Sonhos - leave your dreams behind and sugar the bitter pill of Lent

Where did the word “carnival” come from? Because Catholics were not supposed to eat meat during Lent, they called their festival, carnevale — from the latin expression carne vale, which means "farewell to meat", signifying that carnival was your last chance to eat meat before the fasting and abstinence of Lent. I may not be a practising Catholic anymore, but going back to my roots I remember well the custom of giving up something for Lent.Why did we give up things for Lent? It was all about sacrifice and as children we were made to give up our favourite treat: the theory was that Jesus gave up his life for us so the least we could do was give up eating Mars Bars for forty days.While Jesus wandered in the desert for forty days, resisting the devil´s lies, we fought off our cravings for pizza.
This was a long time ago but the ritual of Lent remained with me for a long time.
I have to admit that I am still drawn to the spartan simplicity,the stripped back starkness of an undecorated church devoid of flowers,the mysterious reverence of its covered up statues.Most of all its the symbols of ash and especially the fragrant aroma left behind by the burning of incense.It still touches a nerve.
At one point in my life, I gave up giving things up for Lent. It was stupid, I thought, and superficial. Yes, I too love and crave chocolate, but at the end of 40 days, I would just symbolically binge and eat up more than my fair share anyway in the form of a large hollow gold Lindt bunny, Chocolate Orange, After Eights a and a whole lot more. So what was the point? 
Well Its been carnival this weekend and I wanted to share with you this recipe for a traditional Carnival treat from Madeira, where the traditional foods at this time of year are the sonhos and malassadas (deep fried doughnuts).These are served up with some sort of decadent syrupy sauce or in this case a Flor de sal caramel sauce from George Mendes. Apparently  on one of his restaurant feedback cards a grateful female customer wrote"I love this sauce so much, I want to bathe in it". My sentiments exactly.
'Sonhos', means dreams in Portuguese.They are so called because they are a hollow and light, deep fried doughnuty and dreamy. I thought that not only would this be a reminder of my past penitence, but also a chance to bring my favourite christmas present into practice.
Cinnamon-Sugar "Doughnuts"
 Serves 8
1/4 cup plus1/4 tsp (55g)
1/2 tsp unsalted butter
1 cup all purpose flour (150g)
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
sunflower oil as needed
In a medium saucepan,bring 1 cup (250ml)water,1/4 teaspoon of the sugar,and the butter to a boil over a high heat.Add the flour and stir continuously and vigorously until the mixture forms a ball.reduce the heat to medium.Continue cooking,stirring vigorously,until the dough starts to puff and a thin layer of dough sticks to the bottom of the pan.The dough will be very stiff; just keep working it.Transfer it to a processor fitted with the paddle attachment.
Beat on a medium low speed just to break up the ball.Add the eggs,one at a time,beating until smooth after each addition.Raise the speed to high and beat,scraping the bowl occasionally, until the eggs are fully incorporated and there are no clumps,about 1 minute.Don´t overbeat the dough;the bowl should still be warm.
Transfer the dough to a container,let cool slightly, and refrigerate until chilled.
when you´re ready to serve,combine the cinnamon and remaining 1/4 cup (50g) sugar in a medium bowl.Fill a medium saucepan with oil to a depth of 3 inches(7.5cm).Heat to 300F (150C).using ateaspoon cookie scoop or measuring teaspoon,carefully drop a few balls of dough into the hot oil.Don´t crowd the pan.Adjust the heat to maintain the temperature.Cook until the sonhos float,puff , and are golden and cooked through,about 8 minutes.Immediately transfer to the cinnamon sugar and gently toss to coat.repeat with the remaining dough.serve the sonhos hot with the salt caramel or a sauce of your choice.Lemon curd,rhubarb sauce or a home made custard could be options.

Flor de sal caramel sauce
11/4 cups of sugar ( 250g )
174 cup(180ml) heavy cream
1 tablespoon Flor de sal
2 tablespoons unsalted butter,cut in pieces and softened 
In a medium saucepan,combine the sugar and 5 tablespoons(75ml) water.
Bring to a boil over a medium heat,swirling the pan occasionally,until the mixture is amber.reduce the heat to low and carefully and slowly whisk in the cream.The mixture will bubble up.Continue whisking until well combined.Whisk in the salt.Remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl.when lukewarm,stir in the butter,a little at atime, until well combined.Serve the caramel at room temperature.The caramel can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.Bring to room temperature before serving.


If you prefer a butterless caramel follow my own recipe

Flor de Sal caramel

1/2 cup mascarpone

1 teaspoon Flor de sal

2 tablespoons golden syrup or honey

1 cup sugar

1teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup creme fraiche

In a small saucepan combine the mascarpone and the salt, simmer over a very low heat until the salt is dissolved and then set aside.
In a medium saucepan combine the sugar and syrup or honey carefully. They will not combine well until the sugar begins to melt.Cook over a high heat until a thermometer reads 350º (6-8 minutes). Without a thermometer just pull the pan off the heat when it is a medium goldish brown. It will continue to cook in the heat of the pan.( Better pull it off early than be sorry). Remove from the heat and let it cool for 1 minute.
Add the cream mixture and vanilla to the sugar mix. Whisk in the creme fraiche. Let the caramel cool to room temperature.

