Grilled Salted Cod (Bacalhau ao forno)

Salted cod is extremely popular in Brazil. It is potent and easy to find. Not so much here in the US. Luckily, with a little preparation, you can substitute with fresh cod! Or use any firm white fish, such as tilapia or Pollock.

Grilled Cod (Bacalhau ao forno)

Servings: 6

Time: 2 1/2 hours

Ingredients:

2 lb. cod fillets

1/2 lb. Potatoes, sliced

1/2 lb. Carrots, sliced

1 T olive oil

1 large onions, sliced

2 garlic cloves, sliced

1 bell pepper, diced

2 tomatoes, diced

1/4 C cilantro, chopped

2 T olives, chopped (optional)

Sauce:

1 T butter

1 C + 2 T milk (divided)

1 T cornstarch

1 egg, beaten

1/2 C heavy cream

1 13.5 oz. can coconut milk

Pinch of nutmeg

Pepper and salt to taste

Directions:

1. Defrost the cod overnight if frozen. Set fresh cod on plate and sprinkle generously with coarse sea salt. Let it sit for one hour.

2. While the fish sits, slice the potatoes and carrots. Boil fifteen minutes. Drain and set aside.

3. Slice the onion. Heat the oil in a frying pan and saute the onion over medium-low heat ten minutes or until soft. Set aside.

4. When the hour has passed, drain the fish. Let sit in cold water for one hour, draining the water and refilling every twenty minutes.

5. Make the sauce during this time (see below).

6. Place the fish in a shallow frying pan over medium heat. Drain often, frying until excess moisture pulls out and the fish flakes easily with a fork.

7. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

8. In a 9x13 pan, sprinkle half of the onions. Layer on top the cooked potatoes and carrots.

9. Put the fish on top of the potatoes. Add the other half of onions, the garlic, and the bell pepper. Top with the tomatoes, cilantro, and olives, if using.

10. Pour the sauce over the top. Bake for 30 minutes. 

11. Serve with rice.

Sauce:

1. Place the butter and 1 cup milk in a saucepan over medium heat.

2. Whisk the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of milk in a small bowl. Add to saucepan, stirring well. Bring to a boil and let the mixture thicken.

3. Remove from heat.  Beat the egg in a small bowl. Add two tablespoon of the milk mixture to the egg and mix well. Add the cream, can of coconut milk, the nutmeg, salt and pepper to the saucepan. Stir in the egg.

4. Bring to a boil, stirring often, for ten minutes.

5. Set aside until needed.

Just in time for fall Pumpkin Ice Cream

I served this two weeks ago at our chili cook-off, and it was a super big hit. Make  sure you freeze your ice cream canister the night before, and give this at least  four hours freezing time before serving! Ingredients: 2 C cream 3/4 C dark brown sugar 5 egg yolks 1/2 tsp  cinnamon 1/4 tsp nutmeg 1/4 tsp allspice 1/4 tsp ground cloves 1/4 tsp salt 1 tsp vanilla 1 C pumpkin puree (I make my own from scratch every year but from a can  works fine) 1. In a medium saucepan, combine the cream and sugar. Cook 5 minutes  over medium heat to dissolve the sugar.

2. In a small bowl beat the egg yolks, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and salt. Whisk about 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture into the egg mixture, stirring well. 3. Pour the egg mixture back into the hot cream mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for about six minutes until its thick enough to coat the spoon. Do not boil. Stir in the vanilla.

4. Whisk the pumpkin into the egg mixture. 5. Admire the beautiful golden color with flecks of spice.

6. Cover and refrigerate until cold, at least 3 hours (I did mine overnight, along with my ice cream canister). Pour into the ice cream freezer and churn up ice cream according to directions. Scoop into freezer safe container and freeze at least 4 hours. 7. Scoop into bowls or cones and enjoy! Makes just over a quart. Enjoy!

Blueberry and Vanilla Scones with Blueberry Jam

First, I have to qualify this by saying, I don't like blueberries. Except for one time a year. And that is when we got and pick blueberries from the local blueberry farm. That is when I pull out all my blueberry recipes and make blueberry pie, blueberry jam, blueberry tarts, blueberry muffins. And this time, I tried blueberry scones. I mean, what else was I supposed to do when we came home with thirteen pounds of blueberries? Oh my goodness, these are amazing. They're not the "drop-em-and-fry-em-and-coat-them-in-sugar" kind. No, these are the English kind. They cook up nice and crisp on the outside but moist and tender on the inside. I made blueberry jam to go with these (super easy, I'm not a canner) and the whole family is begging for me to do it again next week. Give a try!

