PORTUGEASE CUISINESome years ago I went to Portugal to visit Lisbon where I could try delicious Portuguese dishes.
Portuguese cuisine is characterized by rich, filling and full-flavored dishes. For me it’s family food: the dishes are simple but full of comfort flavors. Portuguese cuisine is mainly based on Mediterranean cuisine. Portugal has a well-developed fishing industry. That’s why fish and seafood are widely consumed all over the country. Portugal is famous for its cod. This is the type of fish commonly eaten in Portugal. I tried cod at the restaurant. It was a bit salty to my taste but good enough. It was served with steamed potatoes. The thing I enjoyed the most was their bakery shops where you can find all sort of typical Portuguese pastry. The most famous dessert of Portugal is creamy eggy tart - “Pasteis de Nata”. You can find them in almost every “pastelarias” (coffee shops). Sweet things are everywhere in Lisbon. Sonhos (doughnuts with honey ) are also quite popular. But my favorite dessert was “ Broa de Amendoa”. These were mini almondy cakes. They were really good. I guess I have to stop on this sugary point and I’ll let you enjoy the recipes |
SOUTH AFRICAN CUISINE
Rolled fruity lamb
Ingredients } about 800 g deboned lamb breast and flank 250 g mixed dried fruit (such as peaches, apple, apricot, prunes) Rosemary basting 125 ml (1/2 cup) olive oil 60 ml (1/4 cup) fresh lemon juice or dry white wine 15 ml (1 Tbsp) honey 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 sprig rosemary or 5 ml (1 tsp) dried salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Variation Substitute dried fruit with any vegetables such as onion, mushroom and herbs. Instructions
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ITALIAN CUISINECioppino
Ingredients 200 g White fish .ie halibut, hake, cod, hummor 3 local blue crab cleaned 150g little neck clams 150g mussels 8/10 scallops 8/10 prawns 16/ 20 in size 150g calamari tubes and tentacle’s 1 medium onion, chopped fine 4 garlic cloves, chopped 1 small red pepper, chopped 6 leaves basil, roughly ripped 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes/chili flakes 2 table spoons fennel Greek seeds 2 bay leafs 2 cup pino grigio or other dry white wine 2 cans whole peeled plum tomatoes, puréed with hand blender/knife chopped 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1.5 teaspoon dried oregano/,fresh if you can get 2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped for garnish 2 tablespoons coriander chopped for garnish sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste sour dough bread Put the mussels and clams in
a big bowl of cold salted water Let sit for 30 minutes stirring once in a while to let the sand be expelled from the shellfish. Take the clams and mussels out of the salt bath and wash them well. De-beard the mussels if necessary. Set aside. Break the crab legs and claws off the body. Crack the shells with the back of a large knife. Cut the body into quarters. Set aside. Leave the prawns in the shell. Cut down the middle of the back and remove the dark vein. Set the prawns aside Cut the calamari tubes into 1 cm bands. If the tentacles are very large cut them in half. Cut the fish into chunky cubes must be nice and fleshy. Put the onions, bay leaf, fennel Greek seeds, red pepper flakes and red bell pepper in a large enamel pot, Sauté over medium-high heat until the onions are translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté another minute. Add the tomato paste and mix it in well with the vegetables. Stir until the paste turns a dark red color. Deglaze with the wine and add the tomato puree Over medium-high heat simmer until the wine is reduced by a third, Add the fish, crab and prawns, leave for two/three minutes and add scallops, calamari as they cook faster Make sure they are covered by the tomato sauce. Top with the mussels and clams and nestle them into the sauce. Reduce the heat to medium simmer and cover the pot cook until the mussels and clams open, about 5 -10 minutes. Discard any mussels or clams that do not open. Add the basil and oregano. Add half the parsley and coriander Add sea salt and black pepper to taste. Cook the sauce until you reach the desired thickness. Put the cioppino in a large serving bowl. Top with remaining chopped parsley and coriander Sprinkle of a good finishing olive oil. Slice the sour dough bread and toast 1 or 2 slices per person in a grill pan. Put some weight on the slices to ensure they get grill marks. Toast the other side. Rub with garlic. Set aside. Serve with the grilled garlic sour dough bread to dunk in the sauce. Serves 4-6 |
EUROPEAN STYLE FUSION FOOD
ARABIC CUISINE
Note sugar and coffee are approximately equal. Adjust to your taste. Cardamom is not necessary if taste prefers. Baba Ghannouj six servings
[top] Yogurt twelve servings
[top] Cooked Yogurt
Strain yogurt, add 2 cups water. Mix cornstarch with a little water until smooth and stir into yogurt. Stir while heating over medium heat to boiling. Several cloves of mashed garlic plus cilantro sautéed in oil may be added to flavor. If water separates from yogurt, cure this by adding an egg white. [top] Laban M’saffa (Yogurt Cheese) Strain yogurt through cheese cloth or coffee filter until whey is removed, about 1-2 hours. Refrigerate while straining and to keep it. [top] Coosa Mahshi (Stuffed Squash) six servings N.B. The problem with this recipe is not leaving room in the squash for the rice to expand. Until this is mastered, a foolproof way is to use a five-minute or instant rice. These do not expand much.