A Voz do Carnaval e dia de Sao Valentim

 

  a stunning pudding to wow your beloved this weekend 

 

Chica chica boom chic, lets get all fruity this weekend.Yi yi yi yi, Valentines day and Carnival collide on the same weekend.Whether you are feeding a carnival party or just looking to wow your little latin lupelu I have found a pudding that instantly conjures up the outlandish fruit-festooned headgear that was the "Brazilian Bombshell"Carmen Miranda. She epitomized the spirit of carnivals the world over,bringing the vitality and essence of Latin culture to the streets.
Born in Portugal, her devoutly Catholic parents moved to Brazil when she was a baby. Her convent education necessitated that she keep her entertainment business dreams under covers,and she started off her career as a department store clerk, entertaining her co-workers.That aside, here is a tutti frutti terrine to keep her spirit alive.
Strawberries are plentiful here in southern Portugal at the moment but alas will be over in a couple of months, just when you really want them. Summer berries, however are scarce, so I had  to use imported blueberries and raspberries padded out with a large bag of frozen fruits of the forest. I am sure with a bit of imagination you can make this pudding work with whatever fruit is available in season down your way.Whether you´re down Argentina way, its That night in Rio or you´re having a Weekend in Havana,The gang will all be there so lets do the Copacabana...."Beijo Bamba" enjoy

A Pink port and tonic terrine

You will need 2 x 900g loaf tins 19 x 12 x 9 cms deep

300ml Croft Pink Port
125ml tonic water
( if you cant find this, you could substitute 425 ml sparkling rose wine and failing that 125ml sparkling mineral water to 300ml of rose wine)
22g gelatine granules or leaf equivalent50g caster sugar
1 tbsp fresh lime juice

FOR THE FRUIT

500g strawberries
225g raspberries
110g each of blackcurrants,redcurrants and blue berries, or a combination of your own choice
Remove the stalks from the fruit and halve any strawberry that is larger than a quail s egg.Carefully mix all the fruit together in a large bowl. In a small saucepan heat half the port and tonic till it begins to simmer, then whisk the sugar and gelatine into it. Make sure that everything has dissolved completely before adding the remaining liquid and lime juice.
Pour the liquid into a jug and allow to cool. Lay the fruit in the loaf tin with the smallest prettiest fruit first as this will be the top of the pudding when the terrine is turned out. Pour in all but 150ml of the liquid over the fruit. Lay a sheet of clingfilm over the tin. Place the other terrine on top then put two unopened tins as weights into the terrine and put in the fridge for one hour or until it has set. Warm up the remaining 150ml wine mixture and pour it over the surface of the terrine. Re-cover with clingfilm and return to the fridge overnight to set firm.

TO SERVE
Turn out the terrine by dipping it very briefly in hot water and inverting it on to a plate.
Use a very sharp knife (also dipped in hot water ) to cut it into slices.
This recipe can also be made in small individual ramekins if you are catering for large numbers.
Quantities can be doubled or reduced in the same proportions.

Croquetas de cecina y puerro

Having a plate of croquetas and a cold glass of fino sherry put in front of me is pure, deep-fried happiness indeed. In terms of tapas they are pretty damn perfect,fried,starchy and assertively salty. Spanish croquetas are made from a stiff Béchamel,rather than mashed potato and they need to be eaten hot-so hot from the fryer that you burn your fingers on the crisp breadcrumb coating as you rush to bite into their gorgeous molten centre.My imagined fear of first mounting Etna palls into insignificance.They are surprisingly light despite the outrageously piggy filling that oozes from their shell.There  are innumerable variations on croquetas, and everyone has their particular favourite.
Old habits die hard, and I was more than happy to have come across an unusual croqueta recipe,but not too far removed from the classic ham standard.Creamy béchamel is the perfect foil for morsels of jamon iberico,but how about cecina and leek? I left you with a cliff hanger in my last blog post.What is he going to do with the cecina before it dries out? Well I was sent the answer on a plate, this recipe popped out of the ether and landed on my mouse mat.However,entering virgin territory I was left with issues which need to be addressed in future croqueta projects.The recipe I used told me to cook the bechamel until it came away from the sides of the pan and another recipe had informed me not to overcook the béchamel to avoid the consistency becoming stodgy.Who I should have believed I am not too sure,but I think the end product could have been a little firmer.I was also unsure whether to fry them on a low, medium or high temperature, or if indeed I should have employed the deep pan fryer as opposed to a frying pan on the stove top.I did not find a recipe that gave much guidance in this respect but perhaps with further research I will graduate from virgin to one initiated in the art of producing the perfect croqueta.I did follow advice about flouring your hands to roll the chilled croquetas mixture before breading.This is a cheffy tip recommended by José Pizarro, and makes things much easier.
Finally, although generally I favour neutral oils for frying, on this occasion throw caution to the fryer and use olive oil.It´s well worth the expenditure – the flavour is complementary, rather than distracting. A litre bottle should be fine, and you can filter it and use it again should the call of croquetas prove difficult to ignore: in fact these are ideal for parties, because they need to be made in advance, and then fried to order.God forbid they are far too good to share.
Croquetas de cecina y puerro (cecina and leek)
ingredients (for about 40 croquettes approx.):
you might want to halve the quantities here

