Saturday 31 January 2009

Spicy Meat Balls with a Smooth Chilli and Tomato Sauce

Receita em Portugues AQUI


The meat balls are back, after a request I received for spicy ones.

Recipe Ingredients:

  • 400grs minced Beef
  • 1 hand full of bread crumbs
  • 1 egg (whole)
  • 1 full onion finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 1 coriander bunch (finely chopped)
  • 300grs of fresh fettuccine
  • 1 tin of tomatoes
  • 1/3 of a glass fresh cream
  • 2 level two chillies (finely chopped with the seeds, for less hot remove seeds and white veins inside the chillies)
  • a pinch of chili powder
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • some olive oil
  • 1 chicken stock cube
  • a tea spoon of flour diluted in a little water (to thicken sauce)




On a deep pan put some water and salt and a drizzle of oil and boiled the pasta it takes only about 5 minutes to do as is fresh pasta (fettuccine), bearing in mind the sauce may take a little longer to make, make sure only to make the paste 5 minutes before the sauce is ready, so all comes out at the same time.

To make the meat balls, put the minced meat in a bowl, and put there also the parsley finely chopped, 1 garlic clove minced, a pinch of black pepper a pinch of salt and a pinch of chilli powder, the bread crumbs and the egg. With your hands mix it all very well and shape pieces of the meat into balls, and set these aside.

For the sauce on a frying pan or wok put in a glug of olive oil, once very hot add the onion, the garlic, the chilli and season it (salt and pepper to taste), cook these for about 5 minutes then add the meat balls, and turn them around to seal them, once fully sealed (brown all around) ad the tomato and chicken stock cube, let them cook for another 7 minutes, and now add the cream and the water with flour, and that will make just a nice sauce, let it cook a further 3 minutes (or more) as if you want the sauce tastier and thicker you can let it simmer for longer.

This one was really delicious, and fiery hot...most of the heat is felt around the lips as is fresh chillies. And you must admit the dish is very colourful and fiery too. You can see the steam coming of it yum yum!!


Friday 30 January 2009

Brocoli and Butternut Squash Fettuccini and Lemon Chicken




Recipe Ingredients:
  • 1/2 Bitternut Squash (cut very thin slices)
  • 1 broccoli branch (cut very thin slices)
  • 3 chicken thigh
  • zest strands of half a lemon
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 garlic clove (minced)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • some olive oil
  • 1 tea spoon of flour diluted in a little water
  • 300grs fresh fettuccine
  • 1 glass of white wine


Ok here it goes. Put a pan on the stove with a glug of olive oil, when hot place inside the thinly sliced butternut squash and 1 minced garlic, the idea is that the butternut squash cooks and gets really soft so that you can puree it, while this happens as it will take a good 5-7 minutes on another pan put boiling water and a little salt and put the broccoli into small bits inside, you want these well cooked nearly breaking apart so that it blends later with the butternut squash (but if you don't like them mushy, just don't cook them too well).

Back to the butternut squash, as it cook gently break it with a wooden spoon, and as it starts getting dry ad bits of the wine bit by bit and keep breaking up the BN squash, once all the wine is in add a little water and use the hand blender to blitz it into a creamy sauce, add to this sauce your cooked broccoli and season it with a little salt and pepper to taste, turn the fire down and let it simmer gently for about 3 minutes.

The fresh fettuccine only takes about 5 minutes to cook, so just boil as normal for that time with a little salt, and drain it, drizzle a little olive oil and toss it so that it doesn't stick together and serve it with the BN squash and broccoli sauce on top (optional you can ad shavings of rich dried cheese or Parmesan)

As to the chicken, remove the skin and the bones cut them into small (ish) portions, on a pan put a glug of olive oil, once hot add the chicken the remaining garlic and the lemon zest strands, cook on a high temperature and turn the chicken constantly to seal, once sealed add some seasoning (salt and pepper) and let it cook until the chicken is cooked through. the process is quick as chicken pieces are small and are de-boned and skinless about 3-5 minutes, at this stage add the whole juice of the lemon and a little plain flour diluted in a little water, this will thicken up the lemon sauce making it delicious, simmer for another 2 minutes and it's done...Cheap too.

