Tuesday 31 March 2009

Spaghetti Bolognese with Pancetta and Chorizo



Recipe Ingredients: (enough for 4)
  • 500grs minced meat (beef)
  • 400grs spaghetti
  • 40grs Pancetta (or smoked bacon)
  • 20grs chorizo (diced)
  • 1 onion (finely diced)
  • 3 garlic cloves (finely diced)
  • 1 plum tomato tin (finely diced) best if "Italian"
  • 1 soup spoon of tomato concentrate (diluted in 1/2 glass of water)
  • 1 chicken stock cube
  • enough olive oil
  • bunch of coriander
  • enough salt and black pepper
Put on the stove a frying pan with a little olive oil, once well hot add the onion, the garlic and cook these well until golden, and at this stage add the pancetta and chorizo fry them for a further 3 minutes stirring always, follow it them with the addition of the minced beef, and still stirring it this time occasionally cook until all of the beef is browned, at which stage you now add the tomatoes both plum and concentrate, once it gets to boiling point reduce the flame to minimum and let it cook for about 20-30 minutes.

Eleven minutes before the sauce is ready, place a pan of boiling water with little salt and vegetable oil (like 2 soup spoons), stick the spaghetti inside and this will be ready in 11 minutes should still be a little "al Dente" as it should, as is delicious if it offers a little resistance when you bite it, drain it in a colander pouring boiling water over it to remove the starch still draining it. Serve and eat is delicious, and very simple.


Sunday 29 March 2009

Quorn Enchiladas (you can use alternatives, Inc meat)




Well for a good enchilada you need a good tortilla wrap, normally I make my own as is best, however trying to save time I purchased some decent ones, ready made.

I also prepared the tray for the oven straight away, with a drizzle of olive oil so that the enchiladas don't get stuck when cooking.

And this is the filling already cooked:

Recipe Ingredients:
  • 1 packet of Quorn about 250-300grs
  • 1 Red bell pepper (cut into strips)
  • 2 white onions (cut into strips, these are sweeter)
  • 1 can of Flagleotti beans (but also any red small bean will do)
  • 3 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 1 red chilli (hot, cut into strips)
  • 1/2 soup spoon cumin powder
  • 1/2 tea spoon Cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 soup spoon oregano
  • 2 soup spoon tomato concentrate diluted in half glass of water.
  • salt and black pepper
  • a little olive oil
Put a frying pan on the stove with a little olive oil, when hot adding also the garlic, bell pepper, cayenne, cumin powder, salt & Black pepper. Let these fry for 5 minutes stirring occasionally, then add the Quorn and the "diluted" tomato concentrate, plus the cayenne and oregano, let it cook a further 5-7 minutes stirring occasionally and the sauce is done (adding the beans around 3 minutes before cooking finishes).


The the bechamel, as done in previous recipes, so is unnecessary to give the recipe again, as you know already how it is done or you can check previous recipes.

Then I lay the sauce with the shape of a fat sausage in the middle of the tortilla living a little room from the sides, so that it doesn't spill when I roll em up.

Followed by a line of thick bechamel over the top as you can see on the photo, note that bechamel needs to be very thick.

One by one I stuffed all the enchiladas in the tray, poured bechamel over all of them followed by a line of diluted tomato concentrate + a little cheddar sprinkles on top as well as some oregano.

Then oven for around 27 minutes @ 200c, until golden brown. This has to be a must make them sometime. Yum yum!

No photo above which represents that it was all eaten. I made this one with a step by step photos etc. as to show how easy it is to make them, and how delicious it gets, so that you are encouraged to make them too, like I said at the beginning, you can use meat instead if you prefer. I accompanied this with a nice beer from Morrison, a Brazilian beer called Barahma, and was a very light in taste beer, yet fair amount of alcohol...nice.

Friday 27 March 2009

Ginger and Paprika Cod with Prawn Rice

Receita em Português AQUI



Recipe Ingredients: (Enough food for 4)
  • 300grs rice
  • 4 fresh cod fillets (skinless)
  • 1 piece of ginger the size of 2 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 4 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 200grs prawn (uncooked and pealed)
  • 1 onion (very finely diced)
  • 1 courgette (diced)
  • 1/2 green pepper (diced)
  • 1 soup spoon of turmeric
  • 1/2 tea spoon of cayenne pepper
  • 2 soup spoons of tomato concentrate
  • 1 fish stock (knorr or Oxo or similar)
  • a little olive oil
  • (optional a little chorizo, diced)
Marinade the fish rubbing on it a mixture of two garlic cloves with some olive oil a little salt and pepper, paprica and ginger, on both sides, and let it flavour for at least half hour.

