Rillettes de porco é muito delicioso!

Rustic, unctuous and seriously scrummy

Slap me with bread and call me a sandwich.Imagine sinking your teeth into the most exquisitely flavoured fork-tender pork that has been simmered for hours in aromatic herbs and then spread on crispy baguettes…é muito delicioso!
I’m always amused by dishes that were in the  past ridiculed and written off as peasant food.Foods like lobster, oysters,foie gras, and famous dishes like cassoulet, panzanella and gazpacho used to be the food of the poor – now they’re only served in the smartest restaurants and come with high price tags.
This process like many others was originally used before refrigeration was invented to keep meat from spoiling. The fat, while providing an incredible flavour, sealed the meat in the pot keeping it fresh and delicious for weeks longer than would have been possible otherwise.Because of the richness of rillettes, a little goes a long way making it a very budget-friendly option.
Be sure to select quality, pasture-raised pork for the best and most flavoursome result.  
Coarse-textured and deliciously old-fashioned, rillettes make a great alternative to paté for that sumptuous summer picnic and something that is a blessing to find in the fridge on a hot summer’s day.
Often made with pork, duck or goose, the savoury quality of rillettes comes from using traditionally fatty meats and a generous quantity of salt. It keeps for weeks if covered with a layer of fat.
 Coupled with the seasonings and quality lard, once you try these rillettes and let the flavours permeate your mouth, I swear you will be hooked and its so easy. Long, slow cooking is the key. Removing the meat from the bone with a fork will help keep the fibres separate. Don't be tempted to use a food processor, as the texture will end up too smooth.The best and most moorish part is shredding the belly pork with a couple of forks, tearing the meat rather than pulling it off with your fingers to keep it light and open.
The success of any pâté or terrine is as much about texture as flavour. My personal preference is a soft, open texture, more like traditional pork rillettes than a dense pâté you can slice oh so neatly with a knife. My heart seeks the sort of soft terrine that falls loosely on the plate, something to scoop up with soft wodgy bread.

So gorgeously french, I love it

1 kg entremeada sem ossos e pele   1 kg belly pork in strips trimmed of bones and skin
300g banha de porco                       300g good quality pork fat or lard

250ml vinho branco seco                 250ml dry white wine

3 folhas de louro                              3 bay leaves

3 raminhos grande de tomilho         3 large sprigs of thyme

3 dentes de alho grandes                3 cloves garlic

Put the pork fat,white wine,thyme and bay leaves in a casserole with a lid.
heat gently until the fat has melted.Add the meat and cook over a very low heat covered for about 3 hours or until the meat is completely tender. Remove the lid.lift the meat from its juices and on a chopping board very finely shred the meat and fat with two forks.Pack tightly into ceramic or eathenware pate dishes or a china terrine;alternatively you could use individual ramekins.Strain the cooking liquid and residue from the casserole,through a sieve over the rillettes and mix lightly.Leave to cool,then refrigerate till the fat on top has set to form a coating.

To serve: simply tear up some baguettes, slather them with rillettes, and place them on a serving platter with things like olives, pickles, pepperoncini, pickled asparagus, pickled onions, pickled peppers, etc. and you’ve got a wonderfully elegant and perfectly delicious option for hors d’oeuvres,picnic, or even a light lunch.

Roasted vegetable gazpacho

sunshine radiating from a bowl of soup

I thought recently while making yet another variation on the theme of gazpacho,that I could write a book about it, then I discovered that one was already in existence.On examining the contents of the book I realised that I had never made any of the 50 types of gazpacho on the list.The chief reason I suppose being that most of my recipes were my own creations,or re-interpretations.I have notched up ten gazpachos to date and continue my search for further inspiration.
Gazpacho is a hearty soup that is served cold, making it a perfect way to cool down and replenish the body on a hot, summer day in Andalucía. There is the classic gazpacho recipe, but there are many other variations. Gazpacho is typically served along with the main course, or afterward. Some Spaniards serve it in a glass, as a beverage to accompany the meal. 
Here are my top ten favourites

Cordoban samarejo
Beetroot gazpacho
Ajo blanco
Melon and ham gazpacho
Avocado gazpacho
Cherry gazpacho 
Tomato and Pequillo pepper Gazpacho with Sherry
Indian gazpacho
Watermelon gazpacho
Roasted vegetable gazpacho (above)