Now remember to control the times so that everything sorta comes out at the same time. Bon Appetit.



Wednesday 28 January 2009

Mange Tout and Spinach Spaghetti

Receita em Portugues AQUI

My wife arrived home and due to circumstances she was only able to get herself and my son something to eat, so I was left to fend for myself.

So I looked in the fridge gathered a few old things and asked the Chef's inspiration Gods to help me..... What I found was some old "mange tout" in the veg compartment, I remembered I had some frozen spinach portions in the freezer, but I was feeling like having pasta...after a short moment of indecision I further looked into the fridge and I found an old piece of cheddar cheese that was nearly dried... and "ping" it just popped into my head. So without further a due.



Recipe Ingredients:

  • 1 medium onion (finely chopped).
  • 1 garlic clove (finely chopped).
  • 1 soup spoon full of butter.
  • 1 glass of milk.
  • 5 portions of spinach (or if you using fresh about 100grs finely chopped).
  • 1 soup spoon of plain flour diluted in a little water.
  • 2 soup spoons of cheddar cheese (if you want more flavour add a tea spoon of Parmesan too).
  • 200grs of spaghetti.
  • 1/2 tea spoon of paprika
  • 1 little bunch of dill (finely chopped).
  • a little olive oil.
  • salt and black pepper to taste.


So simple yet so tasty, I know is very green so not much in the colour but what you cannot see is the textures that this dish creates and enables you to feel, not to mention taste.

Boil the pasta this will take about 10-12 minutes, more than enough time to do the sauce. On a frying pan put a glug of olive oil and once hot add the garlic and the onion, let them fry until the onion is translucent, at this stage add some pepper, salt and the mange tout, stir fry it for about 3 minutes then add the milk. Let it heat up until the milk starts bubbling, now put in the spinach, butter and half a tea spoon of paprika, letting this simmer until the spinach melts completely and blends with the milk (for fresh spinach this will take less time). Now add the diluted flour and the cheese (or cheeses), continuously stir should get nice and thick (ish) add the dill now and dish it over the spaghetti.



When you eating, you get the most amazing crunchiness from the mange tout and the softness from the cream and the spinach, it is quite delicious too. Enjoy.


Meat Balls in a Creamy Coriander Sauce and Oven Fries ( better than Ikea's)

Receita em Portugues AQUI



This one was inspired in the Ikea's Swedish Meatballs.



Recipe Ingredients:

  • 400grs beef (minced)
  • 2 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 1 handful of breadcrumbs (you can use old dried brad just grate it)
  • 1 whole egg
  • half a tumbler glass of cream
  • half a tumbler glass of whole milk
  • 1 stock cube of chicken (I used Oxo easier to dilute)
  • 1 large onion (halved and sliced)
  • 1 little bunch of coriander
  • 1 little bunch of parsley
  • 8 medium potatoes (pealed and chipped)
  • some olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 soup spoon of gravy (don't worry if you do not have it as some plain flour and water will do)



Throw the chipped potatoes in a pan with water, and par-cook the chips, then place them in a tray and brush them with olive oil and cook them at 200c, occasionally turning them around.

While that is doing, put the minced meat in a bowl, and put there also the parsley finely chopped,, 1 minced garlic clove, a pinch of black pepper and a pinch of salt, the bread crumbs and the egg. With your hands mix it all very well and shape pieces of the meat into balls, and set these aside.

now put a pan on the stove (on high) and pour in a couple of olive oil glugs, once very hot add the sliced onions, and the remaining garlic clove (minced) cook until the onions start to go semitransparent, at this stage add the meat balls and occasionally shake the pan so that the balls turn over and seal.

Once sealed add the gravy and chicken stock cube mixed in a glass of water also adding the cream and the milk, (if still to thick add more milk, if too thin a little more gravy diluted in a little water) + a pinch of salt and a pinch of black pepper to taste. And about one minute from finishing cooking add the chopped coriander. Is as easy as that, with the chips now ready is just serve and eat... (notice I didn't say how long the chips take, this is because it varies from oven to oven from potato quality to potato quality and even for how long they've been parboiled) But roughly about 20-25 minutes.