1250 ml whole milk 

100g butter 

100g wheat flour plus extra to form the croquettes 

150g cecina

1 leek 

Salt 

Nutmeg 

Black pepper 

Breadcrumbs 

Egg 

Olive oil
Chop both the leek and Cecina as small as you can, reserving one slice of meat kept whole.Bring the milk to a simmer and drop in the reserved slice of Cecina. In a pan melt the butter. Add the leek and fry until soft but not coloured. Then add the Cecina and stir it in.Now add the flour and let it take on a bit of colour.
When the milk is coming to the boil, remove the slice of Cecina, and pour the milk slowly onto the flour mix stirring constantly to avoid any lumps.Add the seasonings to taste.
When the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the pan, this is when the batter is ready for croquetas.
Pour it into a dish to cool. Once cool, cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until the next day.
The next day mould the croquetas with a spoon to form the cylindrical shaped croquetas.
Pass them through (in this order)  flour, egg and breadcrumbs. 
Pour enough olive oil in a medium to large frying pan to cover 1/2 inch deep. Heat the olive oil for frying to about 355F degrees. Dip the croquetas in the beaten egg and coat with crumbs by rolling in bowl. Place the croquetas in the hot oil and fry quickly, turning several times, until golden. 
If you prefer, you can use a deep-fryer to fry the croquetas.Be sure not to over-cook them!I am not convinced about this.
Remove the croquetas with a slotted spoon and set on a paper towel to absorb the excess oil. Serve immediately.
If your croquetas will not be served immediately, place in a warm oven (200 degrees) for up to 30 minutes.

Cecina, um almuerzo de invierno,con almendras y las gachas de rábano picante

I had not come across, or even heard of, Cecina until June last year, on my first visit to Porto while dining in the brilliant Restaurante (LSD) Largo Sao Domingos with its simple but clever and inventive menu.On quizzing the waitress,I interpreted it was "cow ham."
Cecina is similar to ham but is made by a complicated and lengthy process of curing the hind legs of beef.What arrived on my plate was something that reminded me of one of my favourite cured meats,Italian Bresaola.On tasting, it did not have the sweetness of the Italian cure,which I was informed is cured for less time (5 months).They are incomparable really.

Cecina is salt-cured, smoked, air-dried beef, and is truly a delicacy of Spain. The origin of the word cecina is not altogether clear. There are two main beliefs both of which seem totally feasible given the curing process.

Some believe that it comes from the Latin siccus, meaning dry, while others believe it originates from the Celtic ciercina, and is related to modern Spanish "cierzo" or North wind. The oldest written reference to Cecina dates from the 4th century B.C. The description of the process is the same as it is today. For centuries homes in the Maragara area (in the northwest of Spain) traditionally kept a dried beef leg in the larder to feed the family.

Further research told me that Cecina is a speciality from the provinces of Leon and Zamora in northwestern Spain, where it has PGI status, although it is also produced in the Basque Country and is well known all over the Iberian peninsula. The Cecina de Leon  is famous for its quality, and has a protected geographical identification under the law. The altitude (over 800 meters) and dry climate of Leon is perfect for its production.The production process contains six steps, which are called perfilado, salado, lavado, asentamiento, ahumado and secado or curación. First, the meat is cured in salt for a specified number of days. Any remaining salt on the outside is washed off. It is then smoked in oak for 2-3 weeks. The final step in the process is to dry the meat in special rooms, where windows can be opened and closed, regulating the temperature as well as humidity. The entire process takes 7 months, according to the Regulating Council (Consejo Regulador I.G.P. Cecina de León). 
Cecina has a brown crust, which is removed before eating. Inside, it is a dark cherry to maroon colour, with small veins of fat running through it. It is slightly fibrous and has a distinct flavour. Although cured in salt, it is not salty. It is usually sliced very thin and served as an appetizer by itself, or with bread. I loved the colour and wanted to  pull it through so I teamed it up with roasted beetroot and rocket salad dressed with a Sherry vnegar dressing and an almond and horseradish porridge.Cecina,by the way
dries out quickly after slicing,so plan to use it no longer than 24 hours after purchase.I had leftovers from what I had purchased so to avoid the sliced meat drying out,I am going to make some croquetas.More on that story later.... 

remains of the day

Almond and horseradish porridge

150g whole blanched almonds

11/2 tablespoons prepared horseradish

4 - 6 tablespoons water

25g stale white bread soaked in water

1 garlic clove,crushed to a paste with salt

2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 

Flor de sal,pepper to taste

In a food processor,grind the almonds to a consistency as fine as possible.Now add 3 tablespoons of the water and process until the almonds form a paste.Squeeze the water out of the bread and add it it to the almond paste with the crushed garlic.Combine well until smooth.Slowly add the Horseradish and the olive oil until you achieve a thick dropping consistency like mayonnaise.season with Flor de sal and pepper.Add the rest of the water only if you need it.

