Tagged: Portuguese recipe

Main Dish / Photo Gallery

Roast Pork Shoulder – Pernil Assado

 

This pork shoulder recipe is simple to make on a lazy Sunday morning. All you have to do is put it in the oven and it pretty much cooks on its own. It has 5 easy steps to a perfect family Sunday dinner! The pork turns out moist and tender. You can slice it or shred it with a fork to create pulled pork sandwiches with my barbeque sauce. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 fresh pork shoulder 6-8 pounds

2 table spoons sea salt or kosher salt

1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

3 garlic cloves (chopped)

1 large onion (chopped)

3 large carrots (cut into quarters)

1 bay leaf

6-8 potatoes (cut into cubes)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon paprika

1 cup of white wine

Cooking pan: 1 large oven roasting pan with lid

Instructions: Prep and cook time 4.5 to 5 hours

Serves 8-10

Pre heat oven to 400 degrees. Remove the pork from the refrigerator and let it sit for at least 30 minutes before prepping if you’re planing on cooking it right away.

Step 1. Wash and pat dry the shoulder. Place it on a cutting board and score the skin being careful not to cut into the meat.

Coat the pork on both sides with the salt leaving the skin side up. Place the olive oil in the center of the roasting pan and place the pork over the olive oil.

Step 2. Cook the pork uncovered for 30 minutes until the skin starts to get crackling and browned.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 3. After 30 minutes turn the heat down to 325 degrees. Cover the pork with the lid or very tightly with heavy foil and cook for 2 hours.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 4. After 2 hours remove the pan from the oven, coat the pork with the paprika, garlic and onions and pour the pan drippings over the pork. Place the carrots into the pan evenly around the pork. Add the wine and stir to coat the carrots. Cover and continue cooking at 325 for 1 hour.

Step 5. After 1 hour remove the pan from the oven, add the potatoes evenly around the pork and stir to coat with the seasonings. Add a little more wine if you find the juices have dried out. Coat the pork with the pan drippings. Cover and cook for another 45 minutes at 325 degrees.

Remove the pan from the oven and pierce potatoes with a fork to see if they’re cooked. Gently stir the potatoes and let the pork rest for a few minutes before serving.

Holiday Recipes / Main Dish / Photo Gallery / Recipes

Bacalhau Assado – Baked Salt Cod

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Bacalhau Assado – Baked Salt Cod has the classic Portuguese flavors of olive oil, onion and garlic. It is served with roasted potatoes.

It’s easy to prepare since it uses minimal ingredients and takes less than 1 hour to prep and cook.

It is often served on Christmas Eve but also popular all year long. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

4  (6-8 oz) portions of Bacalhau with bone (desalted)

12 – 20 small round potatoes slightly peeled or unpeeled (depending on # of guests)

2 large onions (sliced)

8 cloves of garlic (whole)

1/2 to 1 cup olive oil

2 teaspoons of chopped parsley

Black olives for garnish

 

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wash and dry the potatoes, poke with a fork in a few spots, sprinkle with a little salt and set aside.

Coat the bottom of a large baking pan with a few tablespoons of olive oil.

Place the bacalhau in the pan surrounded by the potatoes and cover with the sliced onions.

Place 2 garlic cloves on top of each bacalhau.

Coat the ingredients with the remaining olive oil.

Cook in oven for 35 minutes. Pierce potatoes for doneness, if they are not fully cooked remove the bacalhau from the pan and continue to cook the potatoes longer.

When ready to serve sprinkle with the parsley.

 

 

 

Main Dish / Photo Gallery / Recipes / Side Dish

Arroz de Bacalhau – Salt Cod Fish & Rice Casserole

 

Most of you know the Portuguese saying; “there are 365 recipes for bacalhau, one for each day of the year”!

This recipe is super easy and takes only 30 minutes to prepare! If you’re lucky enough to have a Portuguese market nearby, you can buy the Codfish already hydrated.

It’s perfect for a main dish, or to serve as a side dish with Portuguese Fish Fillets! Enjoy!