My favourite to date has to be the watermelon incarnation.The amazing thing here is that coincidentally it is gluten free.Traditionally gazpacho is made with day old or stale bread.The watermelon gives the soup the same texture.
My most recent venture was the  Roasted vegetable gazpacho from the young Irish chef Mark Moriarty,who cooked the soup at Reffetorio.I had cooked all the ingredients the night before as a side dish for our guests,so all I had to do was add some passata and blitz it all in the blender.The soup would work equally well made from scratch.Here is the recipe.....
Serves 6
2 garlic bulbs
2 aubergines,peeled and sliced 1/2inch (1 cm) thick
4 courgettes,sliced 1/2 inch(1cm)thick
2 red bell peppers
1 fennel bulb,trimmed and thickly sliced
6 canned whole peeled tomatoes
10 basil leaves
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
4 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tbsp flor de sal
1/2 cup(125ml) extra virgin olive oil
Preheat the oven to 350ºF(180ºC) gas mark 4.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Wrap the garlic in foil and bake until soft,about 30 minutes.Let cool,then squeeze out the garlic and set aside.Meanwhile arrange the aubergines on a prepared baking sheet and bake until soft,about 20 minutes,set aside.
Arrange the courgettes on the second lined baking sheet and bake until soft,about 15 minutes,set aside.
Char the peppers over the open flame of the stove until the skin is completely blackened.(If you dont have a gas stove,char under a hot grill.)Transfer to a bowl,cover,and let sit for 5 minutes.peel,seed and roughly chop,set aside.
In a food processor combine the aubergine, courgette, peppers, fennel, tomatoes, basil, garlic, vinegar, sugar,and salt and pulse until smooth.
With the machine running,stream in the olive oil.
Season to taste with more salt.
Transfer to a bowl,cover and refrigerate to chill.

The dish I ate more of than any other, and that is So ho it went

 just as I remembered it

Vast menus make me particularly nervous in restaurants, where they scream: "FRESH FROM THE DEEP FREEZE". I also find any mention of "chef's special sauce" offputting (don't ask). What dampens your appetite on menus? And how do you decide what to order? Gut instinct, methodically weighed up pros and cons, eliminating items with unwanted ingredients? Or do you always just get the burger?An influential psychophysicist by the name of Howard Moskowitz once said: "The mind knows not what the tongue wants." Indeed. Spaghetti and fried eggs might well seem taboo and become a bit of a guilty  pleasure when the fridge is bare, but in the end, I have to say it is something I have even succumbed to while eating out budget style back in the day.Well perhaps not the fried egg,more the chicken cutlet. How is it possible that a dish that is on almost every Italian restaurant menu and yet does not appear in any book about Italian cooking, didn’t even originate in Italy? And how did it become so synonymous with Italian food? Well, you are about to find out all about this iconic dish.Let me set the scene.Old Compton Street, Soho,London 1986.I had graduated Art College and was working in the art department of Vogue magazine.I  had a lot of friends still studying design and fashion. mostly at the then named St Martins College of Art on Charing Cross Road.My friends were on student grants and even though I had a good job,was not yet flush.My social social life seemed to focus around Soho.Centrale, Bar Italia The Cappucetto, Maison Bertaux, Ed´s easy Diner, Patisserie Valerie and "The French" pub.But one eating establishment I frequented more than the others the POLLO BAR.    Lets take a typical Saturday morning.After a progression of Fran Lebowitz style phone calls our set would rendezvous late morning

at Patisserie Valerie for one or more coffees, accompanied by an opera cake or a florentine,in my case most often the latter.A splinter group would then cross the road for a tuna Foccacia at the Cappucetto,and possibly another coffee.Having all gone our own ways for for weekend shopping therapy we would reconvene to take in a movie followed

by dinner at the POLLO.That well-loved, cheap eating place that had been serving enthusiastic boho- chic artisan customers like us for generations.Sadly "Sans I,Sans cheese,Sans everything,POLLLO closed its doors in March 2005, putting paid to the dorée years of my jeunesse. 20 Old Compton Street, with its ox-blood booths, Lapidus beanpole railings,contemporary ceiling,murals, top notch signage, and perfectly preserved light fittings no longer had hungry queues waiting outside.  

It had always remained the proverbial Soho institution for as long as anyone could remember. A proper bargain Italian with perfect 60s decor, friendly banter and a worryingly high turnover of chefs (there always seemed to be a 'chef wanted' sign in the window).It wasn´t fancy. It was an Italian restaurant. The inside looked something like a truckers caff, with Formica tables and little booths, and there was always more room downstairs if it looked full. There wasn´t a lot of space and the tables were closely packed together, but the food was hearty and the prices were laughable for central London. The coffee was rocket fuel - and the waitresses insisted on doubling you up in the booths with complete strangers.There was a choice of starters, either a smaller portion of any of the pasta dishes,soups (the gazpacho, although strictly speaking Spanish rather than Italian, is nice!),garlic bread  (a little disappointing, but then, it isn't really an authentic Italian dish),

and some lovely side salads which cost from £1.50 - £3.50.The main courses consisted of a variety (unsurprisingly) of pasta and pizza dishes, again the price range for these tends to be between £3 - £5. There were some risottos as well, and some meat dishes, such as chicken with rice or veal which were a little bit more expensive,but cheap and cheerful always remained the operative term at this Italian stalwart.Portions were generous and I was never ever disappointed by the food. Desserts included Tiramisu and Panetonne, and also ice cream.It was possible to buy carafes and half carafes of house wine, but there wasn´t a separate wine list as such. You could always ask for tap water as well.It beat fast food places like Pizza Hut hands down.

