Quincipality

If the truth be known,did Eve really bite into an apple that she plucked off the forbidden tree of knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of Eden? No specific name is given to the fruit she tasted from that tree, though apples are mentioned later in the Bible.According to the great food writer Alan Davidson, the apples mentioned in the Song of Solomon were almost certainly quinces. Some historians believe Eve's fruit of temptation might have been a pomegranate or possibly even a quince.Whatever it was it was an early example of culinary opportunism.
´Tis the season of the quince - don't nobody love our noble quince? Won't someone take the poor, unloved quince under their wing? It´s true, the quince doesn't have the sex appeal of a Grade 1 shiny waxed green apple, or the brilliance of a polished persimmon. Its rather jaundiced, mottled skin, sour taste, and lumpy shape isn't seductive either.These lumpy golden fruits have skins that are mottled and dusted with a light fuzz, like the cheeks of spinster great-aunts.These are the quintessential fruit. Quince charming can be easily transformed into marmalades, jams,chutnies and jellies that have been revered  for centuries throughout the Middle East and Europe. And what about a generous dollop of quince preserve on toast to make one´s breakfast more enjoyable? One heavenly mouthful of ambrosial nirvana.Now you´re talking.These quince preserves were called quidoniac or quiddony – names that now remind one more of Hogworts and Harry Potter than Kydonia (from which they derive), where the ancient Greeks grew varieties of the fruit.

Stews that combine sour fruits, such as quince, with meats are traditional foods in Iran and still remain popular today. Iranians also peel and core the quince and stuff the cavity with meat stew.
Moroccan cuisine incorporates the quince in its highly seasoned tagines, stew-like combinations of meats and dried fruits often spiced with cinnamon and cloves.

In Britain the quince was incorporated into its cuisine in various pies and tarts, often appearing in apple pies where it added a unique flavour and a hint of pink colouring. The British also prepared a sauce made from quince that became a traditional accompaniment to roasted partridge.
Quince, like the apple and guava, produces a natural pectin* when cooked, making it ideal for jelling.
Although the most favoured quince marmalade, called marmelada, originated in Portugal during the 1500's, the British have been preparing many versions of marmalade  ever since. Joining the marmalade brigade is the Italian version called cotognate, a preserve that is still prepared in Southern Italy today.
I´ve done the marmelada,the tarts,the preserve so I decided to go back to basics and serve up a simple bowl of quartered quinces poached in Casa Rosada´s own 2010 vintage of Licore de laranja.

Quince poached in Casa Rosada Licore de laranja

I´d poach any fruit in liquor, I, but the quince is one of the more obvious choices,having the added character of aquiring a little blusher while it cooks,the flesh is white when raw but becomes a delicate pink when cooked.I normally poach quinces on the stove top but in this case I decided to experiment a la Nigella and poached these in the oven.It is A slower process but it ensures that the fruits hold their form and and the soft pink carnelian liquid does not burn off, and allows them to acquire beautiful rusty tones as it cooks.Not only that you have the pleasure of filling your home with a princely "perfume" that would have made Patrick Suskind´s Grenouille  give his eye teeth for.
4 quinces
700ml licore, Moscatel, Grand marnier,triple sec,
curaçao or any other orange based liquor
300ml water
500g sugar
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
2 cloves
6 cardamom pods 
6 peppercorns
Pre-heat the oven to 160C /320F

Fill a bowl with cold water and add the juice of 1/2 lemon.Peel the quinces,quarter them and core them.As you finish preparing each quarter, submerge the quinces in the bowl of water with an inverted  plate over them to keep them immersed.This is to stop them browning until you are ready to cook them.Keep all your peelings and trimmings as they will help to thicken* your syrup.

First make your syrup by putting the licore of your choice,water,sugar and spices into a pan and bring to the boil.Put your reserved peelings, including the cores, into the bottom of a large oven proof dish.Put the quartered quinces in a single layer on top and pour the mixture for the syrup over the top.Cover the dish securely with foil and put in the oven for two and a half hours.After this time the quinces should have taken on a vintage cami knicker pink colour. Leave the quinces to cool in the dish without removing the foil.The colour of the fruit will intensify as it cools.
When completely cold,remove the fruits with a slotted spoon and put in a glass bowl.Strain the remaining syrup into a saucepan and over a medium heat let it reduce.Being careful not to burn your tongue, taste the liquid every so often for your desired consistency bearing in mind the syrup thickens as it cools after you have removed it from the flame, so you do not want to  over-reduce it.You want a syrup not sticky toffee.Pour the syrup over your quinces-in-waiting.Keep any syrup you may have left over for another occasion,maybe ice cream or a humble crumble.