 

Serves 4-6  Prep 10 min Cook 20 min

Ingredients:

1/2 lb of Salt Cod (boneless & hydrated)

4 cups of cooked long grain rice (recipe here)

2 tbsp of Olive Oil

1 small onion diced

1/2 cup red & green pepper diced

2 small crushed ripe tomatoes (about 1 cup)

2 cloves of chopped garlic

2 tsp of chopped parsley

Salt & Pepper to taste

Black Olives for garnish

 

Instructions:

Cook the cod fish in boiling water for 10 minutes. Pat dry, shred into chunks and set aside.

In a medium heavy skillet on medium heat, saute the onions, garlic and peppers in the olive oil for about 2 minutes until translucent.

Add the tomatoes and cod fish, and cook for 5 minutes until the tomatoes have concentrated.

Add the cooked rice and stir to incorporate. Cook on low heat for a few minutes until the rice is hot. Add salt & pepper to taste.

Add the parsley and olives as garnish when ready to serve.

 

Photo image credit: http://mdemulher.abril.com.br/culinaria/receitas/arroz-bacalhau-pimentao

Holiday Recipes / Photo Gallery / Side Dish

Butternut Squash and Carrot Puree

 

Butternut Squash and Carrot Puree

My family has a tradition of visiting local farms in New England during harvest season where we buy our locally grown apples to make fresh apple pies, and to buy our winter vegetables and potatoes.

Butternut Squash Puree is one of the side dishes that I always have on my Thanksgiving table but I also make this recipe all winter long since my family loves it.

Some people bake the squash in the oven with brown sugar or maple syrup, but I’m not of fan of the sweet taste, so I came up with my recipe.

Did you know that you can store potatoes and butternut squash to last through the winter?

Just place them into a brown paper bag or cardboard box and store in a cool basement, or in your garage. (Be sure the temp doesn’t reach freezing.)

I also make Butternut Squash and Spinach Soup which is healthy and full of nutrients all year long.

Here’s some great information about butternut squash below. Enjoy!

Low in calories: One cup of raw butternut squash only has 63 calories.
Dietary Fiber: There are 3 gr. of dietary fiber in every serving.
Vitamin A: One serving has 298 %of your daily recommended value.
Vitamin C: One cup serving has 50 % of your daily recommended value.
Omega-3 fatty acids: Fights high cholesterol and high blood pressure
Minerals: One serving has 14 % of your daily recommended value of manganese, 12 % of magnesium and 14 % of potassium

Butternut Squash Puree

2 cups chopped Butternut Squash

2 cups chopped carrots

1/2 small onion chopped

1 small scallion

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp butter or margarine

1/4 cup of milk

2 cups of water

 

 

Instructions:

Place all ingredients except the butter and milk into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook on medium for about 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are fully cooked.

Remove the scallion and most of the water left in the pan leaving only about 1/4 cup. Add the butter and milk to the pan and puree the vegetables with a hand blender until very smooth and silky.

Taste and add more salt to your taste if needed. Keep in pan on low heat until ready to serve with your dinner or let it cool and store in the refrigerator.

The puree will last for 3 days or freeze in individual ice cube trays or containers.

* Note, this puree is great to serve your baby but leave out the onion and salt!

Butternut squash image credit:  http://www.slashfood.com/2008/02/17/how-to-peel-a-butternut-squash-without-also-peeling-your-fingers/

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

Seafood Stuffed Mushrooms

stuffed-mushroomsThis stuffed mushroom recipe is perfect for a special occasion appetizer. It’s deliciously decadent, and full of flavor.

The mushrooms come out moist, and the crunchy topping adds texture creating a perfect bite! Enjoy!

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Ingredients

2 packages of white mushrooms

1 can finely chopped clams

1/2 cup of finely chopped raw shrimp

2 tbsp of finely chopped onion

2 tbsp of butter or margarine

1/4  tsp of Paprika

1 tsp very finely chopped parsley

1/2 cup of bread crumbs

1 cup of garlic flavored salad croutons

1 cup of ritz crackers

1/4 cup melted butter or margarine

 

Shrimp Sauce (optional)

1 can of shrimp soup

1/4 cup of milk

 

Instructions:

Prep mushrooms by removing the stems. Save stems to use in a different recipe in the refrigerator.

Rinse and pat dry. Place the mushrooms in a lightly greased medium baking pan. Saute the onion in the butter for about 1 minute in a small skillet.