Ingredients: 8 T butter 3 C flour 1/4 + 1 T sugar 1 1/2 t baking powder 1 C blueberries 1 T vanilla 1 1/2 C cream + more for brushing sugar for garnish. Freeze the butter for ten minutes before using. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Cube the butter and cut into the mixture with pastry cutter or fingers. Mix in the blueberries and vanilla. Stir in the cream. The flour won't fully incorporate at this stage and that's okay. Turn the batter out onto a floured countertop. Knead the dough, incorporating the flour. (The blueberries will start to burst; don't worry about that.) Flatten the dough with your hands to about a 9-inch round. Fold the dough in half and flatten it again, using your palms. Repeat three more times. On the last time, spread to a six-inch round and use a pizza cutter to cut 8 triangles. Transfer to a cookie sheet and freeze 10 minutes (this is important so the scones don't cook too quickly on the outside). Remove them from the freezer, brush with the cream and sugar. Bake 20 minutes at 425 degrees (took 20 for me, but start checking at 15. You don't want these to burn). Since these are definitely drier than American scones, I recommend serving with homemade blueberry jam. Here's this recipe (you can whip it up while they bake, it's that easy. Or do it the night before.) blueberry jam: 2 lbs blueberries 1/4 C honey 2 T lemon juice Bring mixture to a boil in a pot. Lower heat and simmer, stirring frequently, for 20-25 minutes, depending on desired consistency. Let cool, pour into jar, and store in the fridge for up to one week. 

Summer Blackberry Cobbler

Summer.

It's a busy time, and not just for me. The berries are ripening, and their time is short.

Try this amazing recipe next time you have some fresh blackberries. The picture doesn't even do it justice. Trust me on this one. So easy and yummy!

Ingredients: 2 1/2 C blackberries (fresh or frozen, thawed) plus more for garnish 1 C sugar 1 C flour 2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1 C milk 1/2 C butter, melted whipped cream for serving In a medium bowl, stir together blackberries and sugar. Let stand about 20 minutes or until fruit syrup forms. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and milk. Stir in melted butter gently just until blended. Spread batter in ungreased 8-inch square pan. Spoon blackberry mixture evenly over batter. Bake 40-50 minutes or until dough rises and is golden. Serve with cream and fresh blackberries. What I love about this is you put the batter down first and it bubbles up around the berries!! Could not be easier.

Layered Strawberry and Cookie Custard (Pavê com morango)

This versatile dessert was one of the very first ones I ever had in Brazil. It’s generally made with uncooked egg whites, but I prefer this version because all the egg yolks are cooked into a custard. It can be made without strawberries, with chocolate, or with any berry you choose.

The typical cookie for this is the maizena cookie, a long cookie that fits nicely in a square pan. The flavor is mildly sweet with a consistency much like an animal cracker. Really, you could use any cookie, but I like the Mexican Maria cookies, sold at most grocery stores in the ethnic section and all Latino supermarkets.

The longer this sits in the fridge, the better the cookie molds to the custard. Feel free to experiment!

Layered cookies with strawberries (Pavê com morango)

Servings: 10

Time: 30 minutes

Refrigeration: 4 hours

Total time: 4 1/2 hours

Ingredients:

24 Maria Mexican cookies

24 bolacha tipo Maria

1 14 oz. Can sweetened condensed milk

1 14 oz. lata leite condensado

1 C heavy cream

1 copo creme pesado

1/2 T unflavored gelatin

1/2 colher de sopa de gelatina sem sabor

1 C whole milk

1 copo leite integral

2 egg yolks

2 gemas 

1 T cornstarch

1 T maisena

2 C strawberries, sliced

2 copos morangos, cortado

1 t vanilla

1 colher de chá baunilha

Extra strawberries and cream to decorate 

Morango e creme para enfeitar

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch into 1/4 C of milk. Reserve. 