Pollo alla parmigiana with spaghetti marinara
Although not a typically authentic Italian dish Chicken Parmigiana is taste made for enjoyment following classic Italian combinations. Originated from Aubergine Parmigiana recipes this dish was created by Italian Immigrants in the 1950´s and has since become a favourite Italian dish around the world. The combination of succulent breaded chicken and parmesan cheese makes it hard to resist.Marinara sauce is the next key ingredient for the dish and a nice homemade sauce can’t be beat! Some canned San Marzano tomatoes, a few herbs, garlic carrot,celery and onions and you are well on your way to a perfect sauce. However, if you have a favourite canned tomato sauce you’d like to use, go for it! Pre-made sauce will undoubtedly get you an excellent chicken parmigiana
faster,possibly achieving that original restaurant flavour. 
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 
1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano,
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 large egg
1 tablespoon water
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces/120g each)
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups Marinara sauce
4 oz /120g cooked spaghetti
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
Hot cooked fettuccine or pasta of your choice

In a shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon oregano, basil, salt and pepper. In another shallow bowl, combine the egg and water. Dip chicken in egg mixture, then coat with crumb mixture.
In a large skillet, cook chicken in butter on both sides until a thermometer reads 170°.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, warm through the marinara sauce,

Cook over medium heat until heated through. Spoon over chicken; sprinkle with any remaining Parmesan cheese. Serve with the spaghetti.

Exótica e muito saborosa! Figuero da India.Que delícia o pequeno almoço acabou de se tornar

 Home made Indian fig jelly spread on toast for breakfast....YUMMMMMM

Followers in colder climate zones will have to excuse my temporary bout of Opuntia (Prickly Pear cactus ) mania, but I’ve had a hell of a lot of cactus fruit to deal with this last couple of weeks.I´ve juiced and I´ve jammed and I´ve jellied and next year I’m going to take a crack at creating some other preserves,Indian fig gazpacho, fruit pies, a jelly topping for cheesecake, cocktails, licores —and who knows? Que delícia.

My love affair with the opuntia began one Saturday afternoon in September when I was shopping, and local producer Nelson Ventura from Herdade de Malhada,Alcoutim was promoting the fruit in our local supermarket.Having got into conversation with Nelson,I wrote an initial blog and am now finding out further information about this unusual and intriguing fruit.He very kindly dropped off a box with six kilos of them for casa rosada to try out on our guests.Thank you for that O senhor,muito gentil de sua parte.Opinions differed from o nobre para o delicioso, the sublime to the delicious,but pip content came up high on the points of view list.I made delicious juice which I blended with pomegranate to up the exotic content and then I came up with an exotic jam with just a hint of pomegranate which will be just one new addition to the casa rosada breakfast table. My "romance" with the prickly pear is turning out to be a long,and well, fruitful one.

Geleia Figo da India
Unlike many other cactus jelly recipes on the internet that I have tried unsuccessfully, this one works. The proof is pictured above.
2 1/2 cups prickly pear cactus juice
1/2 cup lemon juice
5 cups sugar
1 box of powdered pectin (18 teaspoons-note that not all pectin brands contain the same amount in a box, so measure it out to make sure)

Wash Peel and scoop out flesh from the fruit.Blitz the fruit in a processor or with astick blender in a cylinder. Use a fine colander or sieve to strain liquid from the juiced fruit. 

Combine strained fruit juice and lemon juice and cook over medium heat until solution is boiling.  Once boiling add sugar and pectin and stir constantly.Continue to keep mixture at a rolling boil for ten minutes,or until jell point is reached then remove pan from heat.  If canning jelly, ladle into sterilized jars.Prickly pear jelly may take up to two weeks to gel inside the jars.  If using for fresh jelly, cool jelly and store covered in the refrigerator for up to one month.