Add the shrimp and cook for 1 minute and set aside off heat. Drain the clams but save the juice for later.  Add the clams and paprika to the cooked shrimp.

Place the crackers and croutons in a food safe plastic bag and crush with your kitchen mallet until very crumbly.

Place 1/2 of the cracker mix, and bread crumbs in a medium bowl. Add the seafood mix, and parsley, and mix well.

Slowly add a little of the clam juice until your stuffing is moist but not mushy. *If you find it to dry, add a few tbsp s of water.

Fill the mushroom caps with the stuffing. Top each mushroom with 1 tsp of the remaining cracker mix. *Don’t be afraid to use all of the topping mix.

Coat each mushroom cap with a little melted butter.

Cook at 350 for about 15-20 minutes or until the stuffing is golden brown and slightly crispy.

Mix the shrimp soup with the milk and heat in a small skillet.*The soup should be smooth but not runny.

Place the mushrooms onto your serving platter and spoon the shrimp sauce around them.

*You can make these mushrooms ahead of time, store in the refrigerator, and heat them in the oven with the shrimp sauce.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Holiday Recipes / Main Dish / Photo Gallery / Recipes

Cozido a Portuguesa – Portuguese Hot Pot

Cozido a Portuguesea (Portuguese Hot Pot) by Nelson de Sousa

Nothing says I love you as much as cooking that great classic, “Cozido a Portuguesa” for your family on a cold winter day!

Here’s a recipe from a great home cook! Nelson, is a Bona fide –  “Portuguese Foodie” like me who puts his heart on the plate.

He loves Portuguese food so much that began a “Portuguese Cooking” page on Facebook and even took a job as unpaid intern – sous chef at: o lagar restaurant – a Portuguese restaurant in Union NJ.

Nelson’s  recipe for Portuguese Oxtail Stew recently won a contest on (rumbameats.com).

Here’s his intro and his recipe below. Thanks Nelson. Enjoy everyone!

Nelson de Sousa – Feb 21, 2011:

Every culture has a tradition of a boiled meat dish. The Chinese call it hot pot, the French call it choucroute and Latin Americans call it sancocho. The Portuguese call it cozido and nothing beats this comfort food in the middle of winter with several inches of snow falling and a negative wind chill!

Of course it doesn’t much snow in Portugal but cozido reminds me of cold Saturdays in my parent’s basement with a big pot of boiling goodness that would steam up the windows, walls and the TV with its warmth. The Portuguese cozido has its origins in the Beira region and is commonly made from shin of beef, pork, and Portuguese smoked sausages and in some regions chicken, served with cabbage, carrots, turnips, rice, potatoes, and collard greens.

Since the origins of this dish are humble (this is a rustic recipe meant to use up the cheaper cuts of meat) it contains ingredients that are unsavory to more “American” refined palates such as pig’s snout, pig’s feet, pig’s ear and blood sausage.  I give no quantities below as it varies by how many people you are serving.

When you go to the store you will have to gauge how much meat to buy for the amount of people you are serving. Similarly,  I don’t give cooking times as this varies by how much meat you are using, which particular cut you are using and the thickness/weight of each meat item. You will have to test periodically with a knife and fork until you reach your desired tenderness.

Some aficionados of cozido prefer the meat less tender while others prefer it falling off the bone. Traditionally a well plated dish will consist of some quantity of one of everything mentioned below albeit in a smaller cut up portion.

If all the various cuts of meat are not available or they disgust you don’t worry all you need to maintain the spirit of the dish is to have a sampling of all the meats (pork, beef, chicken)  sausage and the vegetables.  

 

Cozido

 

Ingredients:

  • stewing beef (whole piece not cut up stew meat)
  • pork ribs
  • pork hock,
  • pork snout
  • pork tail
  • pork ear
  • pork neck bones
  • chicken
  • morcela sausage (a Portuguese blood sausage)
  • chourico sausage (the Portuguese equivalent to chorizo)
  • salpicao sausage (a Portugese sausage)
  • farinheira sausage (a Portuguese mealy sausage)
  • lean unsmoked bacon slab, in one piece
  • turnips
  • potatoes
  • white cabbage
  • carrots, scraped
  • collard greens
  • rice (optional)

 

Directions:

Place all the meat except for the sausages in boiling water enough to cover all and allow it to  cook at a low boil. Add salt to taste. As each item of meat cooks, remove it from the broth into a separate dish.

