|  |  Chef Manny’s Blog“share recipes” Category
posted on May 6th, 2010 by Manny Lopes|
In the spring there are so much new life sprouting from the ground, and some unique opportunities to taste some fresh new ingredients. One of those are fiddlehead sprouts, which are sprouts from a ferns. The most common being from one called "ostrich fern" which grow in forests throughout regions of the Northern Hemisphere in eastern and northern Europe, northern Asia and northern North America. They are picked in the spring (typically in May) before the ferns grow out and are very tasty and nutritious.
They only take about 10 minutes to cook and can be boiled, steamed or sautéed. I chose to saute them with some mushrooms, garlic and presunto, white wine and rice vinegar.
Wash them in cold water, heat some grape-seed oil in a saute pan, add the sprouts and saute for about 5 minutes, add the garlic, presunto and mushrooms, continue to saute' and add about an ounce of white wine, steam off the wine. Drizzle with some rice wine when serving.
Some simple fettucini pasta goes well, if you like..
Tags: fiddlehead sprouts
Posted in share recipes | No Comments » |
posted on May 1st, 2010 by Manny Lopes|
There's something about making bread that's synonymous to life & living. "pão", or bread in all different forms, has been one of the constant forms of nutrition and life for the human race and caries with it spiritualism, that you can feel when going through the process.
The fact that you are working with a living organism that needs to be kept warm at precisely the same temperature as our own body temperature in order for the dough to rise, grow and flourish to make the bread.
Making bread isn't that difficult, this recipe is a simple one handed down from generation and given to me by my cousin, who in turn was handed down to him by his mother. I now pass it on to you.
The Ingredients,
4 cups of flour (you can use one type or blend in different ones to make your own, be creative)
1 1/2 cups water, heat water to 98 degrees or up to 110
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 packet (1/4 oz) of yeast (add the yeast into the warm water to activate, stir)
In a bowl, sift & add the flour, olive oil, sea salt and half of the warm water, stir with a wooden spoon... Tags: bread, Pão
Posted in General Info, share recipes | 1 Comment » |
posted on April 30th, 2010 by Manny Lopes|
"Hamburger" do we really eat hamburger, it's really not made of ham. It's really ground beef patties.
This time of year as we enter the grilling season, consider making a change to your burger and make it a little healthier by adding more veggies & eliminating the fries and cheese.
There are lots of fresh vegetables available in the markets this time of year, so be creative, try something new & different.
To make it colorful, spaghetti squash is added replacing the cheese and fries, lettuce and fresh tomatoes both in the sandwich and on the side drizzled with a little vinaigrette dressing and black pepper..
A tasty, creative, colorful and fun burger for you, your kids and your guests. Tags: Hamburger
Posted in General Info, share recipes | 3 Comments » |
posted on April 24th, 2010 by Manny Lopes|
Portuguese sardines are famous around the world, but like the country, are still not very well known. While America is just discovering the health benefits of the sardine. The sardine has so much role in the rich history of Portugal past and present. It is fished off the vast coastline of Portugal and consumed fresh daily in almost every seaside village. Usually being barbecued on outside grills at local restaurants or in specially made grills in they're courtyards and terraces, people gather to delight in these tasty fresh little fish. Almost always served with some fresh "grilos" and roasted peppers and onions, drizzled with some rich olive oil, a side of salad and a good Portuguese red wine.. Yes, traditionally red wine with this fish, but a crispy white will go just as well.
In Portugal you can buy sardinhas fresh daily at the open markets. Outside of Portugal they are available frozen and are very good. The sardines are 6-8 inches in length from head to tail and are traditionally grilled that way. They are easy to prepare, sprinkle some sea salt over the sardines & let them thaw for about 20 minutes, just enough time to get the grill... Tags: Sardines, Sardinhas
Posted in General Info, share recipes | 1 Comment » |
posted on April 21st, 2010 by Manny Lopes|
Many Portuguese dishes mix seafood with meats, usually pork. This tradition is mainly from the southern part of Portugal, the "Alentejo". The result is an original "surf & turf" as is called in the USA when both sea and meats are combined into one meal.
This dish, steak parred of with some small New England clams gives the great tastes of both combined with onions, peppers, garlic and olive oil, potatoes and choice of vegetable.
