Tagged: Cheese

Recipes

Fig, Goat Cheese and Spinach Pizza


FIG, GOAT CHEESE, SPINACH PIZZA. Portuguese fig jam makes great pizza! Trust me.

Ingredients:

1/2 pizza dough recipe
4 – 6 oz. (goat cheese or fresh farmers cheese )
2 cups fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup Portuguese fig jam (or any fig jam)
1/2 small red onion (very thin sliced)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 oz Pecorino or Parmesan cheese (shredded)
Drizzle of olive oil
Dusting of flour Dusting of corn meal

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Heat pizza pan in oven. Sprinkle pizza pan with a dusting of flour and corn meal. Roll out dough and put in sheet pan. Brush with 1 tablespoon olive oil and garlic powder. Spread fig jam evenly leaving 1 inch of edges without jam. Top with pieces of cheese, spinach and onions. Top with remaining olive oil, pecorino, and oregano.

Cook for about 15 minutes or until the crust is crispy.

Recipes

Lemon Pasta a São Jorge Cheese

Lemon Pasta a Sao Jorge Cheese

I love anything with lemon and one of my favorite cheeses is São Jorge making this dish one of my all time favorite’s. “Queijo São Jorge” is made with raw cow milk on the Azorean island of São Jorge where the lush pastures for grazing allows for a vast production of cow milk. An easy main or side dish for any occasion. If you can’t find Sao Jorge Cheese try Spanish Manchego cheese as a substitute.

Ingredients:

1 pound pappardelle pasta

1/2 cup Sao Jorge cheese (grated)

2 lemons (zested and juiced)

1/2 stick of butter (melted)

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt

4 tablespoons fresh parsley (finely minced)

Preparation:

Cook pasta in salted water, and drain. Place back into pan on low heat. Mix the lemon zest and juice with the butter and add to pasta. Mix gently. When ready to serve add parsley.


Appetizers / Photo Gallery / Recipes / sandwich / Traditional customs

Romeo and Juliet Sandwich

cheese and marmelade The Romeo and Juliet – Cheese and Marmelade Sandwich

The love story of the perfect couple; Romeo and Juliet, inspired the name for this perfect sandwich combination of tangy Sao Jorge cheese from the Azores, Portugal and sweet Quince Marmelada.

However, feel free to use any of your favorite sharp cheese if you can’t get the Sao Jorge type.

sao jorge cheese

The true Portuguese love story of Ines de Castro and King Pedro happened long before Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet but it is said, that this story of love – tragedy – and of a haunting, may have been Shakespeare’s inspiration.

Prince Pedro, the son of King Afonso IV was the heir to the Portuguese throne.  When he was 19 his father had him marry Constança of Castile (Spain) in order to build an alliance in 1340.

Ines de Castro,a daughter of a nobleman from Castile, was a lady-in-waiting to the Princess Constance. Ines was a radiant beauty who stole Pedro’s heart and they quickly fell madly in love.

Click on the image below for the love story.

inesandpedro

 

Recipe for Marmelada – Quince Marmelade

quince fruitIngredients:

4 and ½ pounds Quince

2 and ½ cups sugar

1 cinnamon stick

Water as needed

Preparation:

Wash, peel and remove pits from fruit and cut into chunks. Place fruit in a pan and cover with water. Add cinnamon stick and cook until cooked. Drain and remove cinnamon stick.

Puree with immersion blender until creamy. In the same pan, add sugar and cook on medium heat stirring often until a clear line forms in the center of pan with a wooden spoon.

Cool and place in plastic containers. Store up to 3 months in refrigerator.