A "first course" in Spanish - tapas

You maybe short of time, and maybe a little short on cooking skills. But as summer yawns into August, there's no need to shy away from the kitchen. Instead, simplify.The desire to not turn on your oven combined with the plethora of summer produce means that cooking becomes less of a worry. In fact, it's a fun and inspirational challenge to see just how long you can go without turning your kitchen into a sauna in the middle of August.
The main goal of summer cooking is simple: Buy all the fresh produce and try to not turn on the oven. At all. If you must, boil some pasta or sauté some prawns with garlic on the hob, but that hot box called "THE OVEN" should remain off as much as possible. How do you cope? I hear you say.There are outdoor grills, barbecues,but the bulk of your efforts should concentrate on assembly, which is basically cooking without the heat.

"making cold soup is not cooking,it is responding appropriately to seasonal circumstances" 

For example, last night's dinner involved the following: A platter of sliced tomatoes, mozzarella , avocado, drizzled with home made Asian style pesto and then strewn with herbs and salt,Try a simple crisp green salad with shaved radishes, raw carrots and beetroot;Stir fried prawns and garlic; Iberican ham,boquerones; figs, soft fresh goats cheese and pistachios  and a loaf of crusty bread, a nice cheese, and a decent bottle of rosé. There you have it — some pretty delicious dinners with just the tiniest bit of applied heat.
Dont chastise yourself this is not "lazy cooking," it is responding appropriately to seasonal circumstances. In other words, this is smart cooking, this is inspired cooking, this is living-in-the-moment cooking. No apologies necessary. If the cultural identity of a country is wrapped up in its food, it's fair to say tapas is more than just a pre-dinner snack.Take a lesson from the Spanish and make a delicious spread of simple appetisers Tapas is fast, easy, tasty as hell and made for sharing. Plus, it's gastronomy's most social food, made for those slow lunches that roll into the night, and into the third bottle of wine.What better when demanding friends need to be fed, you wont have to be a slave to the oven night after night.
In principle tapas is a slice of bread topped with any ingredients, served hot or cold, and eaten with fingers or a fork. It's something to be done before a meal, but then tapas can often replace a meal. The point of tapas is that you're not locked into a formal meal. There's very little commitment in sampling tapa. The only thing universally agreed on is how it's eaten:invariably with a drink.Here are 6 of my favourites.......

Gazpacho shots,why not have 3 shots at it?
Three super cool soups for a hot sultry summer meal.Traditional recipes for making samorejo and ajo blanco came from Elizabeth Luards book "The food of Spain and Portugal. "The beetroot gazpacho is a casa rosada signature dish.

Honey glazed Chouriço pinchos with garlic  ( pictured above)
250 g semi-cured whole iberico chorizo
2 cloves garlic
4 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon runny honey
Slice the chorizo into 2cm rounds. Put into asmall frying pan with a splash of olive oil and toss occasionally until golden and crisp.Lightly bash 2 unpeeled cloves of garlic with the heel of your hand or the bottom of a saucepan and add to the pan.Carefully drain away most of the fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon of it behind. Add the sherry vinegar and runny honey and leave to reduce down to a really sticky glaze. Keep an eye on it, giving the pan a shake every so often so it doesn’t catch.

Pimientos Piquillos Rellenos 
piquillo peppers stuffed with just about anything
A "tapa" that is light and easy - and no cooking involved! A great dish for the summer or any time you want to prepare an appetizer quickly. Mix tuna with a bit of green onions, black olives and parsley, then stuff into roasted red peppers and serve.Any of your favourite dips would suffice as alternatives.Pea mousse LPA shown below.

Pan con tomate (Spanish toast)
All you need for this simple Spanish snack is good-quality olive oil, bread, garlic, a ripe tomato, and a sprinkle of sea salt.Only 5 ingredients, only 5 minutes to prepare

1 (6") piece of baguette, halved lengthwise

1 clove garlic

2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 very ripe large tomato

Coarse sea salt, to taste

Toast bread on a griddle until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Rub garlic over cut surface of bread and drizzle with oil.Put a box grater into a large bowl and grate tomato over largest holes, discarding skin. Spoon grated tomato onto toast and sprinkle with sea salt.

Gambas al ajillo (garlic prawns)
One of the most common "tapas" of Spain, this dish is quick, easy and full of garlic flavour.No recipe needed 

Figs in a blanket
Prosciutto wrapped around fresh figs? Mascarpone cheese and Dijon mustard stuffed  figs,wrapped  in an extremely thin slice of presunto serrano and then finished with a topping of coarsely chopped pistachio

Pairing the fresh, savoury flavour of prosciutto with sweet rich figs and then stuffing them with this Dijon mustard-based cream creates a contrast to the lightly vinegared mustard and naturally sweet mascarpone.Topping the figs with coarsely chopped pistachios gives the dish a nutty salty finish.YUM!!!!!

