Spelt correctly-life´s a complete beach

Last year was the year of kale and I’m sure that kale will continue to maintain its popularity because people have found that they can do so much with it. The question is, what will be the next big thing? Don’t be surprised by a kale backlash if the once-designer vegetable is replaced on menus.Nothing, it seems, can stop the march of the kale revivalists. Kale ice lollies “Greensicles” in the form of the KaleliciousTM and Greena ColadaTM. are already waiting for the summer sun to come out and shine on on a nation of Green age children.But do these ankle biters know the difference between spelled and spelt? Because some experts are predicting an upward surge in ancient grains,so-called because they have been little altered since they were first cultivated.These are whole grains that are generally high in nutrients and safe for those with wheat and gluten allergies. You’ve probably had quinoa, but expect to be introduced to another oldie-but-goodie, spelt,(an ancient cousin of wheat). It is high in fibre, has a higher protein and vitamin content than wheat, and although not Gluten Free, spelt can be tolerated by some people with wheat sensitivity.Different varieties of Spelt seem to be the buzz words on everybody´s lips at the moment.So like the smart person who invented “Greensicles”I think I have found away to get these “green” children to eat their grains. As Julie Andrews said when you read you begin with ABC,when you sing you begin with Do Re Mi, so when you cook you begin with  re si pi, (not spelt correctly I know but you see where I am coming from). Correct spelling attempts to transcribe the sounds of language into alphabetic letters and correct cooking produces a plate composed of diverse ingredients. I was fascinated by a side to the main on a recent episode of Masterchef.The item in question was called “chilli sand”.I attempted to translate this and make what I thought was a fairly true rendition.I took it literally and using an organic spelt cous cous (This is a tad healthier version of the normal couscous, and I found the taste a little nuttier, wholesome and all in all nicer. ) I set about making a plate of food that would delight any child and make them eat everything on it.Since we are beside the sea here in the Algarve,my theme was summer holidays, surf and turf,buckets and spades and of course, central to my theme, the sand castle.I know you are thinking this is all very Heston Blumenthal,but that is completely coincidental I promise you.My “Life´s´a beach” plate is composed of Thai spiced salmon driftwood,a cucumber wasabi and lime jellyfish,a chilli sand castle, cauliflower rice sea urchin, and that old retro trick - crispy seaweed .Could this whet a difficult young eaters appetite and ensure they clean the plate?
Here´s how I composed the plate

Thai spiced salmon driftwood
makes 24 sticks in total
small bunch coriander
4 sticks lemongrass
! thumb sized piece ginger
4 small red chillis
1 kg salmon fillet
2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons Nam pla( Thai fish sauce)
Corn meal for coating fingers 

Chop coriander,lemongrass,chillis and ginger in a processor.Add the rest of the ingredients and process again.Line a shallow freezable container with cling film and fill it with the processed mixture.Put in the freezer until firm but not frozen,(about 1 hour).
Shape into fingers and fry in very hot oil.