Spanish breakfast -Sherry raisin bread

The battle of the breads

My favorite bread-baker, Dan Lepard, recently posted a recipe for Sherry Raisin Bread, Here's how Lepard explains the role of  sherry in baking: "From a simple syrup for soaking a fat baba in or spooning over fruit cakes or puddings, to using it instead of milk or water, sherry adds a gentle flavour that lends richness without being immediately detectable".
Doesn't that sound good? My mother was renowned for the batches of raisin loaf she would bake for various parish occasions where a congregational afternoon tea was called for. So inspired by Mr Lepard, following in mothers footsteps, a bottle of sherry in hand and with a certain nostalgia creeping in I set out to see how a humble parochial fruit loaf could stand up to a distinctive piece of modern confectionary.Let the battle begin.
My mothers Raisin loaf

500g(1lb) self raising flour

1tsp baking powder

250g (8oz) raisins/mixed fruit
300-350ml (10-12 fl oz ) milk
Mix all the ingredients to a dough.Knead it well mould it into an oval loaf shape and place on a floured baking sheet.bake in the top of a moderate to fairly hot oven  200C (180C fan-assisted)/390F/gas mark 6  until the outside has formed a slight crust.(About 40 minutes).

Mr Lepard´s Sherry raisin bread

200ml medium sherry, such as oloroso dulce
200ml whole milk, plus a little extra for brushing
100g Seville marmalade
2 level tsp fast-action yeast
300g raisins
175g chopped almonds ( I omitted these)
500g strong white flour
100g rye flour ( I omitted this and upped the content of strong flour)
2 tsp fine salt
Oil and flour, for kneading and shaping
In a big bowl, stir together the sherry, milk, marmalade and yeast, add the raisins and almonds, and mix well. Add the flours and salt, work everything into a rough ball of dough, then cover the bowl and leave for 10 minutes. On a lightly oiled or floured surface, lightly knead the dough for a bare 10 seconds, return the dough to the bowl and leave for about two hours, until puffy and risen by half. Pat out the dough to about 2cm thick, then roll up tightly into a scroll and place seam-side down on a tray covered with nonstick paper. Cover with a cloth and leave for about an hour, until barely risen by half.
Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan-assisted)/390F/gas mark 6, brush the top of the loaf with milk, and cut a 1cm-deep slash along the centre. Bake for about 40 minutes, until the crust is a good, rich golden-brown.

My findings:
The Lepard version is heaving in calories particularly if toasted and slathered with lashings of marmalade and home made jams.Nothing wrong with that.
Both versions can be frozen whole or in individual slices which comes as a huge plus for me.I can whip a few slices out of the freezer for Casa Rosada breakfast guests and not have to worry about using up or wasting an entire loaf.Hmmmm,I feel quite smug about that. Pantry management at its best I would say.On the taste front I think Mr Lepard has a slight edge here.The addition of Seville orange marmalade is wicked and the sherry gives it that indefinable richness that perhaps my mothers loaf lacks.Mr lepard wins again visually.His rich golden crust makes his loaf more appealing to the eye and the slash down the middle gives it a rustic feel.Again when sliced the Lepard loaf looks more appetising and his texture has more moisture content.However when toasted mother´s loaf comes out on top.The Lepard loaf does not toast successfully. But and a big but my dear mothers version takes under an hour to produce including prep time.The Lepard version is over four hours start to finish.I wonder what would be the result if I were to produce a mutant version of the two; a quick and easy Mothers loaf with added sherry and marmalade.I can but try, but they always say your mother should know.
A word of advice:
The Lepard effect is subtle, so don't  be tempted to splash out on an expensive brand (though it's rarely that pricey).