On a pan you need to cook the rice, which will take about 10-12. Cook it until is virtually cooked but not quite done, drain it and while draining it run some boiling water through it as this will remove the excess starch as well as leaves it wanting to absorb the rest it needs to finish cooking, this is so that when you add the sauce it swells the rest and acquires fully the sauce flavour as if it was cooked in it, just without the stodginess.

In a pan you put a little olive oil together with the onion, pepper, remaining 2 garlic cloves, cayenne, salt and pepper. So you cook these until the onion is slightly browned, at this stage you add the courgette the 2 spoons of tomato concentrate "diluted in a little water", and the fish stock, let it all boil for about 15 minutes, at the end of that add now the prawns (and optionally the chorizo) let it cook for a further 3-4 minutes (not any longer or the prawn will go rubbery) and is ready to serve after you add the rice to the sauce give it a stir, put the lid on and let it rest around 2-3 minutes.

Obviously controlling the time, you will have started the fish while doing the sauce even though this one is quite quick to do. Put a skillet or frying pan that can go in the oven, on the stove with a little olive oil, once hot add the fish, and quickly seal it around 2 minutes on each side, then you stick the fish in the oven preheated to 180 Celsius (gas mark 4) for about 10 minutes. And that is as simple as it gets.. A wonderful easy and very healthy economical meal.


Sunday 22 March 2009

Somked Hadock Filled Portabello Mushrooms Grattin

Receita em Português AQUI



This was a very delicious meal I was fortunate to prepare. An invention no doubt, and like all inventions I was afraid of failure, but not the case, this was a success with the family.

Recipe Ingredients:(enough for 4)
  • 4 Portabello mushrooms (if not portabello large open ones will do)
  • 2 Bunches of broccolis spears (about 400grs)
  • 400grs mixed red and white new potatoes (cut in half)
  • 125grs fresh single cream
  • 2 soup spoons of Gruyère pieces (if not available, extra mature chedar will do"grated")
  • 2 soup spoons of mild cheddar (grated)
  • 1 glass of milk
  • 50grs butter
  • 1 big bunch of parsley (finely chopped)
  • 1/2 reb bell pepper (cut into little strips)
  • 4 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
  • 300grs smoked hake (no skin and chopped into small cubes)
  • 1/2 lemon juice
  • 1 pinch nutmeg
  • Olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste





Put the potatoes cooking in a pan with a little salt, these will take about 15-20 minutes depending on their size. On another pan cook the broccoli spears, these will take between 7-10 minutes to be cooked so only start cooking these 10 minutes after you have put the potatoes on, once the broccoli is cooked just put a little butter in them (optional).

However before all that you need to prepare the mushrooms as these will take around 20 minutes in the oven (at 200c). So to prepare them drizzle a little olive oil in a large pirex dish to fit all mushrooms or 2 small ones, put the mushrooms upside down in the dish and previously remove the stalk, chopping them into small bits. Now season the mushroom with some salt and pepper, then top it with (dividing by the 4), 2 chopped garlic cloves, chopped mush stalk, the pepper (save a little to also decorate), half of the parsley and the smoked fish, finally the bechamel (see how to make this bechamel bellow) and on the top of the bechamel, the mild cheddar and the remaining pepper for decor.

For the bechamel you place in a little pan, the cream and the milk, let it get very hot at that stage add a little seasoning, salt pepper, a pinch of nutmeg and the Gruyère cheese. Once all melted get 1/3 of a glass with water and mix in a soup spoon of plain flour, once well mixed , pour it into the sauce and stir briskly and the sauce will thicken substantially, should be the consistency of runny mayonnaise.

Once the potatoes are cooked put them in a frying pan with the butter, remaining parsley and remaining garlic and fry them for 3 minutes adding the lemon juice at the end, plate it all up and you're done. Is super delicious I cannot tell you how much you need to make it and find out.