Cucumber wasabi and lime Jellyfish
3 cucumbers, deseeded and chopped 
6 gelatine leaves, soaked in warm water until softened, drained
1 lime, juice only
1 tsp ready-made wasabi paste
Blend 2 cucumbers and strain through a sieve.You will need 300ml(1/2 pint) so  juice from the third cucumber if required.
Heat 1/2 juice in a saucepan and whisk in the gelatine until completely dissolved.
Place the remaining juice in a bowl with the lime juice and wasabi.Mix well.Strain the cucumber and gelatine and pour into moulds.Chill overnight.
Chilli sand castle
100g spelt cous cous per sandcastle
I small onion finely grated
1 heaped teaspoon Ras al hanout
tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes
small handful pistachios finely choppedsmall handful roasted peanuts finely chopped
small handful roasted salted almonds finely chopped 
Place the grated onion and ras al hanout in a dry saucepan and heat gently until the spices start to give off an aroma,add the chilli flakes.Stir in the cous cous and add the olive oil and lemon juice.Stir to mix well then add 80 ml of hot stock per 100g cous cous.Cover the pan with a lid and set aside.After a few minutes fluff up the cous cous with a fork and mix in the chopped nuts.When ready spoon into dariole moulds and turn out onto serving plates.
Cauliflower rice sea urchin
1 head cauliflower, cored, broken into florets
1/2 cup water (more or less depending on the size of your pan)
1 teaspoon Kosher salt 
● Grate or finely chop the cauliflower florets until they resemble rice grains. (The fastest way to do this is using the chopping blade or grater in a food processor, but it will result in a finer texture that’s a little more like couscous. Pulse to make sure it’s not over-processed.)
● Cook on full power in the microwave for 2 minutes in a lightly covered microwavable dish (reduce to 60 seconds if using one portion’s worth). Don’t add water: there’s already enough water in the cauliflower to stop it drying out.
● If you don’t have a microwave, steam the cauliflower pieces in a steamer (with fine holes, so the grains won’t fall through) or in a sieve set over a pan of simmering water (cover the
sieve tightly with foil to allow the cauliflower to steam) for 2 minutes. Or stir-fry in a hot pan – with a splash of water to prevent it from sticking – for 2-3 minutes, until softened

Crispy seaweed
125 g green cabbage pak choior spring greens
900 ml groundnut oil
1 tsp flor de sal
2 tsp sugar
Set the oven to 130°C/gas 3. Separate the stalks from the stem of the bok choi and then cut the green leaves from the white stalks. Wash the leaves in several changes of cold water, then drain them thoroughly and dry in a salad spinner.  
Roll the leaves up tightly, a few at a time, and finely shred them into strips 5mm wide.
Spread them out on a baking sheet and dry them out in the oven for 15 minutes (they should not be completely dry or they will burn when fried). Remove from the oven and leave to cool. This can be done the day before.
Heat a wok over a high heat, and then add the oil. When the oil is hot and slightly smoking deep-fry the greens in three or four batches. After about 30-40 seconds, when they turn crisp and green, remove them immediately from the wok and drain well on kitchen paper. Leave to cool.
Toss the crispy greens with the salt and sugar.Serve. 

A ceia ultima-Casa Rosada os hospedeiros

The last evening of our Bloggers weekend,and it was time for Casa Rosada to open its doors and play host to our fellow bloggers.Earlier in the day we had chosen a selection of fish to prepare and vegetables and salads to accompany.The idea behind the dinner was to get as many cooks involved in the preparation and cooking of a dinner that included Flor de sal at every stage.Having set all the fish out on the table and the other ingredients on the counter top I started to make suggestions and under my watchful eye delegate various responsibilities to the bloggers. 

The task of cooking prawns fell upon Joli, Jorge Nunes,food and wine blogger.German blogging couple Nicky and Oliver set to preparing us a salad of muxama with rocket and citrus balsamic reduction.
With her culinary sparkle and inspiration Isabel Zibaia Rafael ( www.cincoquartosdelaranja.com ) was assisted by Adriana from chefagency in the prep for a sweet potato salad, and the Baila (sea Bass) which she baked in the oven.
The thespian busied himself preparing a Casa Rosada signature dish Filetes de salmonetes pan fried in mustard seeds and red onion.
I prepared sesame lime and soy tuna skewers which I cooked on salt stones.
The only disappointment of the evening was when we discovered that the large Dourada we were going to bake in a salt crust had had its scales removed and therefore was no good for the star task we had intended.You don’t scale the fish. If you scale it, the salt is absobed through the skin rendering the fish inedibly salty. Scales protect your dinner. Not so ours.
The most popular plate of the evening however was my very own Flor de sal Caramel Brownies.I gave a step by step demonstration of how they are made.Unfortunately our bloggers were so pre-occupied with eating them that they forgot about their photo opportunities and we were left with no record of the finished product."Punishment for gluttons" I would say.