Please note that different meats will cook differently.  Check your meat periodically for your desired tenderness.

When all the meat has cooked thoroughly place the white cabbage, potatoes, carrots and turnips in the broth and cook.  Remove vegetables as they are cooked and set aside with the meat.

Once again please note that vegetables may cook at varying rates so check periodically. Add collard greens and boil until tender and cooked.  Finally add the sausages and boil until cooked being careful to watch the farinheira as it can explode.

When the sausages are near being fully cooked gently place the meat back into the broth pot, along with vegetables so that all the ingredients can come up to temperature. Place the vegetables last into the pot.

To plate the dish place the cabbage into a platter. Slice the beef, pork, chicken and sausages into manageable 2-3 inch  pieces and place on top leaving the bone in pieces a little bigger so as to not distort the natural shape of the meat.

Garnish the dish with the remaining vegetables around the platter and top with slices of sausage.

Some like to reserve some of the broth and cook some rice in it.  To do so take some broth out before adding all the ingredients back into the pot to reheat.  Remember that liquid to rice ratios are: 1 quantity or rice to 2 of liquid.

Photo Gallery / Recipes / Side Dish

Zucchini Corn Bread

Hi Friends….It’s zucchini season….

My garden is doing great this year and I hope yours is too.

I have a huge bounty of zucchini so I’m sharing my Zucchini Corn Bread Recipe with all of you.  This recipe is easy to prepare, and it uses basic ingredients in your pantry. It takes no butter or oil, so it’s low fat.  I used lemon yogurt for moistness.

Go out to your local farmers market and get some zucchini……

Ingredients:

2 packages Jiffy Corn Muffin mix

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

3 cups shredded zucchini

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp crated lemon peel

1 tsp cinnamon

1 small container plain low fat lemon yogurt

1 cup mixed chopped nuts and dried berries ( any variety)

I used chopped dried cranberries, sunflower seeds and almonds.

Makes 2 loaves

Mix : eggs and sugar until sugar is dissolved then add the zucchini, lemon juice, lemon peel.

Mix dry ingredients(flour, corn mix, cin, )

Add the dry ingredients to the zucchini mixture.

Add 3/4 cup of  the nuts and all the berries and mix well

Pour into 2 greased loaf pans

Sprinkle remaining nuts on top of the batter

Cook for about 45 minutes at 350 degree or until golden brown

Let cool before serving.

Bye, Tia Maria

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

Seafood Corn Chowder

This week, I was craving a clam bake at one of my favorite restaurants; Jasper White’s Summer Shack which makes the best Lobster in New England.  His lobster bake is served with 1 whole lobster, steamers, potatoes, corn on the cob, a hard boiled egg, and Portuguese Linguica…. It’s a classic New England clam bake.

Since summer is still months away,  I decided make Seafood Corn Chowder to satisfy my craving.

I’ve created this chowder by combing two soups;  the classic corn chowder, with my favorite soup, Lobster Bisque. The  first time I tried  the bisque it was served with a sniffer of brandy on the side and from that day on, I was hocked!

So, I gave this  soup a Portuguese ethnic twist by using the classic Portuguese Brandy, 1920 which  tones down the sweetness and gives this soup a mellow…smooth taste! Save some brandy to have with an espresso for dessert.

Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 lb bay scallops

1 lb shrimp (cut into small pieces)

1 lb chopped clams ( canned if desired)

1 lb lobster cut into pieces (if desired)

1 med onion (chopped)

1 clove garlic (chopped)

1 stalk celery(chopped

2 scallions9 (chopped)

1 lb carrots (chopped

1 16 oz bag frozen corn

1/8 cup olive oil

2 tsp butter

4 cups chicken broth

6 cups 1% milk

1 cup cream

1 tbsp salt

1 tsp pepper

2 tsp chopped parsley( garnish)

1/2 cup flour

1 oz 1920 brandy

Instructions:

In a large soup pan, saute onions, celery, scallions, garlic and carrots in olive oil for about 5 minutes until golden but not browned.

Add chicken broth and cook veg. for about 10 – 15 min, or until carrots are tender.