Monday 16 March 2009

Yasai Katsu Curry (Wagamama style dish, my way)

Receita em Português AQUI

(This is my dish, photo taken with camera)
Everyone has been waiting for this one a proper Wagamama (Yasai Katsu Curry, 72 on the menu) dish made my way the secret is out hehe!! All made from my head and senses as had no recipe, just what is tasted like to go by and textures in my mouth.

(This is Wagamamas dish, photo taken with phone)

Recipe ingredients: (I'll be a bit vague, as it depends on people)
  • 2 slices of butternut squash (per person)
  • 2 slices of sweet potato (per person)
  • 2 slices of aubergine (per person)
  • 2 eggs mixed in a bowl
  • 1/2 packet of water crackers in a bowl (crumbed to resemble rough bread crumbs)
  • 3 soup spoons of plain flour (in a bowl)
  • 3 soup spoons full of olive oil
  • 2 soup spoons of garam masala
  • 1 spoon of turmeric
  • 1 soup spoon of medium curry powder
  • 1 soup spoon of ground coriander seeds
  • 1 garlic finely chopped
  • 1 piece of ginger the size of a garlic clove finely chopped
  • 1/2 onion finely chopped
  • 300grs of risotto rice (to make the sticky rice)
  • salt and pepper to taste.
All the above ingredients are depending on the number of people but based initially on 4.

the risotto rice to be sticky rice I done it as follows, cooked it in very little water just to cover the rice, and as it cooked and drank the water I added more (hot) water to it, once virtually cooked, put it in a sieve drain passed a little boiling water through, and drained it again but not entirely, put it back in the pan with a lid on and let it rests a good 4-5 minutes.

The curry sauce you can make this in advance and heat it near the time to put over rice and fried stuff (I decided not to cover fried stuff as wanted to show it in the photo).
Put a little pan on the stove with a little olive oil about 3 spoons full, once hot add the very finely chopped, garlic, onion, and ginger, let these cook until golden, at this stage add all the powders, garam masala, turmeric, med curry powder, ground coriander seeds and a little seasoning salt and pepper. Let these cook until it forms a paste add about 2 glasses of water, and once boiling, mix in a glass two spoons of plain flour and some warm water, mix well so it has no lumps, must be gravy consistency, then pour half into the boiling curry and stir briskly, once that is farly thick blitz it with the blender to smoth out the pieces of garlic, onion and ginger add a little more flour and water to it and mix again briskly until it gets like a very thick gravy. And is ready to go over the rice.

"The veg" the aubergine is fried from raw, however the butternut and the sweet potato are part-cooked in water for only 3 minutes, to make these is very simple you need a pan with vegetable oil very hot (or a dip fryer) and each slice of veg goes in the flour first, then the egg and finally in the cracker crumbs (normally Panko crumbs are used, but I feel crackers are just as good and cheaper) then in the fryer until golden brown (don't forget to turn them) . Once done they should drain a little in some kitchen paper, then served with the rice and curry sauce also with a little mixed leaves salad (also supposed to have a little pickled ginger, I didn't get enough time to make that :D ) see pictures.

So that is how you make it at home if you time it right all will come out hot, if not stick it in the oven for a blast before serving hehe (minus the salad) Have fun, I know I did.


(This is Wagamamas dish, photo taken with phone)


(Again my Dish, photo taken with camera)

Saturday 14 March 2009

Rich Tea Biscuit Cake witth Almond



Ingredients for the Recipe: ( enough for many :D )
  • 4 yolks
  • 125 g butter
  • 125 g Fine sugar (Caster fine sugar)
  • 125 g Icing sugar
  • 40 g ground almonds (I ground my own for a more intense flavour)
  • 1/2 almond essence
  • +/- 2 packets McVities Rich Tea biscuits (or Maria biscuits)
  • 1 cup strong coffee (just warm nearly cold)
  • 10 flaked almonds (I flaked my own with my Santuku knife)



In a bowl place the yolks, butter (soft or into little cubes), sugars, and the almond essence, blend these very well with a mixer, until it forms a whitish cream, once it gets to that point add the almond while still mixing , mix these very well until all the ground almond is all blended in. Then refrigerate it for about an hour so it hardens to a thick cream consistency.