© Foto: João Pedro Rato com Canon EOS 60D

FOTO: http://www.joli.pt/excelencia-da-flor-de-sal/

FOTO:Raul lufinha@ http://mesa-do-chef.blogs.sapo.pt

The Casa Rosada kitchen has never been so vital.We cooked to the acompaniment of clicking camera shutters and every stage of the proceedings was recorded by the sharp and watchful pencil of illustrator Ana Rita Monteiro ( www.aqui - ha - arte.com ) 
The food was washed down with two splendid Douro wines from the house of Carm.Maria de Lourdes Branco 2011 and Vinho Tinto Reserva 2011.

FOTO:Raul lufinha@ http://mesa-do-chef.blogs.sapo.pt

...and to round off the evening yet another surprise.After a hard day´s work, including having provided a most delicious tapas lunch for all of us, our friends Clíodhna Browne e Fabio Zerbo from Puerta Ancha in Ayamonte joined us for a nightcap(more on their story later....)
 

What a great end to an information packed weekend. Brindamos a todos!

Chermoula baked fish,pure and simple

Sometimes fish is best left alone, and at other times It can take a good rub or paste to help it on its way. Red Snapper has a great, firm texture and a sweet, nutty flavor that lends itself very well to everything from hot chilies to subtle herbs.
 Last week I was putting together a Moroccan-influenced menu for some guests who had booked in for dinner, and was looking for a sauce to pair with a robust fish for baking in the oven.Pargo or African snapper beckoned to me off the cold slab in the market and seemed the perfect choice for this.
Chermoula is one of those sauces—once you taste it, you'll wonder why you´ve never stumbled on it before.Since chermoula can be found in many North African countries and has myriad regional variations, I couldn't find a definitive starting point for my recipe. I approached it focusing instinctively on Moroccan flavours, then tinkered a bit( as usual), eventually coming up with a sauce that proved to be a huge success.
I started with coriander, parsley, and garlic finely choped in the mini processor.I then added in few ubiquitous Moroccan spices like paprika, cumin, chilli, and cinnamon. Then its defining feature—preserved lemon which imparts a strong and unique acidic flavor and a bit of olive oil for the finishing touch.
Chermoula is traditionally paired with fish and as I slathered it on,I imagined it could be be a great change of pace for a quick mid week supper, rubbed onto chicken beasts or even as a dressing for roasted vegetables.
Besides being incredibly versatile and costing next to nothing, the sauce takes only a few minutes to prepare, and can keep refrigerated, for a week or so. 
Chermoula marinade
2 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
1 heaped teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 medium red chilli,finely chopped
1 preserved lemon flesh disarded and peel finely chopped or zest and juice of 1 lime
1 clove garlic,finely chopped
1 heaped tablespoon coriander leaves,chopped
1 tablespoon,parsley leaves,chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
Mix all the ingredients together in aprocessor adding alittle water if it is too thick. Make 3 incisions in each side of your fish and rub the marinade all over the fish and into the incisions.
Serve with a jewelled cous cous,rice or Moroccan sweet potato salad.

O restauração e documentação do centro gastronómico e arquivo com Pão cozido em forno a lenha

                                Bread with and without salt   PHOTO RAUL LUFINHA

My bread making skills are as you all know seriously lacking and with my recent venture into the territory of “no knead bread”, things went from bad to worse.An artesian bread making demonstration was perhaps what the doctor ordered?.The second stop on our action packed Saturday of Bloggers weekend was just this.Our destination -  Casa de Odeleite.I could barely hold back my excitement and anticipation about this visit, this was something something that was long overdue on my Casa Rosada list of things to do/places to visit.