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Puree all the vegetables with blender until it’s a smooth consistency. Then press the soup through a fine food strainer to catch the veg threads.

Add the  cream and the milk (reserve one cup milk) Add the corn, butter salt & pepper and cook for 10 min on med heat (stir often not to stick).

milk&puree

corn

Add the scallops, shrimp, clams, & lobster  and cook for 5 min.

Shrimpscall

Mix the 1 cup of milk with the flour and make a slurry. Then add a little of hot soup to the milk and flour mixture.

Stir until the flour is dissolved.  Add the flour mixture to soup slowly and keep stirring.

Let the soup cook for about 10 minutes on low heat…keep stirring and don’t let it over boil which will cause it to burn.

(If soup is thin, mix a little more flour mixed with milk in a small bowl.

Add 1 tablespoon of the soup to the flour,  then pour the mixture into the soup and let it cook 5 minutes or until thickened.)

Add the 1920… let it cook for a 5 more minutes… and remove from heat.

Let soup sit for about 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy the soup and hold on a few more months, summer will be here soon…

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Holiday Recipes / Main Dish / Photo Gallery / Recipes / Side Dish / Soups / Traditional customs

Feijoada à Transmontana – Portuguese Bean Stew

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Feijoada, is Portugal’s version of Chili, perfect for your next big party!

It originated around the 14th century in the Northern region of Portugal. Generally, Feijoada is made with white beans but in the Tras os Montes region, red kidney beans are used.

During that time meat was scarce, so the poor peasants began using every part of the pig as a staple in their diets along with beans and cabbage which were easily available.

This dish is great served with classic Portuguese rice recipe and your favorite Portuguese Bread. If you want to get really adventurous try making home made Pao Caseiro!

It’s one of those dishes that taste even better the next day! Enjoy!

Makes 12 -15 servings

Ingredients:

Note: You can use all of the following ingredients or use only the meats that you like. You can omit the knuckles, ears etc.

2 lbs baby back ribs (cut into small riblets)

2 lbs chourica sausage (cut into slices)

1 lb blood sausage (if desired) (cut into slices)

1 lb ( presunto, smoked shoulder ham, or salted pork belly cut into 2 inch strips)

2 lbs pig hocks or knuckles, pig ears, (optional)

1 small regular cabbage, savoy cabbage or any green leafy cabbage (cut into quarters)

2 carrots (sliced)

1 large onion finely (chopped)

2 large cloves garlic (chopped)

1/4 cup olive oil

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon salt

1  teaspoon sweet paprika

1  teaspoon cumin powder

2 or 3 large 32 oz cans cooked kidney beans

1/2 cup crushed tomatoes


Instructions:

The night before cooking, salt the ribs, wash the knuckles in cold water, salt them,  and store in fridge overnight to absorb the salt.

The next day, cook the knuckles in a large pot of unsalted water for at least 1 1/2 hours or until they’re easy to cut apart. Reserve the liquid for later.

Meanwhile, saute onions, garlic, and bay leaf in the olive oil for about 5 min. Add ribs, pork belly and paprika.

Let them cook for about 5 minutes stirring them so they don’t stick to pan.

Add 2 cups of cooking liquid from the knuckles and let the ribs cook for another 20 minutes, stirring once in a while.

Add the rest of the meats (chourica, presunto, ham, knuckles) chopped cabbage, carrots,  and tomato sauce.

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Stir gently and let them cook for about 30 minutes. Add the kidney beans, blood sausage and cabbage and cook for another 10 minutes.

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Stir the pot gently so you don’t break up the beans or the cabbage. Taste, and add more salt if desired. Cook until the cabbage is tender. Leave pan on low heat until ready to serve

 

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Here’s a video the acclaimed Portuguese Chef from Tras os Montes – Marco Gomes executive chef at Fox Velha, Porto, Portugal – preparing Feijoada à transmontana on RTP – Praça da Alegria.

Marco Gomes is passionate about using farm to table ingredients in the traditional recipes.

“I was born in the interior of Portugal where cooking was part of everything,” he said. And its these roots that he goes back to in the kitchen. “I give the food a different look but I keep the traditional flavors. It’s important to be innovative without losing the traditional flavors.” Marco Gomes