Tia Maria's Blog – Page 9 – Sharing Portuguese recipes around the world

June 17, 2020

Portuguese Festa Food | Mini Prego/Steak Sliders

Time to Festa everyone! The months of June through September is “Festa” season throughout Portugal and in Portuguese communities around the world. Since most festas have been canceled this year in the USA due to the Corona Virus, I’ve brought the classic recipes for you to enjoy in your own backyard festa! I’ve started my series of “Festa Foods” posts with my Mini Prego Sliders. I’ve made these smaller sandwiches using mini Papo Seco rolls. Sauted onions add a savory bite and the shoe string fries are a total game changer on the traditional plain sandwich. No Portuguese festa is complete without some Portuguese beer of course. Happy Summer and Happy Festa Everyone!

Ingredients for 1 dozen sliders:

1 dozen mini papo seco rolls (cut larger rolls in half if you don’t have the mini)

12 (4-6)oz sirloin strip steaks cut to 1/2 inch thick

2 large onions (sliced)

1 pound shoe string fries (frozen or fresh) (this is optional)

1 to 2 tablespoons my spice mix (found at this link: https://tiamariasblog.com/portuguese-dry-rub/ )

1/4 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon white vinegar or white wine

Preparation:

Bring steaks to room temperature before cooking. Season with spice mix.

Cook unions in a large skillet in a few tablespoons of olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add salt and vinegar and cook until tender but not overcooked. Leave in skillet and set aside on low heat.

Meanwhile cook fries and keep warm.

When both onions and fries are cooked prepare steaks.

Heat a few tablespoons of oil in large heavy skillet to very hot. Cook 6 steaks at time 2 to 3 minutes on each side depending on your taste of doneness. If you like a rare steak cook less. You may need to add a few more tablespoons of oil in the second batch of steaks.

When steaks are cooked add cooked onions to pan.

Assemble sliders with steak, then onions and fries on top.

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Recipes

May 11, 2020

Lobster Bisque – Sopa de Creme de Lagosta

This Lobster Bisque is creamy and full of great savory flavor. Next time you have some leftover lobster shells save them or freeze them to make seafood broth or this perfect special occasion bisque. You can also use leftover shrimp shells to make seafood broths and soups. I hope you enjoy this soup as much as my family did. I also made fresh sourdough bread croutons to serve in the soup but this is optional to your taste.

Ingredients:

4 cups lobster shells (or more if you prefer)

1 to 2 cups lobster meat cut into pieces

4 cups seafood or chicken broth

1 cup water

1 cup white wine

2 tablespoons Portuguese brandy or sherry

1 large onion (chopped)

2 carrots (chopped)

1/4 cup tomatoes (chopped)

1 and 1/2 tablespoons paprika

1/4 cup flour

2 cups half and half

4 tablespoons butter

2 or 3 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons salt

3 sprigs parsley

5 pepper corns

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon thyme

Preparation:

Place lobster shells in the olive oil and saute for a few minutes. Add the onion and carrots and cook for about 5 minutes stirring often. Add the rest of the ingredients except the lobster pieces, flour, butter, and half and half.

Let cook on medium for about 30 minutes stirring once in a while.

In a small skillet add the butter and 1/4 cup flour and make a paste. Set aside.

Pour the lobster and vegetables into a sieve or very fine strainer into a large heavy pan. Mix the shells well so all the juices go through.

Place pan on low heat and let come to a slow simmer. Add the brandy, and butter/flour paste. Mix well and let it simmer for another 10 minutes or longer on low heat until it forms a creamy consistency.

To serve add a few pieces of lobster in each bowl.

Appetizers / Main Dish

March 23, 2020

Pizza Dough and Pepperoni Pizza Recipe

This Pizza Dough can be used to make any kind of your favorite pizza, flatbread or even foccacia breads.

Ingredients:

4 cups flour (more as needed)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 package dry yeast (1/4 ounce or 2 1/4 tsp)
1 teaspoon of sugar
2 teaspoons of salt
1 1/2 cups of warm water

Place flour, sugar and dry yeast into mixer. Mix ingredients together. Slowly add water and olive oil. Knead for around 1 minute and add salt.

Continue kneading dough until a soft dough/ball forms. Add additional 1 tbsp of flour at a time if dough is too wet/sticky.

Preparation:

When dough has doubled in size, divide in half and place onto pizza pans that have been dusted with a little flour and cornmeal.