You can have your cake and eat it

A rainy afternoon treat

Yesterday our oven door broke, deeming the oven unusable.The technician came to assess the damage and took it away overnight with a pledge to return with the repaired door in the morning. Well the oven man nao cometh and today found us with a disabled oven.Dinner, which was supposed to have been baked in the oven, had to be deep fried.No loss of taste or quality there but more importantly it is Saturday, the rain has been chucking it down all day and finding myself in the kitchen I wanted a cake for an afternoon treat.I needed a no-cook cake.It is a common thing for people to hear the story of Peter Pan and Neverland and to think that they too never want to grow up.I am one of those, but age can be a funny thing, it sometimes manifests itself in foolish infatuations and guilty pleasures, and a return to childhood. One of my guilty pleasures is chocolate corn flake crispies.With no oven and yet another expat craving coming on, I decided to make this classic childrens tea party item. It is surprisingly difficult  to find a recipe for these, but also surprisngly easy to make one up. Here´s what I did

100g Corn Flakes

100g Melted chocolate

50g Butter

1 Tsp Golden syrup

Melt chocolate and  butter in a pan,add the syrup,stir in the Corn Flakes,toss well till everything is well coated.Spoon into paper cake cases and put in the fridge till set.

Who needs fancy chocolate cakes when you can have these. 

Helado de pasas de Málaga- the new rum and raisin

Do you remember the legendary flavour of rum and raisin ice cream? For the greater population of Andalucia, in particular the residents of Malaga,the famous Helado de pasas was imprinted on their brains from childhood.It is that memorable that it outlasts adolescence into adulthood. A sundae in Malaga, even in sunny weather, may not be everybody´s idea of heaven.I am sure one can still purchase a tub of this particular ice cream in the cinema foyer or from the usherette in the intermission, and with a cracking new Bond movie coming to a screen near you its perhaps the time to remind ourselves how good the old rum and raisin ice cream was. I would go one step further in offering you this fascinating take from those double Sams-the Clarks of `Moro´ in London.So play it again Sams, your recipe for this cream of Andalucia certainly pushes my button and is most definitely double ohhh heaven.It is so easy to make, and no dry ice in the house Mr Blumenthal.The key ingredient to the Sam and Sam twist is not rum but my most favourite tipple this side of Seville, Pedro Ximénez sherry.This sherry combines a complex amalgam of figs, raisins, and plum pudding in one glass, so can you imagine what it is like infused into this boozy ice cream recipe and then served with a glass of the same nectar to accompany it. And oh my god, I nearly forgot to say if you really want to go over board pour a little of the sherry over the top of each serving.

Helado de pasas de Málaga

Malaga raisin ice cream

Makes 8 portions (just over 1 litre)

600ml double cream

300ml milk

1 small cinnamon stick

1 vanilla pod

7 egg yolks

85g caster sugar

100g raisins soaked overnight in 100ml Pedro Ximénez sherry

or sweet malaga wine

Place the cream,milk and cinnamon stick in a large saucepan.Split the vanilla pod in half lengthways and scrape the tiny seeds into the pan.Heat until just below boiling point,then remove from the flame.Beat the egg yolks and sugar together for 5-10 minutes until pale and thick.Loosen the egg with a little of the cream/milk mixture,then pour the egg back into saucepan,scraping the bowl out with a spatula.Whisk well to mix everything properly and return to a low heat,stirring constantly.Heat gently to cook the custard but be careful not to let it curdle.When the mixture starts to thicken,remove it from the heat,pour into a bowl and place over iced water to cool.

churn in anice-cream maker( in batches if necessary ),adding the raisins and sherry towards the end of the churning.If like me you do not have an ice-cream maker,try freezing the ice cream by hand stirring it every half-hour to prevent crystals forming.Stirring will also help distribute the raisins evenly and prevent them from sinking to the bottom before the custard hardens enough to suspend them.This process will take about 2 hours depending on the temperature of your freezer. And here is my serving suggestion......

Simply the best

Apple snow, a dessert of the 70´s

Apple snow made with Portuguese Reineta apples

It's bound to happen, the inevitable leftover egg white syndrome.What can you do with 8 egg whites? I have just made a batch of ice cream involving yolks and cant bring myself to throw the whites away.I am not very meringue-minded so that is not an option, and have to say I am not partial to a coconut macaroon.So put in this situation, what would my mother have done? She would, I am sure, have made a dessert called Apple Snow.

A recent Word of Mouth post in the  Guardian newspaper rekindled some of the strange names accredited to English recipes including "Apple snow" "Spotted dick" "Eton Mess"and "Jam roly-poly."