A perfumed Moroccan apple pie

This is the perfect task for a weekend winter afternoon, and if you are selling your house even better.The perfume that fills the kitchen while you are cooking the filling is simply alluring.Its exotic floral tones certainly pip quince at the post, and whats more this wonderful perfume returns to haunt your palate as you savour your first slice. The result is stunning, but it requires time, patience and concentration.You need to be very methodical in your prep and have all the elements of this recipe measured out accordingly so that they are all ready at the various stages of its creation.For instance, the recipe calls for melted butter, completely cooled.The apple filling took much longer to cool than I had anticipated,by which time my butter had solidified and I had to re-melt it.So if you want, prepare the apple filling the day before and keep refrigerated until you are ready to proceed.The whole pie could be assembled and stored in the fridge for a few hours until you are ready to bake it.The original recipe was published in The Times and has been scattered across the Internet ever since.It was most unlike the Times not to credit the original creator of this recipe,and if anyone else had used Times material without permission it would have been pistols at dawn.Anyway, whoever you were, I´m sure you owe your ingenuity to your parents and you deserve merit for your creation.

The method of using layers of buttered phyllo pastry and inverting the pie was inspired by the savoury Moroccan pie, “bisteeya”, but here the filling is vanilla-infused apples. Such a brilliant idea. 

I made one major change to the recipe. I accentuated the Moroccan theme by using brik pastry in place of the phyllo.Plated desserts with impact like this one cry out for Feuilles de Brik.The paper thin, non-brittle and very easy to handle leaves are full of possibilities, and so much easier to work with than phyllo.The major advantage being that you do not have to keep unused sheets covered with cling film or a damp tea towel while you are working (always a bug bear).Since the sheets of brik have a very slightly salty edge to them you have to pair them carefully.The combination of cinnamon vanilla and tart apples is one perfect choice.Back to the brik, this is inspirational stuff.It is a ready made pastry.You can make your own if you are brave and confident enough. Personally I think daily life in a modern kitchen provides us with enough tasks to fill one´s day.("Aga-doo-doo-doo, push pineapple, grind coffee") and all that.
Brik is sold in circular or rectangular sheets,(you will need the rectangular version for this recipe) similar to phyllo pastry, but as I have already said a good deal easier to work with.Brik originates from Tunisia,but most brands are now produced by French manufacturers.The pastry is thicker and more robust than phyllo and does not require endless washings of butter to make it malleable.You can be fairly rough with it too and it stands up to the job.No surprise there then that the French, being no fools, were quick to embrace it. In Tunisia it is usually deep fried, wrapped around a filling of meat, tuna or egg.If you are not a fan of deep frying and never know what to do with the left over oil,here is your answer- bake it, which is much easier and healthier and makes a fantastic crunchy jacket to all sorts of fillings. I can feel that this is fast going to become one of my favourite ingredients over the next few months.

A perfumed Moroccan apple pie
Serves: 8-10
6 tart, green apples (peeled, cored and thinly sliced)
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 vanilla pod (split lengthways)
115g caster sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp cornflour
80g unsalted butter (melted and cooled)
8 sheets of brik pastry
Icing sugar for dusting

Peel, core and thinly slice the apples. Place into a medium bowl. Scrape the seeds out of the vanilla pod and add to the apples. Add 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest. Add half of the caster sugar into the bowl and toss to evenly coat the apples. Put the remaining caster sugar into a small bowl with the cinnamon. Mix throughly. Set aside. Place the sugarcoated apple slices in a large saucepan with 2 tbsp water and the lemon juice. Cover and cook stirring occasionally over medium heat for 10 minutes or until the apples slices have softened.
Transfer the cooked apple slices into a bowl and let to cool down. When the apple slices are completely cooled down, stir in the cornflour. Preheat the oven to 220 C (425 F). Place a baking tray into the oven to heat.Grease a round  (22cm diameter) cake tin with butter. Lay a sheet of brik pastry on a clean work surface and lightly brush with melted butter. Sprinkle some of the cinnamon-sugar on top of the butter layer.
Repeat this with the next 3 sheets of brik pastry. Gently press the buttered brik layers into the buttered cake tin. Let the ends of the filo pastry hang over the rim. Make a second layered stack from the remaining 4 brik pasty sheets exactly the same way. Then lay this second layered brick pastry stack across the first one in the cake tin, so that the entire rim of the cake tin is draped with brik pastry. Spoon the cooled apple slices into the tin and with the back of the spoon gently, but firmly press them down.
Fold the ends of the brik pastry towards the centre of the tin to cover the filling. Lightly brush with melted butter. Working quickly, remove the hot baking tray from the oven and line with non-stick baking paper. Invert the cake tin onto the baking tray. Remove the cake tin and bush the top of the Moroccan Apple Pie with melted butter.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden and crisp. Let cool down and dust with icing sugar before serving.

Uma sopa tu podes comer tambem como patê Bissara Moroccan Split Pea soup, The Soup You Can Also Eat as a Dip

“Oh, the weather outside is frightful…” but this soup is so delightful!