Atún encebollado

Atun encebellado al Jerez is a very typical Southern Andalucian dish, originating from the Costa de la Luz,and more particularly from Cadiz.It is emulated in many different styles all across Spain and is one of the country´s most popular dishes.In traditional Spanish family recipe books there are a lot of traditional dishes such as paella, gazpacho, tortilla or tuna with onions. They are those meals that, throughout our lives, remind us irrevocably of the our mother and grandmother´s kitchens. If you are Spanish and reading this, it is most likely that you have your own recipe for tuna with onions.This is one of those recipes that once you have cooked and eaten it you will never forget it.I haven´t cooked it for a while and found a beautiful piece of bluefin tuna in the freezer and thought it was time to cook it again.
The Spanish recipe is different to the Algarvian version, where more often than not the tuna steak is kept whole as opposed to being cooked in bite sized pieces.I was lucky enough some years ago to have this interpretation of the recipe  passed to me by our dear friend, the lovely Lola from Sevilla.In turn it had been handed down through generations of her family.She actually showed us how to cook it and we all sat round the kitchen table to eat it together.
For this recipe to be a success it is essential to poach the onion over a very slow heat, almost in the style of caramelized onions, although without sugar. It takes a minimum of 30 minutes. It may seem a bit tedious, but believe me it's worth it. The onion poached in this way is spectacular. Also, although the cooking time is long, it does not require excessive attention, since as the flame is so low it does not burn, and you must stir it and turn it it from time to time.
Atun encebellado al Jerez
Literally tuna smothered in onions and cooked in Manzanilla sherry

For 4 people

1 Tuna loin (kilo)

4 large Spanish onions or 6 medium onions, thinly sliced

1 glass of  sherry or manzanilla wine (250g)

Flour

Salt and pepper

Butter ( 2-3 tablespoons)

Olive oil ( to sear the tuna)

1 chicken stock cube (optional)

Cut the tuna into medium sized pieces,sprinkle them with salt and pepper.Coat the tuna pieces with flour and fry them briefly in olive oil (to sear them).Set the tuna aside to drain on kitchen paper and put

put them in a large ovenproof clay dish. In another pan, heat up the butter with a littlle olive oil and add the onions.Sautée the onion over a very low heat until it is golden brown and tender. add ateaspoon of flour to thicken the sauce.Keep frying very lightly and add the glass of sherry.Flambée it or cook it over alow heat for about ten minutes in order to burn off the alcohol.Add to the bowl with the tuna and cook it over a low heat for 5or 10 minutes.At this stage you can add the stock if you want.

Serve with parsley and butter coated new potatoes or mash. Put the clay pot in the middle of the kitchen table, with the potatoes, a basket of bread and let everybody serve themselves.

11 years in the Algarve, Tales of the unexpected

...when you enter a home and realised immediately that cooking is taken seriously!  

Photo and quote: Luciana Bianchi

massimobottura   spettacolo!!! 

                                               thank you both  casa rosada

You just would not believe the lessons and things we have learnt over the last eleven years.The first thing you learn as the hosts of a bespoke establishment, is that everyone wants to meet the owner.You soon realise that nobody goes into the bed and breakfast business to make money; its a lifestyle choice.The most important thing is that you have to like people- a lot.And to be kind and patient with those more needy guests.

It all becomes worth it when exciting surprises and unexpected happenings occur simply because we’re open to following a whim. Not that this is an example of a life changing “happening”, but isn’t it the small moments in life that really count? 
Its like that feeling when you take the plunge and step into a restaurant you have never tried before and you leave having experienced one of the best meals you´ve ever tasted ,and you vow never to return in case it will not match up to the previous visit.
The old saying - never go back to spoil a memory -

"this is comprehensively kicked into touch on a return visit to Casa Rosada". TRIPADVISOR

Helping deliver an extra special holiday-by giving lots of inside track suggestions will guarantee they return.Its a truism of the business that the more you put in the more you get out.Give guests a key to come and go as they please.

"They also directed us to some wonderfully located local beach restaurants, though sadly the food never matched the quality of dinner at Casa Rosada".

 Make sure you are always around after breakfast and when they return in the afternoon to answer questions,book restaurants and iron out any small admin problems. 

“As charming and chic as George Clooney!” TRIPADVISOR

First and foremost Casa Rosada is not a boutique B and B; Bespoke yes, exclusive perhaps, but In my book a boutique is a French shop selling fashionable clothes or accessories.It is a misappropriation of the word;perhaps a boutique within a hotel but never a hotel being a boutique.Many boutique hotels are furnished in a themed, stylish and/or aspirational manner.They are businesses serving a sophisticated or specialized clientele.The quality and the service we have offered from day one is no less than the standards we expect when we ourselves travel.Right down to the 400 thread count of the linen we put on the beds.

"You didn´t just pop into Debenhams and
pick up those sheets "

"The dining room - that chandelier!"