The very name takes me back to the late 1970s as it was a pudding I had regularly, when in my teens. I was not sure if that was a general thing or just our family. If anyone else had Apple Snow in the 1970s I would love to hear from them. As soon as anyone says ‘Apple Snow’ it conjures up memories and images for me of David Bowie, Marc Bolan and platform shoes!Apple Snow makes me think of flares and the sounds of the 70s – and that is why I still love it. Its an easy and fun dessert and one that is well worthy of a revival.Its a way of using up all those windfalls, if you have them.

Apple Snow is made up of cooked, pureed apples mixed in with whipped cream(optional), egg whites and then sweetened to taste. You can adjust the amount of cream according to your taste. I actually think it is best to be fairly light on the cream as that allows the texture of the whipped egg whites to come through. The grated zest and juice of a lemon gives it that extra zing.So come on chaps, purée those apples and get beating those egg whites to show your support for the return of Apple Snow.

A traditional apple snow

I used Portuguese apples, Reinetas,because they cook beautifully.If you use Granny Smith apples your apple snow will have slightly greener colour to it.

 

700g (1.5lbs) cooking apples, Reinetas or Granny Smith

200g (6oz) caster sugar

Juice of 1/2 lemon

2 egg whites

Whipped cream (optional) trust me you don´t need it

Slivers of toasted almonds

Core the apples, cut them into thick slices and put them with a very little water in a covered pan. Cook until soft;sieve and measure off 300ml (10 fl oz / 1/2 pint ) of purée.Add sugar and lemon juice.Cool completely.Whisk the egg whites until stiff and fluffy.Pile into tall glasses and decorate with toasted almond slivers or amaretti biscuits.

Variations on a theme of herbes de provence

After a long dry summer the thespian has been brutally pruning back our rather large bushes giving me the chance to dry and preserve a wide range of herbs for culinary usage and herbal infusions. Now the rains have finally come and its time for the "great indoors." Autumnal jobs are us and its all down to me to get busy with this harvest of herbage that has been gathered.Having prepared the herbs for drying todays job found me in the larder - "dried fruit management." Its like cleaning out your filing cabinet but a lot more tasty and  a heck of a lot more satisfying.

As the name "Herbes de Provence" is generic, and not a Protected Geographical Status, there is no guarantee that Herbes de Provence in fact come from Provence; indeed, the vast majority of these blends come from central and eastern Europe, North Africa, and China.The denominação de origem controlada (or DOC) is the system of protected designation of origin for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products from Portugal.This does not "affect" ( had to consult grammar girl´s  take on effect versus affect, apparently her "quick and dirty tips help you do things better") us as we are lucky enough therefore to be able to make our own "Herbes de Provence" rather than paying for someone else to do it, but I will label my Herbes de Provence as ( DOC Casa Rosada) agr.biol. sem aditivos.
just for my own amusement.

Every experienced cook has a different recipe for "Herbes de Provence". I think mine is a good basic recipe to start with. Experiment with the proportions and find the balance of flavours that suits your palate best. All herbs should be fully dried and then coarsely crumbled.  

"Herbes de Provence"  are usually a mixture of dried thyme, marjoram, savory and various other herbs, but it's the dried lavender I think that gives this blend of summer herbs its unexpected magic.

Basic Herbes de Provence Recipe

Dried thyme (tomilho)

Dried oregano (oregao)

Dried summer savory  (segurelha)

Dried rosemary (alecrim)

Dried manjerico or basil (manjerico)

Dried bay leaf  (louro)

Dried lavender  lavando

Variations on the theme

Variation I

1 part marjoram
1 part basil
2 parts thyme
1 part summer savory
1/2 part lavender
1 part rosemary
1/2 part fennel (cracked)
1 part oregano

Variation 2

1 part thyme
1 part summer savory
1/2 part lavender
1/4 part rosemary
1/2 part oregano or basil
1/4 part sage

Variation 3

2 parts thyme
1 part basil
1 part marjoram
1 part tarragon
1 part rosemary
2 parts summer savory
1 part fennel seeds (cracked)
1 part lavender

Variation 4

Use equal amounts of each:

savory
rosemary
thyme
oregano
basil
marjoram
fennel seed

The method for each of these mixes is the same. Simply combine all the ingredients in a bowl and store in an airtight container.

If you prefer, you may process the herbs to a finer ground in a coffee grinder or food processor.