 
New year,new you they say,and I have been working on a make over of our cookery workshop,here at Casa Rosada.(More on that story later).Meanwhile the Algarvian weather has not been clement of late.With high winds rattling our shutters and cold temperatures biting our toes some hearty winter soups have been much appreciated.
Split pea soup is a comfort food for many of us, and it is one of my favourites.What I am about to introduce you to is certainly not your typical split pea soup.This particular version is given a North African twist with the addition of paprika, cumin, and chili pepper.In Morocco, it’s called Bissara or Bessara and once cooked it is garnished with lots of olive oil and warm spices, then dunked with bread. It is particularly popular for being a warming dish in the mountain regions during the cold seasons because of the energy it provides for the body, and also in the country side for being cost effective.

This is a multi -tasking soup. It can be served in different guises throughout the year by diversifying the main ingredient - the pulse.You set the pulse to suit the season. In winter when we are awaiting the new season´s broad beans we can use dried broad beans or split green peas.Then in spring, when the fresh broad beans are popping their pods, you can make a gorgeous bright green concoction, cut through with the same spices and the addition of some creme fraiche.

Traditionally Bissara is best known as poor man´s food.There is a popular Moroccan saying "its only the poor that eat bissara" Personally, I like it just because! I mean what’s not to like about it? It does not cost much, easy to make, very healthy, and darn delicious and it reminds me of the “split pea soup” my mother used to make.

A bowl of Bissara, a hearty bean soup loaded with enough garlic to keep evens Satan away, mopped up with bread, is also popular street food. Hole-in-the-wall hatches dish it up for lunch with a scatter of lemon-infused olive oil and a sprinkle of cumin and chilli. Once sold out, the stall-holder will close his shop and call it a day, leaving the hungry ones hysterically heartbroken. Sigh.

 Now about its versatility.The word bissara refers not only to this Moroccan Split Pea Soup, but also to a tasty Moroccan Fava Bean Dip. Leave the consistency thick for a dip or thin it for a soup. In this version of Bissara, split peas are simmered in meat broth with onions, garlic, paprika and cumin before being pureed with the addition of cayenne pepper to give it a kick.(use vegetable broth for a vegetarian version). The dish can also be prepared with dried chick peas, but you'll need to allow time to soak them overnight. The split peas don't need to be soaked.Garnish the Bissara the traditional way with cumin and olive oil; or if you've made it extra spicy, consider adding a bit of fresh coriander and a swirl of creme fraiche or plain yogurt.
For a change, you can reduce the olive oil in the recipe and garnish the Bissara with a drizzle of argan oil for a light, nutty flavour that complements the split pea's natural flavour.

Bissara-Uma sopa tu podes comer tambem como patê

I adapted this recipe "somewhat", using a ham hock ,and upping the ante of spices, I also made za’atar croutons to give the soup a little bit on the side. The result was fantastic — a richly spiced, velvety broth with just a touch of spicy heat. Crispy croutons that were so good I had difficulty not eating them all straight out of the pan.

FOR THE SOUP
1 lb. (500 g) dried split peas or dried fava beans
6 cups (1.5 liters) beef, chicken or vegetable broth
2 cups (500 ml) water
1/3 cup (80 ml) olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
cumin and olive oil, for garnish (optional)
In a large pot, cook the onions and garlic in the olive oil over medium-low heat for just a few minutes, or until fragrant and softened. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil over high heat.
Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 50 to 60 minutes, until the peas are tender. Stir occasionally while cooking. If you'd like a thicker consistency bissara to offer as a dip, remove the cover for the last 15 minutes to reduce the liquids a bit more.
Puree the soup in batches in a blender, adjust seasoning, and serve. Garnish as desired.

FOR THE CROUTONS
125 g (4 oz) day old bread
2 Tbs za’atar
1 tsp flor de sal
1 Tbs olive oil 
Preheat the oven to 200C. Cut the bread into small cubes (approx. 1/2-inch square). Toss the bread cubes with the oil and the spice mixture. Put the cubes in a single layer on a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes or until crisp and golden.

 