Over the years we have met and hosted some both charming amusing and interesting individuals, many who have returned and others who have become friends.I asked a guest only the other day if everything was alright 

 "Beyond......."she said "You really do live in a magical place.Your garden is a special place. Its only in fairy tales that trees are grafted and bear two types of fruit."The garden is indeed a special place lovingly tended  over the years by Andrew.It is his pride and joy where guests can enjoy their own little pocket of private space in one of the many secret areas.

"Just when you thought the day couldn´t get any better......."

Many of our conversations and resulting reviews centre around the food and my cooking.Discussing menus with guests can sometimes be difficult and sometimes a great source of amusement.Suggesting a starter of gazpacho caused a look of bewilderment "its a tomato soup isn´t it, she said.As a main I offered them a traditional Frango à cacciatore, Hunters chicken I further explained.I went away and allowed them some time to deliberate and cogitate and returned with some possible alternatives.We will go with the "Gestapo soup" she said and maybe have the Hungarian chicken next time.As a B&B host you must always remember you are a service industry and must have the utmost patience at all times.On jams for breakfast,having just talked the breakfast table through what all the home made jams were, thereon ensued what reminded me of an early Victoria Wood sketch of the Trivial Pursuit obsessed flatmates "What is the brown one again" (they all had a brownish tinge to them).Who were the Beeeattles? Am I wrong in thinking there are only three major tea producing nations,India,China and Ceylon? So when it came to the next question I was thrown

"we´d like tea please but only if its English we dont like "continental"

What is termed English Breakfast tea is usually Indian,or there is Lapsang Souchong. Perhaps they had been watching too much television and wanted Yorkshire tea.Hey ho, keep smiling I told myself.I realised in hindsight that some teas packed under licence abroad dont always come up to taste expectation.

"Rupert's cooking was excellent and his personalised approach to the menu, sourced fresh every day from the local market, made our dinners there very special - an approach that one would be hard pushed to find elsewhere."

"....regional and international cuisine, produced with flair, local ingredients and a huge dollop of panache (you can't get that in your local supermarket!)".

I am not a chef I had to explain to one guest.A chef has had training and acquired a professional qualification.A cook is self taught like myself and there the difference lies.I have no qualification but have acquired the confidence and the skills to cook instinctively and intuitively rather than blindly following what I am told to in a recipe,or stick by the hard and fast rules of what is drummed into one at chef school or catering college.

"The last night we sampled the Tasting Menu, 7 courses, all of which which just oozed tastiness. Details on request but we've done TM in some nice places (Gleneagles/Mount Juliett/Munich/Stockholm) which were not a patch on what we were served here. Very Big Hat Tip to Rupert (Recommend his blog for cookery tips/menus) whose genuine love of food just comes through".

 "There are a couple of good restaurants a short drive away, and I've reviewed them on trip advisor, but if you can, have a meal in Casa Rosada, cooked by Rupert. We ate in on 3 occasions and were never disappointed, I have attached a few pictures of the sort of food we ate... superb! Just a selection of dishes we had were seared tuna loin (cooked on a salt stone), wind-dried tuna (texture like Iberico ham, in a tuna), red mullet with saffron potato and baby leeks and a tapa with tomato, almond and anchovy, served with a cold manzanilla and a sublime lemon geranium flavoured pannacota served with homemade limoncello (made with home grown lemons from the garden). On one night we had planned to go out but were too chilled, so we joined Rupert and Andrew for a simple bowl of pasta (did I say simple?), pasta beautifully flavoured with rosemary, garlic, tomato and anchovy... let me rephrase.. a great bowl of pasta".      TRIPADVISOR

Never forget you are a service industry and the customer must be given what they ask for or have paid for.One of my favourite memories, but for one moment a tad anxious, happened last summer.Staying in the house was an Italian couple.She had the style and exuberance of a young Sophia Loren and her husband equally charming was built like a brick sh......."she came down to breakfast the first morning and said they had a problem.I prepared myself for the worst but then had to subtly sustain my amusement.
  "Ugo no fit in bed"
I addressed the problem by saying that if she could wait another day when it would become free I would move them to the room with the largest bed in the house.They were very happy and Ugo slept well.
Sometimes there have been amusing anecdotes stemming from language.My favourite here was an email thread concerning payment of a deposit and when requesting bank transfer details the guests email read...

"Give me you NIB"

And when all is said and done the years pass by and we await for what treats and surprises will be awaiting us in the coming year.Thank you to all of you who have enhanced our lifestyle choice and made it all worthwhile.We would not have changed it for anything else.

 

 

The catch of the day,one should never assume.