A terrina do trapaceiro - A cheats terrine

Essentially a terrine is any dish made in a small, deep earthenware container with a tightly fitting lid ( the french word means literally `made of earthenware´and comes from the latin terra, `earth.´) The English then borrowed it in the Eighteenth century and called it a tureen.

 A quintessential terrine is made from finely chopped or minced meat-typically with a base of lean and fat pork,and often with other meats, such as game, duck or veal added to it.It was then cooked in a terrine, in the oven, in a Bain Marie.The full French term for this type of terrine is pâté en terrine,which is abbreviated to pâté as well as terrine.This seems to have led to pâté and terrine becoming virtually synonymous,in both French and English.However in the 1970´s all was not well and things went astray in camp pâté.A foodie fashion foray into the realms of vegetable terrines was upon us.

Vegetables of contrasting shapes and colours were layered in a mousse or sauce set in aspic, so as to produce a marbled effect.Having recently read Fabulous Fanny, whenever aspic is mentioned the fabulous Fanny Cradock,with her over the top creations now always come to mind.( a brief note here: aspic is a transparent jelly in which cold fish, poultry meat and or vegetables are sometimes served. It's used as a garnish to glaze and protect fish and other food from drying out (the clear aspic allows any decoration to be seen), and to set savoury foods in a mould).My dear mother committed numerous food faux pas in the name of aspic.She was one of Fanny´s followers and was ever at the ready with lunch dishes in which she used a heck of a lot of aspic.She drowned eggs and all manner of vegetables including frozen peas  in tureens deep in this savoury gelling agent.Eggs in Aspic (Oeufs en Gelée)was one of the quirky wonders of old-school French cooking that she resorted to time after time.This classic French dish was typically served as a first course, aspic being used to encase poached eggs in a delicate consommé.Ne pas moi mother, but one of your, shall I call it triumphs, was hailed by those others who were party to your lunch table.

The only explanation I can find for this strange food phenomenom is that these foods looked curious and intriguing when displayed in aspic.Have you ever been served anything in aspic? It's often the colour and texture of a Whiskas cat food pouch pack, and an unpleasant reminder that you're eating something made from horse knuckles.Like the great American adventures in space travel at the time, they hovered weightlessly in the clear brown gel, perhaps seeming to mimic Neil Armstrong, who I remember watching on our modest black and white Ferguson TV as he took one small step for mankind.He was seen hovering in zero gravity on the moon like these poor  unsuspecting vegetables suspended in setting gel. Then Julie and Julia saw us marveling at the latter day blog author plowing through the dozens of aspic recipes contained in The Art of French Cooking? Aspic was  important enough for Julia Child to devote much of her writing to the stuff, as despicable as we may find it today. Thankfully, by the 1980s, nearly everyone had admitted that, while visually interesting, anything suspended in aspic tasted vomitous and moved on to concocting new and more heinous modern creations.For those Portuguese readers out there I have found for you one classic  dish adapted from Alan Davidson´s classic book North Atlantic Seafood -  Portuguese Hake in Aspic (Pescada en Gelia).For those brave enough to dabble with this retro malarky let me know how you get on.Meanwhile back in Portugal 2012, yesterday I needed a fast recipe for a light lunch.I had in the fridge, left over from Sunday night´s dinner, a tupperware container of cooked rabbit and another bowl of the discarded uncooked rabbit livers.While walking on the beach in early morning autumn fog my first thought was rabbit liver pâté and toast.My befuddled mind was a little misty too and I needed to return to base and think in slighly more substantial terms.My solution turned out to be not so much a pâté more a terrine, but I did not have enough time,in fact only a couple of hours.So sem Aspic,sem gelatina,sem text and no time for ovens or bain marie, I decided to make a cheat´s terrine.I gently sautéed some celery, carrot, onion and parsley in a mixture of butter and olive oil throwing in some thyme and crushed juniper berries for good measure.I added the rabbit livers stirred it all about and then tossed in some white wine from the fridge door,put a lid on it and, reducing the heat, simmered it for 20 minutes.After 20 minutes I removed the pan from the heat and let the concoction cool.I then removed the meat from the cooked rabbit and chopped it coarsely.When my cooked mixture was cool I stirred in the chopped rabbit meat and some halved pistachios.Lining a "tureen" with foil I fried off some thin rashers of bacon and lined the terrine with overlapping rashers.I tipped in the pan mixture pressed it down well,wrapped the excess foil over the top of the mixture and put it in the fridge pressing it down again with some heavy weights. One and half hours later lunch was ready and I had just created this year´s culinary swindle,ready for slicing.Eh Voila.I hope yours turns out like mine.