Saturday 24 January 2009

Roasted Pork Loin with Loaded Goats Cheese and Dill Skins

Receita em Portugues clique AQUI

This is definitley a treat for all my followers and visitors.




Ahhh!! Dill and (French) Goats Cheese, as soon as I saw this I had to use it, especially in view that the previous day I had roasted a pork joint to eat today and I still didn't know what to do as an accompaniment so I decided for loaded skins, but I didn't want to do the traditional Bacon and cheese, as everyone normally does that.

So this is really two recipes, one short and longer, the pork joint no recipe is needed. As for that all you need is a pork joint from any main supermarket and you unfold it and rub in and on it a
paste made of: (a bunch) coriander + garlic (2 cloves) + sea salt (1 soup spoon) + ground black pepper (1 tea spoon) + chili powder (1/3 tea spoon) + a little olive oil.



After that is done let it marinate for at least 30 minutes, then stick it in a preheated oven to 130c for about 1 hour, remember should be in a small container as the juices will further help it cook, also slow cooking is imperative as this will leave meat more tender.
After initial cooking I left the meat rest from one day to the other, and then blasted it for 15-20 on a 200c oven the crackling goes very crispy as you want it to be, so prior to cooking diamond scoring is important too. See picture bellow.



The potatoes now they were just outta this world, and I am not one to brag, actually I invited my sister for dinner and she normally eats very little but not this time.



Recipe Ingredients:
  • 150-200grs of "French" Goats cheese
  • 1/2 glass of cream
  • 1/2 glass of milk
  • 2 soup spoons of butter
  • 1 bunch of dill
  • about 1kg of potatoes (red)
  • salt and pepper to taste
Roast the potatoes it will take about 1 hours 200c, once done cut the potatoes in halves with a spoon scoop the potato interior from each half into a bowl, leaving virtually just the skin.

Mash the potato with a masher and throw in the goats cheese in bits and the butter also seasoning (salt and black pepper to taste), give it a stir the goats cheese should melt as the potato is hot and will start going very thick now throw in the rest, the dill, the milk and the cream (double is best) and stir it all very well.



Spoon the mixture back into each potato and on the top sprinkle a little more salt and freshly ground black pepper, put it back in the oven for 15 minutes more 200c and it is done.
See, when you put the potatoes in for the 15 minutes it is at this time that you can reheat and cook the crackling of the pork as previously mentioned, as this way both things are ready at the same time. DELICIOUS really is.
You will notice I also cooked some halves, corn-on-the-cob with a little melted butter on top they were great too.



Monday 19 January 2009

Sirloin Steak w/ Diane Sauce & easy Potato Gratin


Recipe Ingredients:
  • 1 good sirloin steak (28 days mature best)
  • 6 mushrooms (sliced)
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 measure of cognac (I used Courvoisier Cognac) Brandy will do too
  • 2 potatoes
  • 60grs grated cheese
  • 50mls fresh cream + 100mls fresh cream
  • 50mls fresh milk "whole"
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • and a glug of olive oil
Just put some salt and pepper on both sides of the steak and rub a little olive oil on each side too, let it absorb the flavour for 20-30minutes, then get a griddle pan on the fire and a frying pan too.
On the griddle once extremely hot, place the steak on the one side for about 2 minutes then on the other for another 2 minutes, then turn around again to another diagonal position 2 minutes and again turn to the other side 2 more minutes (all in all 8-10 minutes should suffice for a medium rare steak). While that is doing place a glug of olive oil in the frying pan and the garlic (minced) as soon as start to sizzle add the mushrooms tossing them regularly, once fully covered in oil pour the cognac (brandy) and tip forward the pan (thus flambéing the mushrooms) and the flame will go out by it self, continue to toss the mushrooms until cooked add then the 100mls cream and in a glass mix a tea spoon of plain flour and water, then add a little at he time to the cream until it gets to the consistency you want. And that's the sauce done, which should finish around the same time as the steak.

The potatoes, these you prepare as the steak marinades as they will take about 20 minutes to grattin. Prior to that peal them and slice them, parboil them till virtually cooked, than you place one layer of potato, mill a little pepper over them and a little salt, pour a little milk and cream over them and half of the grated cheese, another layer repeat the same...and to the oven it goes 200c 20 minutes more or less ...you know when they are ready as to the golden colour on top see picture.