Um algo pequeno para o fim de semana, bolos de laranja macios

 someone´s already taken a bite out of one

When someone says cooking something from scratch is as easy as buying it ready-made, it's usually just not true.One advantage however is that you can customise to your own taste,and sometimes it customises itself.
 I love it when I can easily make something at home and it turns out to be just as good or better than the more expensive shop version.Home made foods can be infinitely superior if you have the time, and making it yourself can save you a lot of money.As you are aware I have been trying to recreate a lot of childhood favourites.Just before Christmas I cured my own ox tongue as opposed to going out and buying buying it industrially sliced in a hermetically sealed plastic pack.I rekindled memories of shopping with my nanna and buying bounty bars.When making Brownies I always have a jar of home made chocolate syrup in the fridge and also my own customised salt caramel.These are both expensive items if purchased in the supermarket.Since living in Portugal I have always made all our jams and preserves that grace our guests´ breakfast and dinner table.Rum and raisin ice cream was an all time favourite and I made my own customised version with a little help from the Clarke´s of Moro.So you see with a little time,patience and ingenuity you can create some of your own favourite comestibles and I do hope we might see this as a trend in the year ahead.
Imagine my excitement when I found a recipe for Jaffa cakes on pinterest.Well it gave me one dilemma and that was that we dont have Jaffa or Shamouti ( as they are sometimes called) oranges in Portugal.I could not call them Jaffa cakes so they would have to be Seville Orange cakes.Being me I refused to use shop bought jelly, and therefore decided in its place to make my own Seville Orange jelly.Having never made these before I stayed true to the recipe (with the exception of not being able to resist making a home made jelly),but along the production line I encountered a lot of hiccups.Whether my muffin tray has bigger wells than the author´s I don´t know, but my first attempt at making the sponge bases was unsuccessful to say the least.Having followed the recipe I was hard pushed to make my batter stretch to twelve portions and ended up with slithers of sponge bases.Not to be deterred I increased the proportion by half again and this time got succesful sponge bases but only eight.I suggest if you are embarking on this challenging project that you are braver than me in the final stage of the recipe.I had conniptions about pouring melted hot chocolate over the jelly I was so proud of having created.I thought it would melt the jelly so I let the chocolate cool slightly and as you can see from the picture I had some difficulty in getting a smooth presentation in my topping .In hindsight here the logic is that if the chocolate is hot it will seal in the jelly, avoiding jelly seepage which my little lovelies experienced.
Just before we crack on with the recipe,a whimsical aside. I read recently that it is highly debated whether the orange-flavoured snack is a cake or a biscuit, but in a court case Scottish company McVities argued that the distinction between cakes and biscuits is, among other things, that biscuits would normally be expected to go soft when stale, whereas cakes would normally be expected to go hard. It was proved that Jaffa Cakes become hard when stale.I dont think mine will be around long enough to become stale.See what you think? Here is my take( at half the price) on yet another of my childhood tea-time treats.Even if you mess them up,they are well worth the effort and I implore you to try them.You´ll only regret it if you don´t.

FOR THE JELLY
2.5kg Seville oranges juiced and passed through a fine sieve
(This should give you 750ml juice)
500g jam setting sugar with added pectin
4 tbsp Lemon juice
1 tablespoon of Seville orange marmalade
Pour the orange juice into a medium sized pan.Add the sugar. Bring to the boil,stirring constantly and boil for a maximum of 15 minutes less if the juice starts to show signs of setting.It will look fairly liquid in the pan but it will start to set as it cools.Allow it to cool completely.You should now have a litre of Orange pectin.When it is cool measure out 500ml of liquid and stir in the marmalade Soak 5 leaves of gelatin in cold water for five minutes to soften.Squeeze out as much water as you can and then in a small pan with 100ml of warm water stir in the gelatine stirring until it has completely dissolved.Pour this into the orange pectin and then Pour this mixture into a shallow-sided baking tray or large dish to form a 1cm/½in layer of jelly. Set aside until completely cooled, then chill in the fridge until set.

FOR THE CAKES
Quantities adjusted by a half more from original recipe
3 free-range eggs
75g/3oz caster sugar
75g/3oz plain flour, sieved

FOR THE TOPPING
200g/7oz good quality dark chocolate, 

minimum 70 per cent cocoa solids, broken into pieces

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
For the cakes, bring a little water to the boil in a pan, then reduce the heat until the water is simmering. Suspend a heatproof bowl over the water (do not allow the base of the bowl to touch the water). Add the eggs and sugar to the bowl and beat continuously for 4-5 minutes, or until the mixture is pale, fluffy and well combined.
Add the flour, beating continuously, until a thick, smooth batter forms.
Half-fill each well in a 12-hole muffin tin with the cake batter. Transfer the tin to the oven and bake the cakes for 8-10 minutes, or until pale golden-brown and cooked through (the cakes are cooked through when a skewer inserted into the centre of the cakes comes out clean.) Remove from the oven and set the cakes aside, still in their tray, until cool.  When the jelly has set and the cakes have cooled, cut small discs from the layer of jelly, equal in diameter to the cakes. Sit one jelly disc on top of each cake.
Bring a little water to the boil in a pan, then reduce the heat until the water is simmering. Suspend a heatproof bowl over the water (do not allow the base of the bowl to touch the water). Add the chocolate and stir until melted, smooth and glossy, then pour over the cakes. Set aside until the melted chocolate has cooled and set.

Left overs for real

Was I imagining it, or did the newspapers seem to be bombarding us with articles about how to make use of our seasonal leftovers before we´d even cooked our Christmas dinner? Leftovers are becoming so fashionable among the foodie journos these days.But lets get one thing straight - what is a leftover?
Leftovers are the uneaten edible remains of a meal after the meal is over,and everyone has finished eating(basically, items of food that you have cooked too much of).These items do not include sausages that you have not yet cooked, but have apparently been over purchased and therefore escaped the Wednesday supper.People seem to think cheese and cured meats, like slices of ham, are left overs.No they are not, and neither is a tin of plum tomatoes that hasn´t been opened. Journalists and TV chefs are are telling us how to cook things that we have simply over purchased and if you listen to them, very often it is necessary to go shopping again to create a leftover recipe.Well I feel very disappointed, but worthy too, that this year we had no left overs apart from a few roast vegetables, gravy and carcass which all went to make some great soup.Now we are open for business again,I am starting to accrue left overs either from guests requesting small portions or not being able to portion control when cooking for one.The thespian´s home cured ham is now coming to the end of its life, and therefore what it is going to create I definitely constitute as left overs.Last night I knocked up a classic left over dish of Chicken, ham and leek pie. A traditional turkey or chicken and ham pie contains lots of vegetable and is the perfect 'use up' dish. You can add almost any veg, you have to hand, to your pie and along with a good (and I'm talking "good to big") knob of butter and a tablespoon of Creme Fraiche D'Isigny - my favourite creme fraiche.  The D'Isigny type has a lovely savouriness about it that comes from a slight hint of cheesiness - which goes so, so well with savoury dishes.
The only thing I did not have, and actually had to purchase to make this dish, was a leek. Ready rolled puff pastry was in the fridge, and the ham as I said came from the thespians prize cure.The chicken was left over from a one pot chicken casserole I had cooked for the guest who wanted only a small portion.With the help of the dregs of a bottle of white wine and the already opened tub of creme fraiche I was able to unleash a sumptuous and creamy meat pie bubbling with left over goodness.Tonight we are having the last remains of the ham tossed into a creamy wine sauce with peas and Fettucine (see below)