1. Numa tigela pequena, bate a maisena com 1/4 copo de leite. Reserve.

2. In a medium saucepan over low heat, put the rest of the milk, the sweetened condensed milk, and the cream. Add the unflavored gelatin, mixing well to incorporate. Bring to a simmer (with small bubbles).

2. Numa panela média, bota o resto do leite, leite condensado, e creme. Aumente a gelatina, batendo bem para incorporar. Ferva em fogo brando.

3. Beat the egg yolks gently in a small bowl. Add half a cup of the warmed milk mixture one spoonful at a time to temper the yolk mixture. Stir back into the pan.

3. Bate levamente as gemas. Coloque meio copo dos leites aquecidos nas gemas. Devolve tudo na panela. 

4. Add the vanilla and cornstarch slush.

4. Aumente a baunilha e leite com maisena.

5. Raise the heat to medium. Stir continuously until the mixture thickens, 8 to 10 minutes.

5. Acresente o fogo. Mexa até engrossar, 8 à 10 minutos.

6. Remove from heat.

6. Desligue o fogo.

7. Place twelve cookies in a greased 8x8 dish, staggering to cover the bottom of the dish. Add one cup of strawberries followed by half of the milk mixture. Repeat the layers (reserving a handful of strawberries), ending with the cream.

7. Em um refratário quadrado, coloque na seguinte ordem: uma camada de bolacha, uma camada de morangos picados, metade do creme. Repita as camadas, terminando com o creme.

8. Refrigerate for at least four hours.

8. Congele na geladeira por quatro horas.

9. Decorate with strawberries and whipped cream before serving.

9. Decore a seu gosto com morangos e creme.

  ,astef,

  ,amaa

French Lemon Tart

If you like lemons, this unique and citrusy desert is for you! Even if you don't like lemons, give it a try. It has a lightness similar to a chiffon pie but the tartness of a lemon drop!

Ingredients:

9-inch pie crust 

5 eggs

3/4 C sugar

4 lemons (zested and juiced)

1 C cream

powdered sugar

lemon zest

whipped cream

Roll out your pie crust. Line a 9-inch pie plate/tart pan.

Put the pie crust and pan in the fridge. Chill for thirty minutes.

Start on your filling. Beat the eggs and sugar together. Add the lemon zest and juice (reserve one tablespoon of zest for garnish). Whisk in the cream. Chill for one hour.

Put the pan with the pie crust from the fridge. Line the crust with wax paper and pour in pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Remove the wax and weights/beans and bake for five more minutes. Remove from oven.

When time's up, remove the filling from the fridge. Put the tart/pie pan on a baking sheet and pour the filling into the prepared crust.

Reduce the oven temperature to 275 degrees. Put the baking sheet with the tart into the oven. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until set (just jiggly in the middle). Remove from oven and set aside to cool. Dust with powdered sugar.

Top with whipped cream and lemon zest.

Serve at your leisure!

,astef,

,amaa

Fresh Strawberry Pie with Strawberry Glaze

I am so happy to finally present to you my fresh strawberry pie! This one took a lot of trial and error pies (which my family happily ate). The first one involved way too much strawberry gelatin. Ew. It was like strawberry-studded jello in a pie crust.

Not to worry! This one is not that. And it's wonderful. So go grab some fresh strawberries and make this pie!

Ingredients:

One pie crust, prepared

1 C sugar

3 T cornstarch

1/2 T unflavored gelatin

2 lbs strawberries

1/2 C water

2 t lemon juice

1 C heavy cream

In a small bowl, separate out 1/2 C strawberries.

Mash them. 

In a saucepan, mix the sugar, cornstarch, crushed strawberries, unflavored gelatin, water, and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat 5-8 minutes until thickened. Set aside.

Spread two tablespoons of the strawberry glaze on the bottom of the prepared pie crust.

Halve the rest of the strawberries (quarter the big ones). Spread over the pie crust.

Admire the fresh strawberry goodness.

Pour the glaze over the strawberries.

Chill at least 4 hours.

Whip up the cup of heavy cream until stiff. Trust me on this: DON'T ADD SUGAR. The purity of the whipped cream adds the perfect finishing touch to the sweet berry pie. Try not to eat it all at once!!

Tastefully,

Tamara