Fresh Cod and Potatoes in Coconut Milk

Bacalhau Fresco com Batatas e Leite de Côco

This is a wonderful dish full of flavor. The original recipe is made with salted cod but salted cod is a little difficult to find in Arizona so I developed a variation of the recipe using fresh cod. Salted cod has a richer cod flavor and fresh cod is more subtle but still gives a good taste of what this delicious meal is like. I actually prefer the subtle lighter taste of fresh cod. This is a very elegant meal, perfect served with white rice and any side salad.

Serves 6

Fresh Cod and Potatoes in Coconut Milk, served over white rice.

Ingredients:

8 small baby potatoes thinly sliced

1 yellow sweet pepper thinly sliced

2 lb fresh cod cut into about 4 inch pieces

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 shallots finely chopped or 1 medium yellow onion

4 garlic cloves finely chopped

6 ripe tomatoes cut in edges or 1 16 oz can of stewed tomatoes

1 lemon

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 can coconut milk

Hot water

Salt and pepper

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

4 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Directions:

1. Squeeze lemon over cod pieces, sprinkle with salt and pepper and set aside.

2. Heat olive oil in a large pot like a Dutch oven, add shallots or onions and garlic and sauté for about 2 minutes.

3. Add tomatoes, cover and let cook until tomatoes start to soften and juices come to a light boil.

3. Add potato slices and enough hot water to cover them. Add tomato paste, salt, pepper to taste, cover and let it cook over medium heat until potatoes are softer.

4. Add coconut milk, red pepper flakes, cod pieces and sweet peppers and let it cook uncovered until sauce comes to a boil and cod is cooked and flaky (don’t overcook cod! it will get tougher).

5. Add parsley and chives and serve over white rice.

Enjoy!

Vegan Chocolate Chunk Cookies

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Biscoitos Veganos de Chocolate

Chocolate chip cookies are not a Brazilian original but as a Brazilian living in the United States for so long I learned to love and to make them for my family. This is also not a traditional chocolate chip recipe, it is a vegan adaptation as we are moving more towards vegetarian and vegan foods. I have not seen chocolate chips that are 100% chocolate, it is usually milk chocolate, so I use dark chocolate bar ( no milk) and cut into chunks. It is absolutely delicious! You will be hooked!

Ingredients:

1 cup pitted dates

1 cup natural peanut butter or almond butter

2 cups almond flour

1 table-spoon “neategg” vegan egg substitute

1/4 cup almond milk ( or any non dairy)

4 OZ unsweetened dark chocolate 100% cocoa

powdered sugar

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350F.
  2. Using a food processor, beat the dates and peanut butter until all mixed and smooth
  3. Add almond flour and process.
  4. Dissolve “neategg” on non dairy milk and add to food processor. A ball of dough should be formed now but if still dry and crumbly add another spoon of non dairy milk.
  5. Place dough in a bowl, break chocolate into very small chunks and mix with your hands making sure dough incorporates all the chocolate chunks.
  6. Cover baking sheet with parchment paper, roll dough into small balls and place on cookie sheet. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and let it stand for 10 min.
  7. place cookies on a rack or a plate and sprinkle powdered sugar.

Enjoy!

Pita Bread

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Pao Arabe

Pita Bread is so easy to make, the perfect pair for Hummus! The warm and rich flavor of the Arab cuisine that reached Portugal and Brazil.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups unbleached white flour
  • 1 tea-spoon salt
  • 2/3 cup lukewarm water
  • 1 table-spoon olive oil
  • 1/2 tea-spoon dry yeast

Directions:

  1. Mix flour and salt in a bowl.
  2. Dissolve yeast in water and add olive oil.
  3. Make a hole in center of flour and add yeast mixture, then slowly knead mixture to make a soft dough.
  4. Turn dough on to a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic.
  5. Place it back in the bowl, brush top with a little extra olive oil, cover with a plastic wrap and set aside, in a warm place to rise for about 1 hour.
  6. Punch dough, place it on a lightly floured surface and divide it in 6 balls.
  7. Roll each ball in to a circle or oval shape about 1/3 inch thick. Brush each one with a little more olive oil, cover them back and let them rest for 30 minutes.
  8. Meanwhile, pre heat oven to 400F. Place 3 pita circles on a pizza pan or cookie sheet. You will need to pans or bake in batches.
  9. Bake for 6 minutes or until they puff up and are golden brown.