Then get the biscuits and one by one dip them in the (almost cold) coffee for about 3 seconds each, don't leave them too long or they will become soft and break apart, and also if too soft is impossible to spread the cream. Arrange them on a plate or tray one in the centre and six surrounding the centre one, then apply a thin layer of cream (that you had refrigerated), repeat the process until the cake is around 5-6 biscuits high, and finally cover the whole of the cake outside in the same cream, and sprinkle the almond flakes on top, them refrigerate until very cold and firm.

It is very nice served with a nice strong cup of coffee. I believe the original recipe doesn't have almonds at all and the walls and top of the cake is decorated with dessicated coconut shavings.
We all know that almond goes extremely well with coffee, as a lot of times when out for a coffee you get a little almond biscuit with it, therefore the reason why I used it.

Friday 13 March 2009

Nut Free Salad Pesto Pasta with a Pan Fried Cod Loin





Easiest and fairly healthy meal. Recipe Ingredients:
  • 400grs fresh pasta (I used spirals)
  • 250grs packet of three leaves salad (mine was, spinach, rocket and water cress)
  • 3 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 1/2 red bell pepper
  • 1/2 red chilli
  • some olive oil
  • 1 juice of whole lemon
  • 4 fresh cod loins
  • salt and pepper to taste
In a frying pan put a little olive oil and two of the minced garlic cook for 1 minute add the salad, and toss it quickly when it goes limp and darker in colour pour it all into a jug and add 3 glugs of olive oil, the lemon juice the bell pepper and chilli, blitz it all with the blender. Meanwhile cook the pasta in boiling water with a little salt and a little vegetable oil, it takes around 15 minutes to cook once cooked add the pesto, you made. Also on the pan you sautéed the salad add a little more olive oil the remaining garlic a little salt and pepper, and the cod loins you can squeeze a little lemon juice over them if you want it will take around three minutes on each side to cook completely depending on thickness, and is all done ...check the times and plan how and when to cook things so that all finishes at the same time, this is a lovely light and fast meal yet very filling and colourful. cheers!!















Chorizo Flower Thighs served on a Chive Mash and a Smooth Spicy Cheese and Tomato Sauce



Another invented by me, and with this one both the eyes and the stomach can eat it.



Ingredients for Recipe: (for the 3 people)
  • 3 chicken thighs (boneless and skinless)
  • 1 bunch of chives (half diced, half just strips) "see photo"
  • 1 piece of chorizo the length of the chicken thigh (chopped into strips)
  • 1 can of peeled tomatoes (cut in pieces)
  • 1 / 2 cup of milk + 1 cup of milk (for purée)
  • 2 garlic cloves, (1 cut into strips for the thighs, 1 thin sliced for tomato sauce)
  • 3 tablespoon of cheddar cheese (cut into small cubes)
  • 1 tablespoon of butter for the mash + 1 more
  • 1 flat teaspoon of chilli powder
  • 6 large potatoes (peeled and cut into cubes)
  • 1 pinch of nutmeg
  • some coriander leaves.
  • salt and black pepper (to taste)
  • optional if you want the thighs also spicy, 1 red chilli (sliced thin into strips without seeds or veins)
It's easy to prepare. After removing the bones and skin (optional). Extend the thigh on a tray (or similar) and on the thicker part of it, with a sharp knife cut a flap to elongate the thigh further, (see photo) and put over some salt, ground black pepper, chorizo strips, chives, chilli strips of (optional) and garlic strips. Wrap the thighs so that they look as intact thighs, stick a couple of criss cross toothpicks to avoid them open when you cook them.

Let them rest half an hour helps helps them to gain taste, put a little olive oil in a frying pan and once hot put the salt and pepper well as the thighs frying, seal and make the thigh golden brown turning them around until the whole thigh is golden, pour contents of the skillet (frying pan) into a pan and pour in also the can of tomatoes and the remaining garlic garlic. Once it boils, turn down the heat and let it cook for about 5 minutes, add the chilli powder and turn the thighs around , and let it cook 5 more minutes. Now remove the thighs from the sauce and cut them into slices, and put the butter (1 tablespoon) milk and cheese cubes into the sauce, , , once incorporated it makes a very creamy sauce.

Of course at the same time do the potatoes. Put the potato cubes in a pan with boiling water and they will take about 10 minutes to be cooked, once they are cooked and drained and mash them. In a milk pan put, a glass of milk warming up with a tablespoon full of butter, and once hot so that the butter is melted pour it into the mashed potatoes also adding the salt, ground black pepper, chopped chives and a of pinch of nutmeg, stir well dish it and put the slices of chicken on top and the sauce around. Don't forget the coriander leaves as these are not just decoration, eaten with the sauce gives it a special taste.