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Jul 13, 2010

Couvert- "Bom apetite"

Soft crumbling cheese peppered and oiled on soft bread

My current restaurant fad is assembling torn pieces of fresh rustic bread with fresh goats cheese, and then topping them with extra virgin olive oil and ground pepper ( a near impossible find and a specal request required in local Portuguse tascas).This is part of what is called "couvert" (cover charge) and you are by no means obliged to eat it in which case you wont be charged.It applies in all places, from greasy spoons to the posh end restaurants.

When you sit down you are immediately given a basket full of bread, butter and cheese (usually a small whole soft sheep's cheese),sardine paste and olives.  
Sometimes in more upmarket establishments you are served salami, cheese spread in individual portions and pates (also in individual portions). You are then charged for this - it comes under 'couvert' in the bill.

Anything between 5 and 10 euros per head. Overall I have no complaints, as it is usually excellent; what better way to start the meal than with some chunks of wodgy fresh bread and fresh goats cheese or a cured sheeps cheese to toy with while you are perusing the menu and deciding what to order.
"Bom apetite" 
How we create a couvert at Casa Rosada

Fresh goats cheese or Azeitao

Moroccan Carrot salad

Marinated Anchovies

Olives

Home made Chicken liver pate 
Muxama
Beetroot parfait

Couvert at Casa Rosada

Posh Couvert at Cha com agua salgada

Torresmos - a “crackling” success?

Torresmos ( Crackling )

I have always had an interest in fashion forecasting and predictions of trends to come.In particular, what the journos think we will be eating in months to come is of particular importance to me.

This time last year I noticed  The Huffington post listed among their food predictions for 2012, 'Posh' Pork Scratchings made from British pigs with no MSG (Monosodium glutamate - a common food additive), created by Tom Parker Bowles (Right royal relative)  Matthew Fort (imagined offspring of Elizabeth David and Jack Kerouac ) and posh pig farmer Rupert Ponsonby.

Well fashions come and go but my initial thought was, could pork become as popular as this summer´s peplum was going to be.A summer of pork and peplum, my darlings what heaven that could be. Pork scratchings, the humble and beloved British bar snack,originated in the early 19th century, when the production of meat began to be industrialised. The term literally denotes the scraps from the slaughterhouse floor.The origin of the peplum is more recent and goes back to the 1920's when it rocked frocks in different forms and then had a huge high street revival in the summer of 2012. Two parallel trends were running alongside each other.A  posh version of a food supposedly originated from scrapings off the factory floor that needed to tickle the exacting tastebuds of the average British pub-goer, and a fun jolly pretty dress, of which many I expect, were rescued at the end of the day from the floors of Primark stores. Peplums are most certainly not a look that only string beans can wear.They accentuate the waist to-hip-curve and many big porky bootylicious bottoms sported them this summer. Beyoncé and Liv Tyler were both peplummed out this summer, but would the re-invented pork scratching renamed "crackling" by its modern marketeers get noticed at a red carpet party? The competition was in full swing.The Three marketeers,Parker-Bowles, Ponsonby and Fort aimed to transform the fortunes of these time-honoured little strips of salted "crackling", as rich in lore (the shattered tooth, the scorched pig hair, the rumoured possibility of encountering a nipple) as they are in saturated fat. This was an upmarket revolution based on high-quality ingredients and careful cooking.On the other hand Michelle Williams in Luis Vuitton peplum was not so successful,there was insufficient pork to carry it off.
Traditionally, scratchings are fried and made with the softer, relatively hairless skin with attached fat, behind the hock (back foot) of the pig; crackling is roasted or baked, and can be made from a wider portion of the pig.Every culture has them: foods that only a local could love. In case you’re brave and curious enough to try new things like me, or prefer to be informed of what can be avoided,just try making your own home made version of pork scratchings. International versions include pork rinds and cracklings in the USA, grillons or grattons in France, chicharrones in Central America and the Spanish Caribbean,but no Danish bacon here in Portugal mother,just pure nationally reared belly pork,boiled then fried and called Torresmos("crackling").
Its now Autumn and Lana del Rey is singing her modern cover version of Bobby Vinton´s Blue Velvet and sporting a peplum blouse by H & M Hennes. Peplums are now the new normal,but no good when travelling on a bus.Pork scratchings or crackling might be the new gastro pub grub but whether or not this ethical pub snack,suitable only for people with strong healthy teeth, will take off remains to be seen.My gut feeling is more peplums than packets of pork scratchings have been sold in 2012.Are you a peplum sporter, a crackling cruncher or both? Whichever; if you want to set the pig among the pigeons with your guests here is the pattern, sorry recipe. When I put these on the table to accompany aperitivs at the Thespian´s  father´s recent 80th birthday bash they ran like pigs in a pen off the table and there wasn´t a rustle of peplum in the room.