In a large skillet, heat saute´ some olive oil, garlic and sliced peppers, add in the steak and clams with high heat, they can cook up together, flip the steak to cook on the other side. Takes about 20 minutes. The vegetables can be added to this skillet & steamed with the lid on.
In the mean time in a separate skillet, add a layer of vegetable or olive oil, add sliced potatoes to fry, fry one and carefully turn them over to fry on the other side. Tags: Bife e Amejoas, Steak & Clams
Posted in General Info, share recipes | No Comments » |
posted on April 10th, 2010 by Manny Lopes|
I love vegetables and fish, but sometimes it doesn't get better than a good grilled steak..
I'm pairing this steak with the dandelion greens and spaghetti squash from the previous post to round of a balanced and ntricious meal.
Grilling a steak is simple, I don't like adding sauces, just sprinkle some sea salt, pepper and maybe some hot pepper seeds, place the steak on a hot grill until it starts juicing up (5-10 minutes), and then flip it& let grill on the other side for about another 5-10 minutes, depending on how you like your steak. Tags: Grilled Steak
Posted in General Info, share recipes | No Comments » |
posted on March 31st, 2010 by Manny Lopes|
"tempura style vegetables", "Peixinhos da horta", Tempura was introduced to Japan in the mid-sixteenth century by early Portuguese missionaries and traders. Tokugawa Leyasu, founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan, reportedly loved tempura.
In Portugal, a very popular dish called "Peixinhos da horta" or "little fishies from the garden" are still made. They are called that because they usually fry large green string beans that when dipped & fried look like little batter dipped green fish. A popular dish in the summer months when the green beens are plentiful.
The ingredients..
1 cup flour
1 cup cold water or beer
1 egg
mix all ingredients into a creamy consistancy
Cut your choice of vegetables into small thinish pieces & dip into the batter.
I'm using broccoli, onions and mushrooms (only because that is what I had available. You can use peppers, carrots, string beans, just about anything.
heat some vegetable oil in a skillet & place the vegetables in cooking one side, (a few minutes) and then turning them to cook the other side.
Place on paper towel to drain. Tags: Peixinhos da horta, tempura style vegetables
Posted in General Info, share recipes | 2 Comments » |
posted on March 21st, 2010 by Manny Lopes|
I thought I'd try another Portuguese omelet, with bacalhau (salt cod) with some Portuguese cheese & mushrooms.
dice up a little bachalhau (pick some without any bones), a couple mushrooms, and a little cheese of your choice and a couple eggs. I'm having it in a croissant this morning.
saute' the mushrooms & the bacalhau in a drizzle of olive oil, (just a couple of minutes)
remove them from the skillet & add the eggs into the skillet. The skillet needs to be hot, swirl the eggs around the pan to make a thin layer of egg around the whole pan.
add the cheese, the mushrooms & bacalhau and gently fold the ends over the mixture.
serve with or without the croissant, makes an egg-cellent breakfast sandwich.. Tags: bacalhau, cheese & Mushroom omelet
Posted in General Info, share recipes | No Comments » |
posted on March 17th, 2010 by Manny Lopes|
What do Portuguese & Irish have in common?
Muscles,,, of course...
2 Ibs of mussels
light olive oil
6 cloves diced garlic
chives
cilantro
2 bay leaves
Guinness
Add the olive oil into a skillet along with the diced chives, garlic and bay leaves & get it hot,
add the muscles & cover for about 5 minutes to get the muscles to open.
add about 1/3 bottle of Guinness and cover again for another 5 minutes.
add the cilantro and some uncooked chives,, enjoy,, St Patrick surel be smilin new..
Tags: Irish Muscles, Muscles, mussels
Posted in General Info, share recipes | 1 Comment » |
posted on March 7th, 2010 by Manny Lopes|
The winter finally broke today and it was a great day to be outside. After some yard work I made a fire & had some great coals to cook on. The first outside barbeque and what better than some vegetables.
some onions, red green and yellow peppers and some zuchini. Sliced and arrange them on a grate.
they don't take long to cook up 5-10 minutes on each side, I like them a little burnt..
Drizzle some olive oil, white wine vinegar & sprinkle with sea salt and some crushed basil.
Make a delicious vegetarian sandwich, cut open a very ripe avocado and spread it on the grilled bread instead of butter, sanduíche vegetal Tags: Barbecued vegetables, sanduíche vegetal, vegetarian sandwich
Posted in General Info, share recipes | 4 Comments » |
|
|
|