  “Assunção da Virgem” - Nicolas Poussin (1630-1632)

Yesterday we planned another dinner here at Casa Rosada as part of our ongoing gastronomy project.Working closely with Salmarim  we co-host the occasional gastronomy events, like our food bloggers weekend, a lunch on the salt pans and an evening where Michelin starred chefs cooked with us in our kitchen. Last night we had a guest Belgian chef  Fons Claes in the house and two Danish journalists who are writing a travel guide to the Algarve. Fons uses Salmarim products in his restaurant De Koerier Brasserie. The Danes wanted to visit the Salmarim salt pans and have a dinner at Casa Rosada ,so we thought we would combine the two parties for a dinner and Jorge from Salmarim would cook some Robalo (sea bass) in a salt crust.My contribution to the evening was my latest Gazpacho, pate ovos de bacalhau (smoked cods roe pate),Muxama rosemary and garlic roast potatoes, an Algarvian salad and to end the evening a honey and cardamom cheesecake with fresh figs. 

First of all there was a catch. It was the day after Asunçao de nossa senora (The Assumption) and there was no fish to be had in the market, as not only had the holiday fallen on a Monday but the fishing boats had not been out on the holiday.We had wrongly made the assumption that there would be fish in the market.Jorge to the rescue and contacted Atlantikfish our local fish farm here in Castro Marim and head honcho Andre arranged for our own special catch ready to be picked up in the afternoon.our dinner was saved and could go ahead as planned.

  and when all was said and done...i guess we all enjoyed it

Nascido por trás do véu - Born behind the veil

stuffed roasted beetroot with beetroot gazpacho shot

In my latest culinary beetroot adventure I have wrapped a caul of parma ham around it.
The birth caul or veil is a full face mask which may be sometimes found covering the face of a child at birth. Such births are quite rare, something of a phenomenom, and they hold special significance for the child born in such a manner. There are many stories and myths about the caul, many of them erroneous.The correct name for those who are born with a caul is a Caulbearer. Such people are often referred to as being born behind the veil, as the caul is also referred to as the veil in many cultures, due to it being a face covering or mask.
For those new to the ingredient, caul fat is the thin, fatty membrane that surrounds the stomachs of ruminants like cows, pigs, and sheep. It's a thinner-than-paper sheet that has lines of fat running through it in a pattern that sort of looks like it was made by a drunk spider. Although delicate, it's easier to work with than sausage casings, and doesn't come with any of the funky odour of animal intestines.I was lucky enough recently to lay my hands on some extremely thin sliced prosciutto de parma. It was so thin it almost resembled a caul and it inspired me to swaddle it around some roasted beetroot that I was planning to stuff with a three cheese mousse and serve as a starter on the casa rosada dinner menu.
Roast beetroot is a year-round staple here at casa rosada , fantastic for tossing in salads, quick starters, or making into dip sand soups. I roast several at once by wrapping them in foil and tucking them into the oven to cook alongside whatever else I might be cooking. Then the beetroots are ready for whenever they are needed. 
Beetroot doesn't have to be roasted, and is actually quite delicious grated and eaten raw. But roasting transforms it from something crunchy into something silky and tender. Though it requires a hot oven, I prefer roasting over boiling or steaming because roasting concentrates the flavours and brings out its sweeter side.
This roasting method works for any kind and any size of beetroot. Pick ones that feel hard in your hand, never soft or squishy. If you have the choice, pick bunches with their big leaves still attached. The greens wilt down beautifully and can be added to stir fries, frittatas, pasta dishes, or anywhere else a little extra green might be welcome.
Once roasted, they will keep refrigerated for up to a week. I keep them in one big container and slice off just what I need for whatever I'm making.
What are your favourite ways to use roasted beets?
Roasted beetroot with a three cheese mousse 
wrapped in a caul of presunto de serrano

4 medium sized beetroot
170g requeijao
75g chevre
50g parmesan
1 very thinly slice  of presunto serrano per portion
pistachio nuts coarsely chopped
rocket leaves for garnish

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Coat beets lightly with oil.
Wrap beetroots in aluminum foil, place on a baking sheet, and roast in the oven until cooked through, approximately 45 to 60 minutes.
Remove from the oven, let cool for 10 minutes.
While the beetroot are cooling prepare the cheese filling by mixing the three cheeses and whipping them together until you have a mousse like substance.
When cool and ready to serve, make a circular incision in the top and cutting around towards the centre carefully remove a chunk from the centre of the beetroot.continue scooping out more flesh from the cavity and discard or eat it.Carefully fill the cavity with the cheese mixuntil paeking slightly above the level of the top of the beetroot.Now carefully wrap the parma ham tightly around the outside of the beetroot and smooth it flat with your fingers. Place in the centre of a serving plate with some rocket or salad leaves of your choosing and place the stuffed beetroot on top.Sprinkle a dusting of chopped pistachio over the top of the stuffing and around the plate.