A Portuguese street vendor selling Couratos a variation of Torresmo

 

Torresmo(Crackling)

• 1 kg entremeada em cubos                          1kg belly pork in Cubes
• 1 colher (chá) de bircarbonato de sódio       1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 dente de alho amassado                            1 clove of garlic,crushed
• Sal e pimenta-do-reino a gosto                     salt and pepper to taste
• 1 folha de louro                                           1 large bay leaf
• 1 colher (sopa) de álcool                              1 soup spoon of brandy
• 1 xícara (chá) de água fervente                   1 tea cup of boiling water

Coloque em uma panela grande o entremeada com o alho, o sal, o bicarbonato, a pimenta, o louro e o álcool. Misture tudo. Acrescente a água fervente. 
 Place the pork, garlic,salt,baking soda,pepper,bay leaf and brandy.mix everything together well and add the boiling water

Cozinhe em fogo baixo por 20 minutos, mexendo de vez em quando ou até secar toda a água e amarelar. Escorra e deixe secar.

Cook over alow heat for 20 minutes,stirring occasionally until all the water has turned yellow and almost all evaporated.Discard the bay leaf.Drain and let dry

Retire e despreze o louro. Frite os torresmos em óleo caldo, em fogo alto, mexendo até dourar. Retire com escumadeira e coloque sobre papel toalha.

Commercial takes on crackling

Heat some oil in a pan or deep fat fryer and when extremely hot  deep fry in batches until golden removing with a slotted spoon and place on paper towel to dry.Serve while still warm

Dicas do Cozinheiro

Rendimento aproximado de 8 porções.

Sirva acompanhado de vinho ou bebida de sua preferência.

O cozinheiro says

Yields approximately 12 servings as a nibble.

Serve with a glass of wine or drink of  your choice

A gastronomia da rua- Portugals street food

Leitão assado - suckling pig on a spit

Autumn is here and the evenings are drawing in.Nights are fresher and cooler but we cant help turning our memories back to a hot sultry summer of street food when we wandered the streets of an evening and enjoyed a street snack or two.In summer all over Portugal from beach to inland town festival we find food we can eat "on the hoof".

Boleeeenhaaaaaasssss

It might be the bolinhas man peddling his doughnuts from a basket on the beach "Bolinhaaaaaaaas,con crema, sem crema." Sunning yourself on a beach towel, this is the sound that  might have raised you from nodding off on your Maeve Binchy to join the queue for a fresh doughnut.
Trolling the Streets of Castro Marim during the four day Dias Medievais festival in August the smoky smell of Chocos assados na brassa (Barbecued Cuttlefish) or Polvo seco assado (dry roasted octopus tentacles) might have tickled your taste buds. Torresmos and couratos, the latter normally on sale at large popular gatherings, such as football matches,are not particularly summer fare. Usually served on a sandwich,and accompanied by a beer. I am saving more on that story for later Kirsty.

No market is complete without the Farturas and churros wagons selling curly whirly doughnut type caky things.
And last, and most certainly not least, throughout summer the sardine season heralds the smell of fresh sardines being grilled on charcoal in the streets of Portugal.The many festivals of Santos populares throughout June are accompanied by stalls selling grilled sardines. 
The characteristic smell of grilled sardines permeates everywhere, during the summer months, when literally tonnes of them are consumed. Natives and tourists alike devour them by the dozen from street vendors, like this one in Lisbon.Put one on a slice of bread and eat it with your fingers while the fat of the fish drips into the bread.You´ll only regret it if you don´t.