Caramelized Garlic and Onion Omelette with Cheese



Ingredients for the Recipe: (a person)
  • 2 large eggs (mixed in a bowl)
  • 3 teeth of garlic (minced)
  • 1 / 2 onion (sliced thin)
  • three spoons of soup filled with cheese cubes (I used cheddar cut into small cubes)
  • a little olive oil
  • salt and ground black pepper (to taste)



Put non-stick frying pan on the stove with a little olive oil, season it with sea salt and black pepper, and once it is hot add the onion and garlic, stir until they are always the golden and semi-caramelized, (both the garlic onion get a typical medium sweet taste that is a beautiful) then remove them from the stove and combine them well with the eggs.

Put the pan back to the fire with a little more olive oil and once hot pour the eggs into the pan , begin to stir as if you were making scrambled eggs, but as soon as starts to dry stop mixing because the perfect omelette is supposed to be moist (a little) in the centre, then line the centre of the omelet with cheese , leaving about two centimetres from the edge of the pan without cheese, with a plastic spatula (Teflon) bend one third of the omelet into the centre of the same, and do the same with the opposite side, once folded and let it cook for 1-2 minutes to seal it, then flip it over and cook the other side 1-2 minutes more which also allows the cheese melt in, which allows when you cut the omelette a little cheese to run out yum! yum! Now serve with whatever you want, I made potato wedges and salad you can also use rice and more and combinations of various things. bom apetite. good appetite.



These eggs I used were super fresh, taken from a friend who has chickens and liked my blog, his name is Manuel. Today I also offered a wonderful fish that I will cook soon, but for now I have a few more surprises for you .. kisses xxx

Tuesday 10 March 2009

Caramelized Onions and Garlic Cheese Omelette

Who doesn't know how to make an omelette...the answer would be no one, as everyone knows how to make them, but the most important is the the contents (fillings) same as a person, as is what is inside a person that counts (their personality) same goes for the omelette, the fillings are it's personality, so make them good.

However simple it may be, this one is one of the best tasting omelettes I've made, and as such I wanted to share this with my followers. As to the potato wedges, there several recipes previously posted on how to make these, look in my previous postings or search for the keyword "wedges" in the labels.


Receita em Portugues AQUI


Recipe Ingredients: (1 person)
  • 2 big eggs (mixed in a bowl)
  • 3 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 1/2 onion (thinly sliced)
  • 3 soup spoons full of cubed cheese (I used cheddar and cut it into very small cubes)
  • a little olive oil
  • salt and black pepper to taste.



Place a non stick frying pan on the stove with a little olive oil, temper it with sea salt and black pepper, once hot add the onion and garlic, always stirring let them go golden brown virtually caramelizing them, (both the garlic and the onion will get a specific sweetish taste, which is beautiful) at this stage remove them from the fire, and pour them inside the mixed eggs , and stir these well.

Put the frying pan back on the stove with a little of olive oil, and once hot pour in the mixture of eggs and onions, at the start stir it as if you were going to make scrambled eggs, but as soon as it starts to dry stop mixing, as to achieve a perfect omelette it must be (a little) moist inside. Leaving 2 centimetres from the edge on the pan, lay a line of cheese cubes across the middle of the omelette, and then with a teflon spatula fold one third of the omelette back into it's center and do the same from the oposite side, let it cook for 1-2 minutes and once that is achieved flip it over letting it cook for another 1-2 minutes, after this it is ready to serve and eat, when you cut the amelette in the middle should be moist and the cheese should ooze out yumyum!!


You can serve it with what to want, I made potato wedges, you can use salad, rice and/or any other combinations that you may like. Bon appetit.
These eggs that I used were given by a friend who has hens and liked my blog so the eggs are free range and organic (super fresh), my friend's name is Manuel. Today some friends also gave me a wonderful fish which I will cook soon, but for now I have more surprises for you coming soon. xx




Wednesday 4 March 2009

Pecan, Honey and Greek Yoghurt Tart

This Tart was adapted from "Tarte Delicia de Iogurte" from Luisa Alexandra blog recipe which she also adapted from other blog, and so on. But believed to have the original recipe from a blog called Gulosices but is in Portuguese.