A classic recipe made easy!!! Hope you like it.

This recipe was just for me ...so just to feed one.. multiply to feed more. :)

Saturday 17 January 2009

Prawns and Cod - Fisherman Rico Style

Receita em Português AQUI


This wasn't a very cheap diner overall, however if you do the account per person it is very cheap as you'd never eat this quality at the price per person. Total cost was around £10.00 and serves 4 people so is about £2.50 per person ... see.

Recipe Ingredients:
  • 1 onion (finely chopped)
  • 4 medium tomatoes (de seeded and skinless, roughly chopped)
  • 200grs button mushrooms
  • 5 spring onions (chopped)
  • 2 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 1 red pepper (finely but roughly chopped)
  • 500grs Cod (de boned and skinless, chopped into small cubes)
  • 250grs King Prawns fresh
  • 400grs rice (basmati)
  • 1 bunch parsley (chopped)
  • 3 bay leafs
  • 1/3 tea spoon of chilli powder
  • 4 soup spoons of olive oil + 2 of vegetable oil
  • a measure of Poitín (or Cognac) + 1 measure of Port wine
  • Salt and Pepper (to taste)
Another easy recipe to make, as always and very healthy. Put a pan on the stove and boil the rice, once the rice is boiled place it in a colander draining. While the rice is cooking you can start making the sauce, which is also very simple.

Place another pan on the stove (high) place the oils inside until very hot add then the onion, garlic, bay leafs, red pepper and the salt pepper. Let these ones cook until the onion is caramelized, at this point you add the chilli, tomatoes and button mushrooms, let these cook for another 5 minutes, and now add the tomatoes, fish, spring onions, Port and Poitín. Continuing to cook for a further 3 minutes now add the prawns cook for a further 2 minutes until they cooked through and finally the parsley (saving a little to decorate the dish). And you basically done.

Get the rice and pour boiling water over it, letting it drain again this will make it very loose and fluffy, create a bed of rice in each plate and put some sauce over it and decorate it (see picture).

Also alternatively you can add instead of Poitín and port just a full glass of red wine, that will work too.

Tuesday 13 January 2009

Spaghetti Carbonara

Receita em Portugues clique AQUI

Another pasta dish as promised, this time a classic, cheap and easy to do, OK is not the most healthy but certainly makes up for taste.


Recipe Ingredients:
  • 200grs mushrooms (sliced)
  • 150grs smoked bacon (strips sliced)
  • 1 garlic clove (minced)
  • 1 onion (very...very finely chopped)
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 200mls fresh single cream
  • 50grs Cheddar cheese (grated)
  • 2 soup spoons of parmesano cheese (grated)
  • 4soup spoons of olive oil
  • one measure of fire-water or vodka
  • 400-500grs spaghetti (or fettuccine or even linguine)
  • salt and pepper
  • (optional) decoration a bit of parsley
This is a very easy and simple recipe to make, so if you in a hurry this is what you do:
Put a skillet frying pan on the fire and a deep pan with water for the spaghetti, on the spaghetti pan add a little salt and a little vegetable oil (about one spoon full, this does two things: stops the water from foaming to much and helps the pasta not stick too much), once this reaches a boil add the spaghetti in (or the pasta of your preference).

In the skillet, place the olive oil until hot, then in goes the garlic, bacon and the onions, let them cook stirring occasionally until the start to caramelized, once this stage is reached add the mushrooms + a pinch of salt and pepper, once the mushrooms are virtually cooked throw in the fire-water (or vodka) lean the pan forward so that it catches the flame as soon as it does straighten it and shake it, the flame will burn all the alcohol in the booze and will flavour the contents, don't worry it will only burn for a few seconds.