For nearly two decades, the house of John Xavier de Almeida was an important trading centre in the village and parish of Odeleite, part of the municipality of Castro Marim. It was the richest house in the parish and the authentic nerve centre of the village, located on the banks of the river Guadiana.
In the early twentieth century it provided dried fruits,fertilizers and seeds for the local community.This once important trading post was acquired by the Castro Marim authorities and carefully salvaged and restored.Casa de Odeleite has been transformed it into an authentic historic recreation of a home and a very important gastronomic artefact. As an exhibition centre and archive visitors can enjoy, besides the residential areas,the restored cellar,sewing room,warehouse showing grains and pulses and the focus of our particular visit, the wood burning oven.

                                     A padeira, Dona Celísia Custódio           PHOTO RAUL LUFINHA

                                                                

Lenha esteva para forno a lenha

                                                                                                                                 Dona Celísia Custódio was our demonstrator.She fueled the oven with wood from the esteva plant(rock rose),above.This infuses the bread with a distinctive aroma.Bread loves salt.You do not notice the taste of salt in most bread,not even a little bit..." She pinched some of the salt between her fingers and let it fall through the air. "Even a teaspoon of salt in a loaf of bread will change it so much. The salt helps stop the yeast from overgrowing so that the bread will rise but not spill out all over the oven. The loaf becomes strong, sturdy, and shapely. Without any salt at all, the bread will be crumbly and taste sour. Every good cook knows that bread loves…salt.Perhaps this is where I have been going wrong.She baked us loaves both with and without salt and with the fresh cheese from our previous stop and some olive oil we were able to sample the difference which also doubled up as a very welcome mid morning collation.

Fresh cheese warm bread and olive oil

 ..and the moral of this story if bread loves salt make sure you always have a few blossoms of Salmarim in your pocket.

some of the objects found in Casa de Odeleite

More interesting facts about 
Casa de Odeleite
About 1500 unique objects (artefacts, furniture ...) including a wedding dress were also recovered and many other documents (correspondence, invoices ...) belonging to the former owner, who shot himself in 1933.

Blesed are the cheesemakers

I was recently privileged to participate in a food bloggers weekend.From Friday to Sunday we had the chance to sample some of the modern, innovative,fine dining and molecular gastronomy of the East Algarve and Southern Andalucia.The highlight of the weekend for me however was not the modern Algarvian fine dining - interesting and delicious as it might have been- but discovering some more traditional gastronomic Portuguese treasures to be found on our doorstep.Artesan cheese making and bread baking.There is a common denominator here, artesan Flor de sal.Salt is not just a seasoning “chefs in the know” sprinkle over their food, but an integral part of cheesemaking and we were also able to taste bread baked with and without salt.Flor de sal was the focal point  and we witnessed how chefs use it in their creations.The weekend started on Friday evening when we were guests of Monte Rei Golf and country club and some clever molecular gastronomy presented to us by Jaime Perez and chefs Renato and Dalila Cunha from restaurant Ferrugem in Porto.You should have seen the expression on my face when a white capsule was miraculously transformed into a warm “oshibori” wipe as warm lemon infused water was poured over it.It rose serpent like from my plate,reminiscent of a Chinese cracker trick.I did not know whether to admire it or eat it and only avoided an embarrassing culinary moment when I noticed my fellow diners were cleansing their hands with it.

Putting my naivety aside some of the canapés and degustation items were indicative of Perez´ time with superstar chef Ferran Adria at El Buli´.
Next morning it was an early start, to drive north from Castro Marim through some stunning countryside that an uninformed tourist would sadly miss.Arriving in the remote little riverside village of Foz de Odeleite,the sun managed to break through clouds threatening an impending spring shower.A narrow weed strewn street led us to our Nirvana.There was a sweet smell in the air which was already giving us a clue as to where we were heading,an artesan dairy.
The smell intensified as we entered a room,almost surgical in its appearance.Large pans of milk were heating on the stove and a large stainless steel table filled the centre of the room.While 72 year old Dona Isabel Cavaço washed pots, 78 year old Dona Otilia Glory Gonçalo Ribeiro,mother of the current owner was preparing to apply gloves ready for the filling of the moulds with the fresh cheese.What we witnessed was an operation of hospital like proportions with the highest levels of hygiene being observed.