 

 

Photo Gallery / Portuguese business / Traditional customs

Pedrozo Dairy and Cheese Company in Sacramento Valley, California

Pedrozo Cheese 3The Portuguese Community in the USA is embedded on both the East and West coastlines. One of the many examples is the Pedrozo family, a third generation of dairy farmers in California who have Portuguese roots in the Azorean Islands of Sao Jorge, and Flores. Their Pedrozo Dairy and Cheese farm produces Sacramento Valley California’s best Farmstead cheese made from 100% grass fed cow’s milk. The cheese is outstanding and I especially enjoyed the Black Butte Reserve which tastes similar to my favorite Portuguese Sao Jorge Cheese.

pedrozo cheese

Their vision is to inspire a vision of premier, ecological, heritage farming through a sustainable, family-run grass-fed dairy and cheese operation. To achieve this vision, they produce high quality, traditional farmstead cheese, offer education, tours, they are a resource for the dairy industry and have a total commitment of respect for the cows and the land.

They can be found in various farmers markets and retail shops in California or simply Visit their online shop!

 “In 1996 Tim Pedrozo, a third generation dairy farmer, and his wife Jill, bought a small herd of Holstein and Jersey Cows.  Their hope was to allow their animals to graze outdoors on the variety of grasses that grew in their pastures.  Over the next two years it became clear that sustaining a farm on fluid milk production was too great a burden.  Packing up their family and herd of 50 cows, the Pedrozos bought a farm in the Sacramento Valley town of Orland and opened Pedrozo Dairy & Cheese Company.
Learning to make a old world style cheese from the former owner, they set out on their new endeavor.  Throughout the years, the Pedrozos have developed their own style and their cheeses are true California originals.  Their commitment to sustainable agriculture and responsible stewardship has remained as strong as ever.  Their cows have year-round access to the outdoors and graze on natural grasses as long as the pastures are in bloom.  The health of their cows and their natural diet come through in the robust flavors of their raw milk cheeses.” http://www.realfarmsteadcheese.com/

Pedrozo Cheese Featured on Delicious Discoveries with Chef Daniella Malfitano from Element Video Productions on Vimeo.

I loved them all! Dig in!

pedrozo cheese 2


 

 

Pedrozo Dairy & Cheese Co
7713 County Road 24 Orland, CA 95963
Tel: 530-514-3837
Email: tim@realfarmsteadcheese.com

 

Appetizers / Photo Gallery

Spring Salad with Beets, Blackberries and Goat Cheese

I made this salad last week and it was absolutely amazing! The sweet berries mixed with the tangy beets go great together and the almonds gave it a nutty crunch. It’s packed with great antioxidants so it’s good for you too!

I made a simple balsamic vinaigrette but you can can use any berry dressing you prefer. This is the type of salad that you can be creative with and more or less ingredients, any type of beery or nuts you choose.

It’s a keeper for all of your summer meals! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 pound or more of spring salad mix or more

1/2 small red onion (finely sliced)

1 cup of sliced pickled beets

8 ounces of blackberries

2 tablespoons of goat cheese

1/2 cup of sugared almonds or pecans (optional)

Balsamic Vinaigrette:

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of regular mustard

1/4 cup crushed black pepper

2 garlic cloves (finely minced)

Preparation:

Place salad in bowl. Top with the beets, blackberries, and onions. Top with crumbled goat cheese and almonds.

Prepare the dressing by whisking all ingredients very well. When ready to serve pour dressing over salad and toss gently or in individual salad bowls.

Note: Pour dressing sparingly to your taste only when ready to serve or the lettuce will wilt.

Appetizers / Photo Gallery / Traditional customs

Portuguese Cheese Platter

This rustic cheese platter is a great way to start off your diner or for hosting a simple cheese and wine party. If I have a large crowd I also prepare a Portuguese Style Cold Cuts Anitpasti Platter.

I make this very often when I’m entertaining a large crowd for a diner party because it keeps the guests busy while I finish cooking dinner.

Portuguese Sangria is a perfect match with these appetizer trays.

You’ll need:

Wooden cutting board or large platter

Variety of sliced breads

Variety of Portuguese cheeses:

 Azeitão

 Évora cheese

 Nisa

 Pico

 São Jorge

 Serpa

 Serra da Estrela

 Condiments:

 Almonds

 Walnuts

 Fig jam

 Marmelada

(Portuguese Quince Jam)

 Preparation:

Arrange cheeses and breads around the outside of a large cutting board for a rustic effect.