Stretch out pizza dough and add your desired toppings.

Bake at 425 F for around 15-20 minutes, depending on your oven.

Pepperoni Pizza Recipe:

Brush pizza dough with a little olive oil. Add desired tomato/marinara sauce and sprinkle 1/2 tsp of Garlic powder. Top with a 1/4 cup Mozzarella cheese, followed by 4oz of sliced Pepperoni. Top with 1/2 cup Mozzarella and 1/4 cup Pecorino cheese. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of Italian seasoning.

Bake as directed above – enjoy your delicious pizza!

Add any toppings of your choice to make many kinds of pizza. Here are some links to recipes:

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Chourico and Egg Pizza/Flat Bread

Tomato and Basil Flat Bread

Appetizers / Side Dish

March 20, 2020

Arugula Beet Salad with Fresh Farmers Cheese – Salada de Rúcula com Beterraba e Queijo Fresco

Arugula, Beet, Cherry Tomato and Fresh Farmer’s cheese salad. This healthy salad is full of antioxidants and tastes delicious. Both savory and sweet! Loving the Portuguese flag colors.

Ingredients:

4 cups Arugula (washed)
1 cup small or chopped jarred Beets with juice (save the juice for dressing!)
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1/2 small red onion, sliced very thin
1/2 cup Farmer/Goat cheese
Crushed black pepper

Dressing:

1/4 cup of beet juice
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp sour cream
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp salt
1tsp lemon or lime juice

Mix ingredients in a jar or bowl. Set aside.

Preparation:

Mix all salad ingredients in a bowl, except Farmer’s cheese. Add desired amount of dressing. Top with Farmer’s cheese and sprinkle with crushed black pepper.

Enjoy!

fish / Main Dish

March 20, 2020

Codfish Fisherman Style – Peixe à Pescador

This fresh codfish recipe is simple and delicious! Perfect for lent, meatless Mondays or any day of the week. Feel free to use salt cod if you prefer. Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients

1 lb fresh boneless cod
1 28oz can chopped tomatoes
1/2 roasted red pepper (sliced)
1tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine
Lemon Juice (1/2 of a lemon)
Parsley (chopped) for garnish

Preparation:

Cut codfish into 4 sections. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Set aside to marinate for a few minutes.

In a skillet, add tomatoes, sliced roasted pepper, butter, chicken stock, wine and let simmer on medium heat for around 5-10 minutes, stirring often, to absorb flavors.

Arrange fish evenly in skillet. Cover the fish with the tomatoes/sauce. Cook for 5 minutes, stir (gently to not break up the fish) and cover with lid. Cook on medium heat for an additional 8-10 minutes or until codfish is flaky and white.

Garnish with Parsley and serve.

Easy and delicious – enjoy!

Recipes

November 25, 2019

Codfish, Chick Pea and Brussel Sprouts Bake

bacalhau brussels 4

I made this easy recipe last week and it was delicious! Don’t let the simple ingredients fool you because it’s delicious! A perfect side dish or main dish.

Make it ahead and heat up the next day! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 pound boneless salt cod (hydrated)

1 32 oz can cooked chick peas

1 to 2 pounds pound of fresh brussel sprouts (sliced in half)

5 eggs (hard boiled and sliced)

1 small onion (chopped)

3 cloves garlic (chopped)

1 teaspoon salt

pepper to taste

1/2 cup olive oil

olives for garnish (optional)

Preparation:

Saute the onions, garlic and brussel sprouts in 2 tablespoon of the olive oil until tender. Mix in the chick peas salt and pepper.

bacalhau brussels 5

Meanwhile cook the cod for about ten minutes. Let cool and flake into desired pieces.

Coat a deep dish baking pan with a little olive oil. Begin alternate layering with brussel sprouts first, then cod. Top with eggs and olives

Drizzle with remaining olive oil. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 15 to 20 minutes to heat. Serve as a main

bacalhau brussels

Recipes

November 12, 2019

Lisbon Blue Shop

Lisbon Blue Shop – Unique handmade crafts and other gifts inspired by Portugal

Hi Everyone! Join me, and my daughter Lisa at our new Lisbon Blue Etsy Shop which we just launched this week. We love to cook, and we love everything Portuguese!

Our shop has unique gifts with Portuguese influences! We’re working on new items to add every week so be sure to stop by and favorite our shop so you get updates on new items. Visit and like our Facebook page where we’ll be posting new items. Here are some of our creations.