What i found most encouraging was to see the young granddaughter of both these septuagenarian ladies assisting and therefore ensuring the future livelihood of this traditional artesan business.In turn she brought pans of the warm milk to the table,where she drained the whey in a muslim bag and tipped the discarded liquid into the bowl that contained the moulds.The two, now gloved ladies rinsed their hands in this warm liquid.This ensured that every contact with the cheese was covered and no flavour was lost.By this point I was welling up with the nostalgia of the situation and overcome by the strong aroma of the warm fresh cheese.Dona Otilia then explained to us how the cheese was made.
First the milk is boiled.It is then cooled to 56 or 57 ° C. To help speed up the process there are large containers full of water where they put the pots of hot milk . 

When it reaches the desired temperature rennet and salt are added. The rennet is extracted from thistle flower. The flowers are crushed and placed in water overnight, the liquid is then strained.The result is a chestnut coloured water.This was a surprise for all of us. We knew that the thistle flower was used in some way to curdle milk , but did not know exactly how it was done.Thistle rennet can only be used with goat's or sheep's milk,the other type of rennet being animal based.We left that small room reassured that this method of cheese making was 1000% sustainable.As fellow blogger Raul Lufinha,"Mesa do chef", so rightly put in his blog post- "Não há queijo de cabra… sem cabras"
(“You cant have goats cheese without goats”)

The son of the owner Joáo M.G.Ribeiro has a herd of goats numbering between 150 and 200,which produce the milk used in the cheese making......

......Next stop Casa de Odeleite. which will be my next post about artesan breadmaking

“Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Butarga more.”

The first day of spring,the sun shines and its time to talk salad

What is the deal with Caesar salad?? I’ve ordered it in many different places from neighborhood cafes and beach bars to stylish city lunch spots. If there’s no dish on a restaurant’s menu that coaxes me instantly. and the particular establishment happens to offer Caesar salad – mission accomplished. That, however, doesn’t automatically mean that all of my Caesar salad endeavours have been pleasurable ones. Quite the contrary, in fact I’ve had really bad ones. Either my expectations towards this very salad are way out of reach for most restaurants or serving this classic gives chefs a good excuse to muck up a classic. Limp leaves, drowned in way too much dressing, over the top garlicky or Parmesan cluttered – all these things can quickly ruin an otherwise beautifully balanced mix,not to mention the heinous crime of dressing it with mayonnaise.
I realize I’m possibly opening up a can of worms, triggering a debate on authenticity. Try this at your own risk: Open a thread about Caesar salad in any food forum and you will be rewarded with an endless and heated debate between people telling you what ingredients you have to use, why you are a complete moron if you don’t and the ones altering the recipes from start to finish. In my own words

“There are  certain classics that can not be messed with and this is one of them. Accept no substitute, being palmed off with a flavoured mayonnaise is just not good enough”
Blog post June 2011

“Trust me, a Caesar is no proper Caesar without anchovies.Accept no substitutes”.
Blog post April 2013

Actually, I understand both sides, I really do, yet I never got the point why people tend to become overly bossy and dogmatic when discussing food.
I started talking Butarga (" the caviar of the Mediterranean “)on this blog in November last year when I had my first hands on encounter with it.Since then Its subtle taste of smoked sea flavour has left me with a curious appetite for experimenting with other permutations.
It doesn’t hurt to inform yourself before preparing a classic recipe of what the traditional recipe involves.That said, your kitchen is your playground, feel free to try whatever floats your boat – just don’t call it authentic or classic anymore.Restaurant Caesars I have come across have included Creole chicken,crispy bacon and even cubes of avocado.So i don't feel so bad about my very minor twist.I replaced the anchovies with shavings of Butarga.Butarga can be used sliced or grated and so for a bit of added punch I grated some over the top of the salad along with the parmesan

Caesar salad with buttarga

FOR THE CROUTONS
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
100g 3-day old white bread cut into 3cm cubes

Pre-heat the oven to 200C/390F/ gas mark 5. Toss the bread cubes around in a bowl with the oil.Spread over a baking tray  and bake in the oven, turning occasionally for 20 minutes until golden brown.Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

 CLASSIC CAESAR DRESSING
2 cloves garlic
4 anchovy fillets
1Tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 eggs plus two egg yolks
Juice of 1 lemon
125ml white wine vinegar
250ml extra virgin olive oil
300ml sunflower oil
Blend all the ingredients in a processor until smooth and creamy.