So Yummy!

Brazilian Shrimp Torte

 

 

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Torta de Camarao

 

This is a very popular dish in Brazil, it can be served as a main dish, side dish, party food.

This dish is also known as “Empadao de Camarao” and it is found in every bistro, served in big slices or in mini sizes,as finger food or appetizers .

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup ( 2 sticks) cold butter cut into cubes
  • 8 tablespoons ice water
  • shredded fresh parmesan cheese
  • 1 egg yolk beaten
  • 2 table spoons of olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 pound of cooked shrimp
  • 1/2 lime or Lemmon
  • 1 red pepper chopped
  • 1/4 of an onion finely chopped
  • 2 Roma tomatoes finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
  • 1 cup thinly sliced hearts of palms ( optional but highly recommended)
  • 1/2 cup sliced pitted kalamata olives ( optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 table-spoon flour

Directions:

  1. Add 1 and 1/2 cups of flour and salt to a food processor or to a medium bowl. Pulse or stir until combined. Add butter and process or use a fork to mix. Add remaining flour and mix until dough is crumbly. Add cold water and process or use hands to shape dough into a ball. If dough falls apart add another table-spoon or two of cold water and work the dough until  forms a ball.
  2. Remove dough from food processor or bowl, place it on a clean surface and divide dough in two halves. Wrap each half with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  3. Meanwhile, in a large pan over medium heat, saute onions, garlic, tomatoes and red pepper in olive oil,  cook until soft. Add shrimp, squeeze lime juice, add salt and pepper to taste and red pepper flakes. Then add hearts of palms, olives, fresh parsley and flour. Remove from heat and set aside.
  4. Pre heat oven to  350 F.
  5. Remove one half of dough from refrigerator and place it on a lightly floured surface. Open dough with a rolling-pin and place it on a round pie dish. Prick dough with a fork and place it in oven for 15 min.
  6. Remove from oven, place but leave oven on. Pour shrimp filling inside pie crust, set aside.
  7. Remove other half of dough from refrigerator and open with a rolling-pin on a lightly floured surface. Place dough on top of filling. Press the sides to close the edges. Brush the top with the beaten egg yolk and sprinkle parmesan cheese. Make a cut like a cross in the middle with a knife. Place it on top of a cookie sheet and in the oven and bake for 35 min or until top is golden brown. Let it stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

 

 

 

Brazilian Shrimp and Yucca Stew

 

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Bobo de Camarão

This is a traditional Brazilian cuisine known as “Bobo de Camarão.” It has African roots and it is mainly typical of the State of Bahia where a large number of African slaves concentrated during colonial times but it is largely found all over the nation ,everyone has a version of this dish. It is basically a mash of yucca roots, coconut milk and shrimp. It can be served over white rice or just by itself like a savory soup. Here is my version, enjoy!

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds raw, peeled shrimp
  • 1 lime
  • 2 pounds yucca root
  • 1/2 large onion finely chopped
  • 4 cups vegetable or fish broth
  • 4 large garlic cloves minced
  • 4 ripped Roma tomatoes chopped
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 large red pepper finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 can coconut milk
  • Bunch of chopped cilantro, parsley or basil
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)

Directions:

  1. Place raw shrimp in a bowl with juice of 1 lime, set aside.
  2. Peel yucca root, chop in cubes and place them in a pot. Add broth and bring to a boil, reduce heat and let them cook until very tender. Remove from heat and mash them. Set aside.
  3. Heat olive oil in a big pot (an iron pot would be just perfect). Saute onions, tomatoes, peppers and garlic until soft. Add shrimp, when both sides turn pink add coconut milk, tomato paste and mashed yucca. Stir with a wood spoon.
  4. Add salt to taste, crushed red pepper and let it simmer over a medium heat until bubbly.
  5. Remove from heat and garnish with herbs.