Waiter there´s ice in my soup.Chill out

What is it with the British and cold soup? We´ll gladly eat most everything else from European kitchens,yet we completely freak if our soup is not hot.
When you think of soup, you usually envision wrapping yourself up in a blanket on a cold winter's night and having a hot mug to warm you up. These chilled soups do the exact opposite.When the heat is on these three soups can keep you cool during the scorching summer, while still boasting some fabulous flavour. Here are my choice of three new summer soups to lift you up and cool you down!

As a child, I always looked forward to summer when my mother would prepare wonderful cold soups. I still remember being sent to the garden to get fresh chives to garnish the vichyssoise! Back then cold soups were very unusual, and most of my friends had never heard of them. - See more at: http://www.alive.com/food/cold-soups/#sthash.vzZyUiKG.dpuf

 I continue my research and development of new recipes for the coming season (and as pictured above) going through to the final selection of starters for barmy summer evenings is a Chilled watercress, pea and pear soup.Sweet peas and peppery watercress are a perfect match for early summer, but by giving it an exotic textural twist with the addition of crisp, fragrant dressed Portuguese Rocha pears it takes it to another level.Having already included pears in the main ingredients I cut fine crescents of pear and dressed them in caster sugar and lemon juice to float in the soup as garnish

Chilled watercress pea and pear soup 
(pictured above)

2 onions
40gms of butter
500gms of frozen or fresh peas
large handful of garden mint
2 ripe pears peeled cored and chopped plus one extra for garnish
1l of vegetable stock
80gms of watercress
Flor de sal, pepper
Cream (optional)

FOR THE DRESSED PEAR
Peel the pear, remove the core then cut into fine strips and dress with the lemon juice and sugar
1 small Rocha pear
1/2 lemon
1 tsp caster sugar
Peel and chop the onions and fry in the butter on a gentle heat until soft. Add the peas and peeled and chopped pear to the pan and sauté for 5 minutes or so. Add the stock and gently simmer for around 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool completely before stirring in the watercress. Allow to cool a little and then liquidise until completely smooth. Chill overnight and serve with a little cream(optional) and the dressed pears.the top. 

Watermelon Gazpacho
Inspired by Chef Marco´s recent menu presentation at Cha com agua salgada, I promised I would share with you a new take on the theme of gazpacho.This is not Marco´s recipe but a great variation to “dip your toe” into the world of gazpacho (unintentional rhyming). It’s very light,fresh, sweet, spicy, and zesty all in the same quaff. All perfect characteristics for a summer soup.
2 large tomatoes, seeded and skinned

2 serrano chillies
2 shallots, minced
4 cups cubed fresh watermelon
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cucumber, seeded and minced
2 tablespoons fresh mint, 

Flor de sal and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

In a blender, place all the ingredients and blitz.taste to adjust seasoning. Puree until smooth. Pour into chilled glasses and sprinkle with sumac. Serve.

Chilled roasted tomato soup with angostura

Most of us have heard of Angostura Bitters, and probably have an aged bottle in our pantry somewhere for use in the occasional Manhattan or other classic cocktail.
Made with the same original secret recipe since 1824, the world famous Angostura® aromatic bitters remains the quintessential and definitive ingredient for classic and contemporary cocktails.But who would have thought of putting a dash or two of it in our cooking. Its versatility stretches way beyond the bar counter as it serves as a unique flavour enhancer with the ability to marry flavours in the preparation of all food dishes. It also adds its unmistakable flavour and aroma to dressings and desserts.It is also 100% Vegan for those of that persuasion.
The bitters are  not bitter when added to food and drink, but have the ability to marry flavours. It works by enhancing the flavour of ingredients in food and drink preparations, thereby bringing out the best in them without masking their true flavour.
serves 4 
900g /2lb ripe plum tomatoes,halved
1 garlic clove crushed
3 tbsp Angostura bitters
150ml /5fl oz extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon muscavado sugar 
Flor de sal and freshly ground pepper
Vodka to taste
sour cream (optional)
Chives (optional )
Pre-heat the oven to 450F /230C / gas 8  
Toss all the ingredients,except the vodka,sour cream and chives,together in a large roasting tin and season with salt and pepper.Cook in the oven for 30 minutes. transfer the tomatoes to a food  processor and blitz.Pass through asieve to catch the pips and skin.Add 150ml (5 fl oz ) water,taste and adjust the seasoning.Serve chilled with a dash of vodka added to the soup just before serving.If you wish,decorate the soup with a swirl of sour cream,a sprinkling of chopped chives and a splash of Angostura.