernels) originates in the southern New England States.

This is a hearty chowder for your meatless days or perfect as a dip! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

3 large potatoes (cut into 1/2 inch cubes)

1 and 1/2 cups of frozen corn

1 and 1/2 cups of cooked Black Eyed Peas

1 medium onion (finely chopped)

1 stalk of celery (finely chopped)

2 cloves garlic (finely minced)

2 tablespoons of olive oil

2 tablespoons of butter or margarine

1/2 gallon of milk

1 pint of cream

2 bay leafs

2 cups of vegetable or chicken broth

1 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of pepper

2 tablespoons of flour

Instructions:

In a large heavy soup pan, saute the onion, garlic, celery,  and potatoes in the the olive oil and butter for about 5 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, bay leaf, and the broth and cook for another 5 minutes.

Add the black eyed peas and corn and cook for 5 minutes.

 

In a small bowl mix the flour with the cream until it is dissolved. Add the milk and the cream to the soup and cook on low heat for at least 20 minutes stirring continuously until the soup is creamy and thick.

Add more milk for a lighter soup or add more flour for a thicker chowder. You can also use an immersion blender to puree the vegetables into smaller pieces.

If you want a thick style chowder for a dip, mash some of the beans and let it cook on low until it reaches your desired consistency.

Serve with Blue Corn chips, pita chips or crackers.

Appetizers / Main Dish / Photo Gallery / Recipes

Asian Sweet & Spicy Chicken

Asian Sweet & Spicy Chicken is amazing! You simply let the chicken marinate for a couple of hours or overnight, bake and cover it with the yummy sweet & spicy sauce!

This is the kind of recipe that you experiment with to your own taste. Some people like these really spicy and some like them sweet like Teriyaki sauce.

I served it with Portuguese Rice and grilled Asparagus! It was a big hit! Try it and Enjoy!

Ingredients:

4 pounds of chicken drumsticks and thighs or wings

1 cup of soy sauce

1/2 cup of red wine vinegar

1/4 cup of brown sugar

3 tablespoons of olive oil

6 cloves of garlic (minced)

2 tablespoons of fresh ginger (minced)

2 scallions (sliced)

1/4 teaspoon of black pepper

1 tablespoon of crushed red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon of piri piri sauce

1 tablespoon Corn starch

Instructions:

Place the chicken in a large bowl. In a separate small bowl mix all of the remaining ingredients except cornstarch until very well incorporated.

Pour the sauce over the chicken and let it marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

Heat oven to 400. Remove the chicken from the bowl and place in a very well greased flat tray. Reserve the marinade. Cook for 1 hour turning over once.

Cook the leftover marinade in a small pan on low heat for at least 10 minutes to reduce and cook. Taste and add more soy sauce and red pepper flakes if you like it spicier.

Note:

To create thicker sauce simply add the corn starch mixed with a little water to the sauce and let it reduce and thicken. You can also make this sweeter by adding a little honey or more brown sugar. The longer it cooks, the thicker it will get.

Asparagus is easy to cook in just a few minutes right in your skillet. Just add 1 – 2 tablespoons of olive oil, depending on how much asparagus you have. Add salt and pepper and cook on low – medium heat.

Cover the pan, and toss the asparagus gently as it cooks for about 5 minutes. Add a little more olive oil if needed.

Turn off the heat and leave it covered. It will continue to cook and keep warm.

Main Dish / Photo Gallery

Crispy Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf Topped with Barbeque Sauce

Since Barbeque season has been delayed due to this cold weather my daughter made this bacon and barbeque sauce topped meatloaf this weekend to give us that summer barbeque taste. The bacon comes out crispy and the barbeque sauce’s sticky sweet flavor is amazing!

She also  made my Portuguese Style Potato Salad as a side for a real cook out theme!

By the way, it’s March 31st and it’s snowing and sleeting outside in New England! UGH!

Ingredients:

2 and 1/2 pounds of ground beef or turkey

1 small onion (minced)

3 eggs

2 slices of wheat bread

1 cup of milk

1 cup of seasoned  dry bread crumbs

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning mix

2 tablespoons of ketchup

1/2 package of sliced bacon (about 10 slices)

Barbeque Sauce ingredients:

1/2 cup ketchup

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon of white vinegar

1 tablespoon of soy sauce

Instructions:

Dissolve the bread in the milk in a small bowl. Mix all of the remaining meatloaf ingredients in a medium bowl except the bacon and the barbeque sauce. Shape into a loaf and place on a broiling pan which let the meatloaf cook faster and achieve a crispy texture. You may also cook the meatloaf in a medium tray lined with foil for easy cleanup.

Cover the meatloaf with the bacon.

Prepare the sauce by mixing the ingredients in a small bowl until smooth and the sugar dissolves. Spread the sauce over the bacon.

Cook the meatloaf at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until the meat reaches 165 degrees.

Remove from the oven and let it sit for about 5 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!

 

Main Dish / Photo Gallery / rice

Lemon Chicken & Jasmine Rice – Galinha com Limão e Arroz de Jasmim

 

This Lemon Chicken recipe can be ready in under 30 minutes which is just perfect for your busy days. It pairs perfectly with the Jasmine rice recipe that I shared below.

The secret to making a light and fluffy Jasmine rice is too add as little water as possible and not let the rice cook to long.

You also never use a spoon to stir the rice, use a fork to obtain a light and airy texture.

Ingredients:

4 boneless chicken breasts

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 tablespoon of butter or margarine

1/4 cup of flour

2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon of grated lemon peel

1/4 cup of Vinho Verde or dry white wine

1 cup of chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/4 teaspoon of black pepper

1 teaspoon of dried oregano

1 scallion finely sliced

 

Jasmine Rice:

2 cups Jasmine rice

3 cups of water

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of butter or margarine

1 scallion (finely sliced)

Lemon wedges for garnish (optional)

 

Instructions:

Cut the chicken breasts in half. Place them between 2 pieces of saran wrap and pound to about 1/4 inch thick.

Season with salt and pepper and coat them lightly with the flour in a bowl.

Heat the olive oil and butter on high heat in a large saute pan. Cook the chicken on medium high heat for about 3 minutes or longer on each side until they turn a light golden brown, remove them from the pan and set them aside.

De-glaze the pan with wine, lemon juice and chicken broth and let it cook down for about 1 minute.

Return the chicken to the pan and let it cook in the lemon sauce for another 3-4 minutes on medium heat to incorporate the lemon flavor.

Turn heat to low, add the scallion, oregano and the lemon zest and cook for about 1 minute. The sauce will thicken as it cooks.

If you find the sauce too thick add a little more chicken broth.

 

Instructions for Jasmine rice:

If you want to serve the chicken with the Jasmine rice begin cooking the rice before you start the chicken.

Boil the 3 cups of water, butter and salt in a medium heavy saucepan.

Add the rice, stir, slightly cover, and cook on medium for about 15 minutes stirring with a fork once in a while.

After 15 minutes turn off the heat, stir the rice gently with a fork to make it light and flaky.

Cover and set aside until the chicken is ready. Add the scallions as a garnish before serving.