At this stage add the fresh cream leave about 2 spoons of that fresh cream in a glass and mix with it the 2 egg yolks once the fresh cream on the pan starts to bubble add the egg yolks and the cheeses (both of them) the cream should thicken up to a nice consistency, turn the fire down and let it simmer for a little while about 2-3 minutes, the whole process will probably take 10-12 minutes in which the spaghetti is also cooked. So drain the spaghetti passing boiling water through once well drained dish it and serve some sauce over it, and if you want add a little chopped parsley on top and you're done ...all in all will take you about 15-20 minutes to prepare this meal and even less to eat it :)

Thanks for coming to my blog...and if you like it please follow it, button is at top left hand corner...cheers!!!

Saturday 10 January 2009

Salmon Fetuccini (with an extra)

My apologies for the wait to everyone especially to Chef E.



This is what you all have been waiting for, I need to warn you this is a very seriously delicious meal, and I beg you to make it for you and your family you will not be disappointed.

Actually being winter I am going to be doing a few pasta dishes to delight you all over the coming days!!!

Recipe Ingredients:
  • 1 & 1/2 glass of milk.
  • 100mls double cream.
  • 2 soup spoons butter.
  • 1/3 freshly ground nutmeg (if already in powder one third of a tea spoon).
  • 1/3 tea spoon of freshly ground black pepper.
  • 1 tea spoon of sea salt.
  • 1 measure of white port wine (red will do, or you can use half a glass of white wine).
  • 2 heaped soup spoons of plain flour dissolved in a glass of water.
  • 4 skinless and boneless wild salmon portions (frozen is best, but you can use fresh)
  • a bunch of parsley (finely chopped, equivalent to about 2 soup spoons full)
  • 400grs of egg fettuccine (to be cooked "al dente")
  • 200grs king prawns (other will do. I used frozen)
  • olive oil (see how much is enough)
This was so darn easy, I got inspired by a couple of photos at my local supermarket.
In a large pan put the salt, the milk, the butter, the black pepper and nutmeg, let this come to a boil, turn the fire down to a simmering and add the frozen salmon, make sure milk is boiling gently and after about 3 minutes turn the salmon around, and after another 3 again and again, this until the fish is completely cooked (poached, poaching from frozen I found to produce better fish flakes) once fish cooked take it out onto a plate. Now add the double cream to the milk and the port let it again come to the boil and slow it to simmering and add the prawns, if they already cooked just enough time to make sure they are heated through, if they from raw (which their colour is gray, wait till they turn bright orange and then about 2-3 more minutes.

While that is happening flake the salmon in the plate (make sure the pasta is cooking during this time as it will take about 12 minutes to be "al Dente"). Once the prawns are done raise the temperature and add the flaked fish in and pour half of the glass of water with flour in, always stirring, it will start very quickly start to get thicker, well you want the consistency of bechamel or thick gravy, if to liquid add a little more until it does, if too thick (which I will not believe will be, add a little more milk) once the right thickness add the parsley and turn the fire off, now drain the cooked fettuccine passing it through boiling water and add it to the sauce, mix it well and then dish it, I then dressed it with a little pure virgin olive oil, you can do the same is delicious if you get a very good olive oil, or you can sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on top or even crumb some Gorgonzola on the top of it ...it is really up to you...but this was the best meal I ever made...apart from the gigantic enchiladas I made some time ago on this blog. YUM YUM!!! please try it.


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Rico - Tried and Tested Recipes

Hi my name is Rico (short for Ricardo) will regularly add more food content to this blog, all my recipes are tried and tested, as I make them and eat them as well as my family, so I wouldn't give you something that is not good.

Recipes published here, will try to conform to the following criteria:

-Easy to create or bake.
-Will be nutritious, wholesome and healthy as well as economical too.
- Will be varied and inventive, mostly created by me.
-Occasionally I will treat you to some indulgent ones. But just as a treat. lol :)
- If I use other blog recipes will be to pey homenage and I will definitly link it, appreciated if the same is done for mine.

I will try to respond to all comments made, and visit their owners, however I run a no strings attached blog here when I comment on other blogs I do not expect to have them come here the same way I don't accept if I am commented on that the person will expect my visit to their blog, no commitments, but as I said I will try.

I also want this opportunity to say, thank you al that have continuously vsited me and new people visiting me you are the reason why I am here, I am not here just to get numbrs or self publicise, I am here for real friends and real opinions and to be nice to all. THANK YOU ALL :) xx

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