Left over Chicken ham and leek  pie (top)

• 450ml/16fl oz chicken stock
• 250g left over chicken pieces,breast thigh or drumstick chopped 
• 75g/3oz butter
• 1 fat leek, trimmed and cut into 1cm/½in slices
• 2 left over roasted garlic cloves, crushed out of their skin
• 50g/2oz plain flour
• 200ml/7fl oz milk
• 2-3 tbsp white wine (optional)
• 150ml/3fl oz creme fraiche
  2 tsp spoon Dijon mustard
• 150g/5oz piece thickly carved left over ham, cut into 2cm chunks
• Flor de sal to taste
• freshly ground black pepper

Melt 25g/1oz of the butter in a large heavy-based saucepan over a low heat. Stir in the leek and fry gently for two minutes, stirring occasionally until just softened. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute. Add the remaining butter and stir in the flour as soon as the butter has melted. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
Slowly pour the milk into the pan, just a little at a time, stirring well between each adding. Gradually add 250ml/10fl oz of the stock and the wine, if using, stirring until the sauce is smooth and thickened slightly. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3 minutes.
Season the mixture, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Remove from the heat and stir in the creme fraiche and mustard. Stir in the chicken and shredded ham. Set aside to cool.
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
Line a large rectangular pie dish with ready rolled puff pastry Portioning off enough pastry for the lid.
Spoon the chicken, ham and leek mixture into the pastry lined pie dishand smooth it out. Brush the rim of the dish with beaten egg. Roll out the reserved pastry for the lid.
Cover the pie with the pastry lid and press the edges together firmly to seal. Trim any excess pastry.
Cut a few horizontal cuts along the lid of the pie with the tip of a knife to let the steam escape.Glaze the top of the pie with beaten egg. Bake in the centre of the oven for 35-40 minutes or until the pie is golden-brown all over and the filling is piping hot. 

Fettucine with left over ham cream and peas
Serves 4
115g/4oz unsmoked  left over cooked ham
50g/2oz butter
2 shallots,very finely chopped
135g/3oz fresh or frozen peas
Flor de sal and freshly ground black pepper
150ml/1/4 pint/2/3 cup double cream
350g/12oz Fettucine
50g /172 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Chopped fresh parsley to garnish
Cut the fat from the ham and chop both lean and fat parts separately into small squares.
Melt the butter in a medium frying pan and add the shallots,peas and the squares of ham fat.Cook until golden.Add the lean ham, and cook for 2 minutes more.Season with black pepper.Stir in the cream and keep warm over a low heat while the pasta is cooking.
boil the pasta in a large pan of rapidly boiling salted water. Cook according to manufacturers instructions and drain when al dente.Turn into awarmed serving bowl,and toss with the sauce.Stir in the cheese and serve at once,garnished with the chopped parsley.

"The grapefruit juice effect",grapefruit marmalade,a risky business

Its January and that means its grapefruit time in the Algarve,This year there seems to be a bumper crop and I have just been given some gorgeous ruby red grapefruits from a friend who grows them. I just adore grapefruit and I thought I would kick the marmalade season off by attempting something I have never tried before, a grapefruit marmalade. I was first introduced to this bitter,sour somewhat exotic fruit at a hotel breakfast table in the sixties.They're big, they´re sour, have tough membranes, big seeds and bitter flesh. People used to douse them in sugar and prise the flesh out with a special knife or spoon specifically designed for this purpose, just to get one little morsel...of an acquired taste.No,no,no this fruit deserves more respect than that.
But the poor grapefruit has been getting a bad rap over the last couple of years.Research has shown us that the number of drugs that can be risky when taken with grapefruit is on the rise.There are now more than 85 drugs that may interact with grapefruit. The list includes some statins that lower cholesterol (such as atorvastatin, lovastatin, and simvastatin), some antibiotics, cancer drugs, and heart drugs. Most at risk are older people who use more prescriptions and buy more grapefruit.
This is what happens: Grapefruit contains furanocoumarins, which block an enzyme that normally breaks down certain medications in the body. When it is left unchecked, medication levels can grow toxic in the body.
It’s not just grapefruits, either. Other citrus fruits such as Seville oranges (often used in marmalade), limes, and pomelos also contain the active ingredients (furanocoumarins), but have not been as widely studied.
Far from being the harbinger of bad news, I want all of you to enjoy the fruits of this wonderful pamplemousse, so if you were not previously aware of this issue,which came to me via one of our guests,please before you proceed, just check online or with your GP if you are on medication, enjoy eating grapefruit, and want to make this recipe.