FOR THE SALAD
12 thin slices of Butarga
1 large head crisp cos or romaine lettuce, centre stems removed
and leaves torn into bite-size pieces
⅔ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a large bowl, toss the torn up lettuce with the croutons and Butarga slices. Add the dressing to taste, reserving any extra for another use. Add the Parmesan and butarga grating, toss again so the cheese and fish gratings adhere to the salad leaves.Serve immediately.

Butarga tips:
Can be used sliced ​​or grated on salads or in sauces or stuffings
Grate into scrambled eggs just before serving
Use in Spaghetti dishes as you would anchovies or smoked salmon

The emperor´s new clothes-chocolate and orange

French week continues at Casa Rosada and this time a pudding.This is all a bit "Emperors new clothes".The pudding is there but parts of it are invisible to the eye.Things are seldom what they seem, and two secret ingredients hide under this sumptuous mousse.
Some people enjoy mousse that is rich in sugar and light in chocolate,while others, I for one, swear by mousse that is rich in cocoa,with robust flavour.Whichever camp you are in the consensus of opinion is that chocolate,orange and liqueur are a ménage a trois made in heaven. 
The original Cognac belongs to the French and was invented in the 17th century.But it was the Belgians who wedded it to the flavour of tangerines and Mandarine Napoleon was born.Tangerines steeping in French cognac , so why not Seville oranges steeping in Bagaciera ( Portuguese aguardente).I decided to combine this chocolate pudding and its hide and seek nougatine,with Casa Rosada´s signature home made house licore - Licore de laranja Sevillana.
Mandarine Napoléon-not tonight Josephine......

Chocolate mousse with nougatine 
and Licore de naranja Sevillana
serves 6
150g(5oz) good quality dark chocolate,melted
2 eggs,separated
250ml(1 cup) heavy cream chilled
40g/ 2 tablespoons sugar

FOR THE NOUGATINE
150g/ 2/3 cup sugar
80g/2/3 cup almonds and hazelnuts chopped
50ml/ 3172 tablespoons orange liqueur
mint leaves and orange zest for garnish
Chop the chocolate and melt it in a bain-marie.
Separate the egg whites from the egg yolks
Add the yolks to the melted chocolate stirring briskly.Set aside to cool.
Whip the cream until stiff peaks form.Fold it gently into the chocolate/egg yolk mixture.
Beat the egg whites until firm but not stiff or dry.
Add the sugar and continue beating until you have a firm meringue.
Fold gently into the chocolate mixture and set aside.
Prepare the nougatine by cooking the sugar in a heavy pan over a medium heat until it starts to melt and turn golden.Pour the chopped nuts into the mixture and stir to combine.
Spread the hot mixture onto a sheet of baking parchment and cover it with a second sheet very quickly rolling it out firmly with a rolling pin until it is an evenly flat wafer.When cool and set break it into small pieces.
Cover the bottom of each goblet with the pieces of nougatine.
Pour the Orange liqueur over the nougatine,filling them about1/4 full.
Fill the goblets the rest of the way with the chocolate mousse:Garnish with mint leaves and orange zest