Place almonds and fig jam in the center.You may also use Portuguese Marmelada and walnuts as a substitute for the figs and almonds or use any combination of spreads and nuts.

Serve with Portuguese dry or sweet wines, red, Port, or Madeira combination. Enjoy your cheese and wine party.

Here are some great articles on Portuguese Cheese: 

Perfect guide to Portuguese cheese by Catavino part 1-3

Part 1: The Ultimate User’s Guide to Portuguese Cheese | Catavino. July 20, 2009 | by Andrea Smith

Part 2. The Ultimate Guide to Portuguese Cheese/Catavino July 20, 2009 | by Andrea Smith

Part 3. The Ultimate Guide to Portuguese Cheese/Catavino July 20, 2009 | by Andrea Smith

 

 

 

Saveur Magazine – Portuguese Cheese

Formaggio Kitchen’s Cheese Blog-This blog has a great post on Portuguese cheese

Wine journalist Jamie Goodies Wine Blog – Portuguese cheese with Alentejo wine

catavino image credit catavino.net

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

The Ultimate User’s Guide to Portuguese Cheese by Catavino

Part 1: The Ultimate User’s Guide to Portuguese Cheese | Catavino. July 20, 2009 | by Andrea Smith

Part 2. The Ultimate Guide to Portuguese Cheese/Catavino July 20, 2009 | by Andrea Smith

Part 3. The Ultimate Guide to Portuguese Cheese/Catavino July 20, 2009 | by Andrea Smith

Hi Everyone. I found a great blog to share with you. Catavino, is a wine blog run by husband wife team Ryan and Gabriella,who moved to Spain in 2004. “ Gabriella and Ryan combine their deep knowledge of Iberian wines and digital culture to develop a unique perspective on the wine industry.” (Catavino.net)

This amazing article written by one the blog’s writer’s Andrea Smith goes into detail about 15 Portuguese Cheeses given the designation: Denominação de Origem Protegida (DOP) – Protected Designation of Origin (PDO.  The article has three parts so be sure to click on each of the links above.


“Andrea Smith moved to Campo de Ourique, Lisbon, in early 2008 with a dream to work and learn more about Portuguese wine. Born in Northern Virginia in 1983, Andrea’s Italian family taught her the importance of pairing fresh food with great wine, eventually motivating her to graduate from the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), where she earned an Associates and Bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts and Business Management, as well as her Introductory Certificate from the Court of Master Sommeliers in 2004. Andrea plans to use her love of culture, gastronomy and language to research the hidden recipes and wines of Portugal.” ( Catavino.net – http://catavino.net/part-1-the-ultimate-user%E2%80%99s-guide-to-portuguese-cheese/)

“Based in Barcelona, Spain, the two have founded Catavino, a comprehensive educational website covering Spanish and Portuguese wine through Iberian food, culture and travel. After years of exploring the Peninsula, they discovered that wine was the life blood and the common bond that unites this exceptionally diverse peninsula. And by sharing the stories that enhance, encompass and explain wine’s intricate relationship within the culture, we might better understand meaning and history of Spanish and Portuguese wine itself. However, Catavino wouldn’t be possible without our talented and passionate team of correspondent writers located across the globe in 5 different countries. Without their vast and profound knowledge of Iberian wine, food and culture, our content would lack significantly in both breadth and richness. If you are passionate about Iberian food, wine or culture and would like to become a correspondent writer for Catavino, please contact us.

In the past 6 years, Catavino has grown immensely, allowing us to not only expand our website to include Iberian wine content as it relates to food and culture, but also enhance the wine blogging community as a whole by committing our time to equally important side projects, such as:

Vrazon, our wine marketing and conversation agency. With our partner, Robert McIntosh, we’re finding ways to build “social” into the wine world through our events, blogs, podcasts, client projects, speaking engagements, workshops and consultancy. Under the Vrazon banner, you can join the conversation in 5 distinct ways: Wine Conversation (our blog), European Wine Bloggers Conference, Born Digital Wine Awards, Access Zone and Wineblogger. (Catavino.net –  http://catavino.net/about-us/)