Ruby red grapefruit and ginger marmalade 
The added colour of the fruit gives a lovely blush to the finished marmalade, so try to find the ruby red variety rather than just a pink one. 
Makes 2.5kg (5-6lb)
Preparation time 1 hour
Cooking time about 3 hours
1 kg (2lbs) ruby red grapefruit,washed and quartered
1 lemon,washed and quartered
2 litres(31/2 pints
1.5kg (3lb) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons of ground ginger and 100g(4oz) of chopped crystallised ginger preserved in syrup

Peel the grapefruits and lemon quarters.Remove the pips and tie them in a muslin bag.If the peel is really thick,remove most of the pith and put it in the bag also.
Cut the peel finely and place it in a large preserving pan with the chopped pulp and two types of ginger.Add the muslin bag and water.Bring to the boil and then simmer until the peel is soft.About 1-2 hours.
Remove the muslin bag.add the sugar and stir until dissolved.Bring to the boil and boil rapidly until setting point is reached-about 20-30 minutes.Remove any scum from the surface.
Ladle into cool sterilised jars and seal.Label and store.
 

Nuns and stiff wimples, pasteis de marmelada

Its winter time, egg yolks and wine, and over the past festive season what with making frosting for  the cake and perhaps a meringue pavlova or two I expect many of you have ended up with a glut of egg yolks. If so,here are some Portuguese solutions  that might ease the problem and avoid excessive waste and blocking up the kitchen sink.
With thanks to discerning wine drinkers and nuns, pastry production in Portugal has always been part of their culinary heritage.
Many of the country's typical pastries were created in monasteries by nuns and monks and sold as a means of supplementing their incomes. The main ingredient for these pastries was egg yolks. It is common belief that the medieval nuns used vast quantities of egg whites to stiffen their wimples, and therefore were forced to develop endless dessert recipes to use all the surplus yolks. However it is also known that Portugal had a big egg production, mainly between the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
When wine (Port) started being exported abroad, the Portuguese found that wine consumers were preferring filtered wine, which gave a more clear and refined flavor. After experimenting in different filtering techniques, they concluded that using egg whites produced the best results.
The excess quantity of yolks, combined with plenty of sugar coming from the Portuguese colonies was the inspiration for the creation of wonderful recipes made from egg yolk. The names of these deserts are usually related to monastic life and to the Catholic faith. Examples are, among others, barriga de freira (nun's belly), papos de anjo (angel's breasts), and toucinho do céu (bacon from heaven). Other common ingredients in Portuguese convent confectionery are almonds, "doce de chila/gila" made from pumpkin or squash, wafer paper, and candied egg threads called "fios de ovos.
Today, the Portuguese still enjoy rich, egg-based desserts that are often seasoned with spices such as cinnamon and vanilla.

Perhaps the most popular is leite-crème or egg and milk custard. It consists of milk, flour, sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon and seven egg yolks, but the intriguing part of this recipe is the need for an iron. Yes, an iron.My first thought was that I was lost in translation but then I realised that before cheffy type blow torches were the rule of the game this would have been the only option in a conventual kitchen. After the custard has finished cooking, heat the base of a flat or cast iron over a high flame and apply it to the sugar for a few seconds to allow the sugar to caramelize. Using a blowtorch is now the modern equivalent, but when given the chance, who wouldn’t want to iron their dessert?
Most towns in Portugal have a local specialty, usually an egg or cream based pastry. Originally from Lisbon, but popular nationwide as well as among the diaspora, are my all time favourite, pastéis de nata.Here is my own seasonal variation on the theme of these, with marmelada (quince jam).

Quince Custard tart (pasteis de marmelada)
makes 18 tarts

150g (5oz) quince paste
1/2 cup ( 5 fl oz )orange juice
Melt the quince paste with the orange juice in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir well until completely combined, then remove from the heat and allow to cool.

FOR THE PASTRY AND THE CUSTARD
500g Massa folhada (puff pastry)
140g single cream
4 egg yolks
75g caster sugar
A dash of vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 230C /450 gas 8
In a saucepan, beat the egg yolks and sugar till thick. Beat in the cream gradually and carefully heat, stirring till the mixture thickens to a custard. Be careful not to overheat or it will curdle. Remove at once and cool completely. Roll out the pastry to make 2  22cm x 18cm (10x 8in) oblongs and roll each one into a swiss roll shape.Cut into slices 2 cm thick. This is a clever technique, because instead of expanding upwards the puff pastry pushes outward, making a deep cup shape for each tart. Spread the rounds into into muffin pans, pressing down thoroughly with both thumbs. Scoop into each tart 1/2 teaspoon of of quince paste followed by a dessert spoon of the custard. Bake until the pastry is golden and the top is caramelised (10-15 minutes ).