Coq au vin,the return of the rooster

French week at Casa Rosada continued with an unctuous classic

A rather neglected figure,the Portuguese galinha (old rooster) is nowadays seen only as an image on sports teams´shirts or as an iconic symbol of Portugal found in almost every souvenir shop.It used to be different story,though.This cockerel,the male mate to the more tender hen,used to play his role from dawn to dusk.His morning call would wake the slumbering countryside at dawn and the hens would lay their eggs for their owners.
Worn down after a life well lived,the old rooster would eventually end up in the casserole,slowly tenderized in a wine sauce.Today the proud rooster is more often replaced by a chicken,for faster preparation of coq au vin.Let the cock fight begin.
Two ingredients face off in the pot.A tired old rooster and robust red wine,rich in alcohol and tannins.With such a match going on,the other ingredients become spectators.Carrots cut into rounds add vitamins while bouquet garni,garlic and onions contribute essential aromas,and the peppercorns give a bit of spice to the flavour.A bit of brandy thrown in and burnt oiff for good measure is always a good idea I think,The French did it with Calvados so I decided to douse my old bird with Portuguese Maciera.Exactly which liquor you choose and which country you are in at the time depends much on how you feel at the moment.
Pearl onions,mushrooms and a slab of bacon chopped up and browned in butter finish it off.Small new potatoes with delicate skin and a good flavor are cooked whole and added to the dish at the end. Overcome by garnish the poor old rooster can not escape from this final battle,It is too bad he is hiding at the bottom of the dish.
 
Coq au vin
Serves 6
2.8kg (6 1/4 lb)Galinha (rooster)
Freshly ground pepper
200ml / 2/3 cup olive oil
4 carrots
2 onions
6 to 8 sprigs parsley plus extra for garnish
2 sprigs Thyme
3 large bay leaves
2 tablespoons flour
100ml / 7 tbsp maciera/Brandy
12 black peppercorns
11/2 bottles robust red wine
6 cloves garlic
500g/8oz small potatoes
200g white pearl onions
300g fresh mushrooms
50g butter
200g slab of bacon in small pieces

Get the butcher to joint the bird for you.When you get home wash all the pieces and season them well with salt and pepper.Heat the olive oil in a large cast iron pot.Put the chicken pieces in the pot and brown them rapidly by turning them on all sides.You may have to do this in batches.Cut the carrots into rounds,chop the onions and garlic and make a bouquet garni from the parsley thyme and bay leaves.Add the vegetables and herbs to the pot and stir for 5 minutes over medium high heat.sprinkle with flour and mix well.Add the brandy and peppercorns followed by the red wine.Cover and cook for two and half hours over a low heat then remove the chicken from the sauce and keep it warm.Boil the potatoes in salted water for 20 minutes while the chicken is cooking.Set aside.Cook the pearl onions in salted water for 10 minutes,then drain them.In a frying pan, fry the bacon and mushrooms in butter until golden brown. Keep warm.
Reduce the sauce by  a quarter over medium high heat.Add the mushrooms bacon,pearl onions and chicken.Cover the pieces of chicken with the sauce then add the potatoes sprinkled with parsley.
Bom apetite!!!

Pleas sir, can I have some more?

De cabeça para baixo -thats the way it turned out

 

Numerous culinary specialities are the result of simple mistakes.In 1808,Stéphanie Tatin and her sister Caroline ran an inn across the street from the train station in Lamonte- Beuvron in Loire-et-cher,France. Stéphanie was renowned for her melt in your mouth caramelized apple tart.One day when the restaurant was full,the usual apple tart was not ready in time.Whether by miracle or in confusion,Stéphanie put her tart in the oven upside down.Apples,sugar and butter on the bottom of the pan and and the pastry covering on the top.Her guests pronounced it a resounding success.One of them, a certain Louis Vaudable,hurried back to Paris in order to put this tart on on the menu of his restaurant, the famous Maxims.The success of the demoiselles Tatins´tart cannot be denied.On the centenary of this dessert,celebrated in 1998,the people of Lamonte-Beuvron prepared the largest tarte tatin ever created..With  a diameter of 2.5 metres  (8.2 feet ),it used 250kg (550 lb) apples,30kg (66lb) sugar and 7kg (15.5 lb) butter.
 