Core squash. You need a tool for this. The object is to leave as thin a covering of squash as possible. Save the insides for coosa m’tabbal. Mix raw meat, spices, salt, pepper, butter together with your hands. Stuff squash leaving at least the space of your index finger without any stuffing. With long grain rice leave more space. In large pot, add tomato sauce and 4 cups water. Mash garlic with salt and stir into sauce. Add squash and cook until done, about 40 minutes. Add lemon juice or dibis rahman. Add dried mint. Taste sauce and correct seasoning, adding more garlic or lemon as needed. [top] Coosa (or Batinjan) m’tabbal (Squash or Eggplant Yogurt Salad Dip) six servings
Add all ingredients to the squash except the oil. Garnish top with oil. Dip with Arabic bread. If using eggplant, bake it at 425° until soft and black, or cook on grill. Mash with fork and proceed as above. [top] M’farraket Coosa (Squash with Onions) four servings
[top] Cucumber Yogurt Salad four servings
[top] Eggplant with Yogurt and Meat six servings
(Note, I have cheated to save time and used plain yogurt out of the container. It tastes good, but it tends to separate when cooked and the appearance is not as elegant.) I would also top with browned pine nuts if available before serving. [top] Baked Lamb and Eggplant four servings
In minimum oil, brown lamb, add onions and spices, salt and pepper. Cook until well separated. Add garlic. Cook briefly. In casserole dish, make layer of rice. Over rice make layer of eggplant. Over eggplant make layer of meat. Repeat layers and end with layer of rice. Cover and bake for 45 min. Remove cover last 10 minutes. Serve with yogurt or yogurt, garlic, salt mixture, if desired. Hint: Add spices to taste, experiment! The reason for the salt, draining, etc of eggplant is to keep them from absorbing so much oil. The longer they drain the better, even 4 hours. [top] Fetteh Dajaz (Chicken with Torn Bread) four servings
Place bread in serving dish (about 8x6). Heat broth to boiling. Add chicken and heat until heated through. Pour combination of broth and chicken over the bread. Spread yogurt over top. Dust with paprika if desired. [top] Fettoosh (Salad with Pita Bread Croutons) six servings
Option: Some people add torn pieces of romaine lettuce. [top] Fool Imdamis (Fava Bean Salad) four servings
[top] Harra bi isba’oo (Stir With Your Finger) six servings
Hummus bi Tahini (Garbanzo Bean Dip with Sesame Seed) six servings
[top] Lamb Pies
Sauté onions, garlic and meat until meat is browned over medium high heat. Remove skins from tomatoes by dipping for about a minute in boiling water, then into cold water.(Sometimes I skip this step.)Add spices and salt. Chop tomatoes finely and add to meat mixture. Add dibis rahman and pine nuts if you are using them. Cook together a few minutes without covering pan. Remove from heat. Meat mixture may be frozen for future use. On floured surface, roll out each yeast roll until less than 1/2 inch thick. Using slotted spoon that drains any liquid, place meat filling on dough. Pinch each end of dough to form a little boat. Continue with other rolls. Bake on greased cookie pan at 425 15-20 minutes, until dough is done and lightly brown. Recipe may be doubled. Rolls freeze well. [top] Olives Buy any olives, canned or bulk from an ethnic grocery. Drain. Rinse if very salty. Place in jar with:
[top] Sheikh-el-mahshi (Stuffed Eggplant) eight servings
Split each eggplant lengthwise from one side. Stuff the pocket with the meat stuffing (see recipe). Arrange the eggplant in a baking dish. Sprinkle remaining stuffing over the eggplant. Cover with tomato juice and water mixed together with salt, pepper, and allspice to taste. Bake at 350° for 20-30 minutes. Serve hot with rice. [top] Stuffed Squash Cooked in Yogurt six servings
Prepare meat and onion stuffing according to recipe. Fill squash with stuffing. Fry squash in oil, turning until lightly brown on all sides. Place in pot. Add cooked yogurt (see recipe) and salt. Add some hot water if too thick. Cook over low heat for 15-20 minutes until done. Fry minced garlic in a little oil. Add to yogurt 5 minutes before done. Add dried mint and serve with rice. [top] Shushbarak six servings
Place dumplings in heated cooked yogurt (see recipe). Add garlic to yogurt. Cook for 5 minutes. Serve hot or cold. [top] Sautéed Meat and Onions Stuffing
This is used to stuff eggplant, shushbarak, or squash cooked in yogurt. Ground beef works just as well. [top] Sitti-z’be’e (Slippery Lady Lentil Soup) four servings