Desserts / Photo Gallery

July 12, 2019

Blueberry Muffins – Bolos de Mirtilo

blue berry muffins

Home made Blueberry Muffins are the best and with blueberry season here they will taste even better. I make a crumb topping for my muffins but his is optional to your taste.

“Mirtilo”, is the name for blueberries in Portuguese, but the fruit is barely known there. In fact, most countries around the world have never ever seen or heard of the fruit.

The biggest producers of blueberries are the US and Chile but, blueberry production has exploded around the world since the benefits of blueberries as antioxidants. was discovered a few years ago.

Here’s the easy recipe for 12 large muffins

Ingredients:

4 cups Bisquick or any other generic buttermilk biscuit mix

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1/2 stick melted butter

1 cup milk

1 package fresh blueberries (1 pint or about 2 cups) (washed and dried)

Crumb topping:

2 tablespoons flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons cup quick cooking oats (if desired)

2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine

Instructions for batter:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar and eggs for 1 minute until foamy. Add the remaining ingredients except toppings and mix on low for about 1 minute. The batter will be slightly lumpy.

Grease muffin tins very generously with

Rinse and dry berries. Coat them with a dusting of the biscuit mix or flour and gently fold into the batter. Pour evenly into the tins.

Cook for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Instructions for crumb topping:

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and mix with your fingers until you get a crumbly mix. If it’s too wet, add more flour and sugar. If too dry add more melted butter.

chicken / Main Dish / Photo Gallery / Recipes

June 12, 2019

Copy Cat Shake and Bake

shake and bake chicken

After experimenting with my own Copy Cat – Shake and Bake recipes, I finally came up a winner using some spicy Piri Piri sauce to give it a Portuguese kick! It’s very simple to make using most items you probably already have in your pantry.

I’ve made this recipe many times and it’s one of those recipes that you’ll keep going making again and again. It’s a perfect pot lock take along dish for your next picnic, since the chicken tastes great cold too! I made a batch of the coating which was enough for about 18 pieces of chicken. It left me with a left over so I placed it in a jar for the next time and stored it in the refrigerator.

I served the chicken with my Beet, Mandarin Orange, and Apple Salad. It’s a perfect summer dish!

Beet, Mandarin Orange, and Apple Salad

4 cups garden salad mix

1/2 cup pickled beets (sliced)

1/2 cup mandarin orange segments

1 small apple (chopped)

1/4 small red onion (sliced thin)

Balsamic dressing

shake and bake chicken 3

Ingredients:

12 – 18 pieces of chicken legs or thighs

Baking Mix ingredients:

2 and 1/2 cups plain bread crumbs

1 tablespoon salt

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon paprika

1 teaspoon coriander

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning mix

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon piri piri hot sauce (or use any hot sauce)

1/4 cup white wine

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place chicken in a large bowl. Season with a little salt and splash with the wine. Mix and let sit to room temperature to marinade.

Mix the oil with the piri piri in a small bowl. Place all coating mix all dry ingredients in a plastic zip lock bag. Add the oil. Shake bag thoroughly and mix with you fingers outside the bag incorporating the mix until crumbly.

Spray a large sheet pan or 2 with cooking spray.

When chicken is ready, place 2 pieces at a time into the bag with mix and shake to coat chicken. Shake of excess coating and arrange on pans. Spray chicken with cooking spray. This will create a crispy crust.

Cook at 400 degrees for 45 – 50 minutes. Not need to turn chicken. it will come out crispy and golden brown.

Note that every oven cook temperature various. You may need to cook longer.

You can use the coating mix on boneless chicken or pork but the cooking time will be 20-25 minutes.

shake and bake chicken 2

Recipes

June 4, 2019

Pão Caseiro – Portuguese Home style Bread

Let’s make Homestyle bread – Pao Caseiro together!

Romeo and Juliet Sandwich is a combination of Portuguese Sao Jorge Cheese and Marmelada

Ingredients:

4 cups flour

3 teaspoons dry yeast

1 teaspoon salt

1 and 1/4 cup warm water

1/4 teaspoon sugar

pao caseiro ingredients

Preparation:

Place four in a bowl and make a well. Add yeast to warm water and sugar and let sit for 10 minutes to activate yeast. Add yeast to flour, mix slightly.

pao caseiro 5