The perfection of this dessert rests with the judicious choice of apples.They must have high sugar content and be both firm and soft.Many chefs prefer the Reinette variety.The grey reinette of Canada (reinetta gris) is a large,tart fruit with slightly rough skin,grey bronze colour,soft flesh and a distinctive flavour.The Reinette is one of the most popular apples in Portugal, available in markets
all year round.
So with this lovely story of the incarnation of tarte tatin,what better way to kick off French week at Casa Rosada.God knows why French week ,we have no French guests in the house, but I just felt like celebrating some of the great classics of this nations cuisine, finding out how they came about and selecting some favorites that have a somewhat, if tenuous, Portuguese connection- in this case apples
The original tart tatin
Serves 8
 
Squeeze as many apple slices as you can into the pan,because the heat makes them shrink.If necessary,add a few more apple slices during the cooking to maintain uniform crown.

1 kg (2.25lb) Reinetta apples
100g/7tbsp butter
150g /2/3 cup sugar
1 packet shop bought puff pastry

Take a loose bottomed round cake pan and grease it with butter.Line it with baking parchment allowing a generous overlap above the rim of the tin.Melt the butter and sugar in a non-stick pan over a high heat.cook until you have a golden butter caramel tip the caramel into the lined cake pan and spread evenly and quickly over the bottom.Peel the apples and core and cut them into eighths.
Arrange the apples in a crown in the caramel.Crowd them in,overlapping one slice against the next in order to make an impressive presentation when unmoulded.Bake in the oven for 25 minutes at 180C/350F.remove from the oven.Roll out your ready-made puff pastry and cut out a circle slightly larger than the diameter of your pan.with the back of a spoon tuck the pastry into and around the side of the tart.Return to the oven and bake for further 15 minutes.remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.Carefully  invert the tart over palate and peel away the baking parchment before serving.

There´s no knead for pao caseiro

Flat and rock hard-a bâtard perhaps?

I have never had much luck with bread making so why on earth did I get drawn in to this? There was absolutely no Knead.I suppose that these must of been the words that coaxed me. Another possible factor that influenced me was also the recipe informing me that the dough would make four one pound (500g) loaves.And would keep in the refrigerator for 14 days.GREAT!! It indicated a certain simplicity.The dough is made with nothing but all-purpose flour, yeast, salt, and water, and promised me that it was “the easiest thing to handle, shape, and bake. “This white dough can be used to make a boule, baguette, bâtard ( i think that might have meant what my loaf should have been called!!!), ciabatta, couronne, crusty white sandwich loaf, and soft dinner rolls”.Promises promises… I had three attempts, but it was not until the fourth and last that I produced something moderately edible.The word worthy came to mind with each attempt.

a slight improvement in texture but still "worthy"

What I loved about it was the not knowing what you were going to get. Its was  like having a baby. You know whats coming out – a little tiny being, but you don’t exactly know what it will look like, its traits and features are a mystery until it is born. No Knead Bread is like that. Each time I baked it – it came out looking different. Sometimes it was lop sided, with different cracks, nothing that was was destined for the stage. Artesan it said and artesan it was.Each time I gave birth to mutant loaf,and I have to say this voyage into the unknown was the only modicum of enjoyment of my first and last time tackling “ NO KNEAD” bread
The internet abounds with recipes for quick and easy artesan breads of this method.Judging by the pictures some lucky peeps are having success and the comments re-iterated….

“Wow! What a gorgeous, beautifully colored, irresistible loaf of artisan bread!”

“The loaf had a chewy crust and a beautiful interior.”

“The ingredients for the dough were fast and simple to assemble”.

What a blessing the fourth version made the best ever tastiest buttered toast

Well my dear peeps with all those recipes on offer out there why not see if you can do justice to no knead bread. From the pictures on their blog, Jam hands. this one almost tempted me to try again.Let me know how you get on.