Fry the cilantro in 2 tsp. olive oil until just wilted. Add to soup. Add garlic, pepper, and allspice. Add lemon juice and adjust seasonings. Parsley, added fresh to soup, may be substituted for cilantro for a different taste. Cumin may also be added. [top] Spaghetti with Yogurt (and Meat) four servings
Cook spaghetti in salted water. Rinse with cold water. Mix meat and spices and sauté in one tablespoon butter. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Mix garlic with yogurt (see recipe for Cooked Yogurt). Melt butter an heat spaghetti. Add yogurt and meat. Toss and serve. [top] Tabooli (Parsley Salad) six servings
Note: dried mint may be substituted for fresh. [top] Yelungy (The Phony One) six servings
In heavy pot, over medium low heat, combine rice, onions, oil and heat 5 min. stirring occasionally. Add tomato sauce, mint, pepper and salt. Continue to heat, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Add cloves, cinnamon, parsley and 1/4 cup lemon juice. Remove from heat. Allow to cool until it can be handled. Place approximately one teaspoon rice filling on under side of grape leaf, near stem. Remove stem with knife. Roll grape leaf over filling, folding in sides of leaf, leaving some looseness so that rice will have room to expand as it cooks. Continue until filling or leaves are used. Place any broken leaves in bottom of pot. Arrange rolled leaves over, alternating direction by layers. Place a plate on top of rolls and a cup with water in it (or another type of weight) on top of dish. Pour remaining 1/4 cup of lemon juice around leaves. Add any leftover oil from filling, and add water to cover plates. Cook 45 minutes over low heat until tender and rice is cooked. Add water if necessary. v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} .shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);} Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Обычная таблица"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} Arabic Coffee two servings
Note sugar and coffee are approximately equal. Adjust to your taste. Cardamom is not necessary if taste prefers. [top] Baba Ghannouj six servings
[top] Yogurt twelve servings
[top] Cooked Yogurt
Strain yogurt, add 2 cups water. Mix cornstarch with a little water until smooth and stir into yogurt. Stir while heating over medium heat to boiling. Several cloves of mashed garlic plus cilantro sautéed in oil may be added to flavor. If water separates from yogurt, cure this by adding an egg white. [top] Laban M’saffa (Yogurt Cheese) Strain yogurt through cheese cloth or coffee filter until whey is removed, about 1-2 hours. Refrigerate while straining and to keep it. [top] Coosa Mahshi (Stuffed Squash) six servings N.B. The problem with this recipe is not leaving room in the squash for the rice to expand. Until this is mastered, a foolproof way is to use a five-minute or instant rice. These do not expand much.
Core squash. You need a tool for this. The object is to leave as thin a covering of squash as possible. Save the insides for coosa m’tabbal. Mix raw meat, spices, salt, pepper, butter together with your hands. Stuff squash leaving at least the space of your index finger without any stuffing. With long grain rice leave more space. In large pot, add tomato sauce and 4 cups water. Mash garlic with salt and stir into sauce. Add squash and cook until done, about 40 minutes. Add lemon juice or dibis rahman. Add dried mint. Taste sauce and correct seasoning, adding more garlic or lemon as needed. [top] Coosa (or Batinjan) m’tabbal (Squash or Eggplant Yogurt Salad Dip) six servings
Add all ingredients to the squash except the oil. Garnish top with oil. Dip with Arabic bread. If using eggplant, bake it at 425° until soft and black, or cook on grill. Mash with fork and proceed as above. [top] M’farraket Coosa (Squash with Onions) four servings
[top] Cucumber Yogurt Salad four servings
[top] Eggplant with Yogurt and Meat six servings
(Note, I have cheated to save time and used plain yogurt out of the container. It tastes good, but it tends to separate when cooked and the appearance is not as elegant.) I would also top with browned pine nuts if available before serving. [top] Baked Lamb and Eggplant four servings
In minimum oil, brown lamb, add onions and spices, salt and pepper. Cook until well separated. Add garlic. Cook briefly. In casserole dish, make layer of rice. Over rice make layer of eggplant. Over eggplant make layer of meat. Repeat layers and end with layer of rice. Cover and bake for 45 min. Remove cover last 10 minutes. Serve with yogurt or yogurt, garlic, salt mixture, if desired. Hint: Add spices to taste, experiment! The reason for the salt, draining, etc of eggplant is to keep them from absorbing so much oil. The longer they drain the better, even 4 hours. [top] Fetteh Dajaz (Chicken with Torn Bread) four servings
Place bread in serving dish (about 8x6). Heat broth to boiling. Add chicken and heat until heated through. Pour combination of broth and chicken over the bread. Spread yogurt over top. Dust with paprika if desired. [top] Fettoosh (Salad with Pita Bread Croutons) six servings
Option: Some people add torn pieces of romaine lettuce. [top] Fool Imdamis (Fava Bean Salad) four servings
[top] Harra bi isba’oo (Stir With Your Finger) six servings
Hummus bi Tahini (Garbanzo Bean Dip with Sesame Seed) six servings
[top] Lamb Pies
Sauté onions, garlic and meat until meat is browned over medium high heat. Remove skins from tomatoes by dipping for about a minute in boiling water, then into cold water.(Sometimes I skip this step.)Add spices and salt. Chop tomatoes finely and add to meat mixture. Add dibis rahman and pine nuts if you are using them. Cook together a few minutes without covering pan. Remove from heat. Meat mixture may be frozen for future use. On floured surface, roll out each yeast roll until less than 1/2 inch thick. Using slotted spoon that drains any liquid, place meat filling on dough. Pinch each end of dough to form a little boat. Continue with other rolls. Bake on greased cookie pan at 425 15-20 minutes, until dough is done and lightly brown. Recipe may be doubled. Rolls freeze well. [top] Olives Buy any olives, canned or bulk from an ethnic grocery. Drain. Rinse if very salty. Place in jar with:
[top] Sheikh-el-mahshi (Stuffed Eggplant) eight servings
Split each eggplant lengthwise from one side. Stuff the pocket with the meat stuffing (see recipe). Arrange the eggplant in a baking dish. Sprinkle remaining stuffing over the eggplant. Cover with tomato juice and water mixed together with salt, pepper, and allspice to taste. Bake at 350° for 20-30 minutes. Serve hot with rice. [top] Stuffed Squash Cooked in Yogurt six servings
Prepare meat and onion stuffing according to recipe. Fill squash with stuffing. Fry squash in oil, turning until lightly brown on all sides. Place in pot. Add cooked yogurt (see recipe) and salt. Add some hot water if too thick. Cook over low heat for 15-20 minutes until done. Fry minced garlic in a little oil. Add to yogurt 5 minutes before done. Add dried mint and serve with rice. [top] Shushbarak six servings
Place dumplings in heated cooked yogurt (see recipe). Add garlic to yogurt. Cook for 5 minutes. Serve hot or cold. [top] Sautéed Meat and Onions Stuffing
This is used to stuff eggplant, shushbarak, or squash cooked in yogurt. Ground beef works just as well. [top] Sitti-z’be’e (Slippery Lady Lentil Soup) four servings
Fry the cilantro in 2 tsp. olive oil until just wilted. Add to soup. Add garlic, pepper, and allspice. Add lemon juice and adjust seasonings. Parsley, added fresh to soup, may be substituted for cilantro for a different taste. Cumin may also be added. [top] Spaghetti with Yogurt (and Meat) four servings
Cook spaghetti in salted water. Rinse with cold water. Mix meat and spices and sauté in one tablespoon butter. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Mix garlic with yogurt (see recipe for Cooked Yogurt). Melt butter an heat spaghetti. Add yogurt and meat. Toss and serve. [top] Tabooli (Parsley Salad) six servings
Note: dried mint may be substituted for fresh. [top] Yelungy (The Phony One) six servings
In heavy pot, over medium low heat, combine rice, onions, oil and heat 5 min. stirring occasionally. Add tomato sauce, mint, pepper and salt. Continue to heat, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Add cloves, cinnamon, parsley and 1/4 cup lemon juice. Remove from heat. Allow to cool until it can be handled. Place approximately one teaspoon rice filling on under side of grape leaf, near stem. Remove stem with knife. Roll grape leaf over filling, folding in sides of leaf, leaving some looseness so that rice will have room to expand as it cooks. Continue until filling or leaves are used. Place any broken leaves in bottom of pot. Arrange rolled leaves over, alternating direction by layers. Place a plate on top of rolls and a cup with water in it (or another type of weight) on top of dish. Pour remaining 1/4 cup of lemon juice around leaves. Add any leftover oil from filling, and add water to cover plates. Cook 45 minutes over low heat until tender and rice is cooked. Add water if necessary. |
RUSSIAN/EASTERN EUROPEANNORTH AFRICAN CUISINE
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