Receita em Português AQUI


Recipe Ingredients:
  • 250grs Sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 500grs Greek Yoghurt (you can use normal plain yoghurt, for a softer texture)
  • 50grs Margarine
  • 1 tea spoon of vanilla essence
  • 100grs of flour
  • 50grs pecan nuts (ground)
  • 12 pecan halves
  • 2 soup spoons of honey (and a little extra honey for glaze)



This tart was originally made with 350 grs of sugar no nuts or honey and plain yoghurt, also was made in individual small tart containers rather than a large one, result was a more moist and light tart. I went for a more dense and zingy tart to contrast with the fresh cream and the honey glazed pecans.

The preparation is simple. Beat the sugar and the eggs until the sugar granules disappear (around 2 minutes with a machine or 4 by hand), then add the melted margarine, vanilla essence and flour (little by little to not form lumps), mix these until homogeneous (around 30 seconds machine or 1 min by hand).

Finally add the yoghurt the ground pecans and the 2 soup spoons of honey (plain), just mix these well. then put the dough in a large baking tart dish (previously greased with margarine and floured) and bake for about 35 minutes at 180c, until golden brown on top, before I put it in I placed on a frying pan a soup spoon of sugar about 2 soup spoons of water and a soup spoon of honey, turned the gas on and let it start bubbling, at that stage I added the pecan halves, and let these cook until it started to caramelize (but not caramel just syrupy) placed 8 pecans on top of the tart drizzled some of the syrup on top in a circle around the pecans. The rest I used to put on the whipped cream also making a little more surup the same ways with a few chopped pecans, see picture.





The texture is that of a baked cheesecake crossed with a cake, is quite unusual and zingy from the greek yoghurt, however is delicious, and the pecan and honey come through as real stars. This cake/flan is in the class of "Queijada" which is a portuguese tipe of cake that is neither a cake or a flan but something in between. :D

Monday 2 March 2009

Tuna Steak and Caramelized Balsamic Onions with Potato Salad and Honey pan Fried Parsnips

Receita em Português AQUI



Looks intricate but I assure you that is not, actually depending how cheap you can get your tuna this can be a very cheap meal, I got mine on a promotion so the meal was quite economical and easy to make.

Recipe Ingredients: (enough for 4 people)
  • 4 medium (fresh) Tuna steaks
  • 300grs new potatoes (depending on size, washed halved and cooked)
  • 250grs Greek yoghurt tub
  • a little bunch of chives (chopped)
  • 2 onions
  • 2 parsnips (cut in half, then in half lengthways and finally thinly sliced)
  • 2 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 4 soup spoons of balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tea spoon of butter
  • 1 tea spoons of honey
  • 1/2 tea spoon of brown sugar
  • some olive oil
  • salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1/2 tea spoon sweet paprika
  • 1 soup spoon of sesame seeds




Well!!! Get the new boiled potatoes and place them in a bowl, in there you put the yoghurt a little salt and pepper a little olive oil (like a couple of spoons) a few drops of lemon juice and of course the chives. Give this a gentle stir so it evolves all the potatoes and is ready to serve.

The parsnips peal them and cut them in half, then halve the halves lengthways then cut thin slices. Now put a frying pan on the stove med temp, put a little olive oil in it, and once hot put all of the parsnip in + the sesame seeds and a tea spoon of butter + a little seasoning "salt and pepper" , stir the parsnips occasionally ensuring they get brown on both sides, at that stage ad 2 soup spoons of balsamic vinegar and the honey let it cook till is nearly burnt and there is ready to serve too.

While that is doing you can do the tuna. In a pan place a little olive oil and once hot add the onions, while these ones brown, smear the garlic on the tuna+ a little salt and pepper, back to the onions keep stirring them over and over until golden at this stage move them to one side inside the pan and add the tuna steak (if need be add a little more olive oil) add also a few drops of water and push the onions back over the tuna, and cover the pan with a lid, after about 3 minutes remove lid and add the sugar, paprika and the balsamic vinegar a few more drops of water, lid back on cook another 2-3 minutes sand the tuna will be cooked. The tuna will cook very quickly and should not overcook or will become too dry and chewy, tuna if very fresh can be eaten like a steak (rare, medium rare and done...but never well done)


Pan Fried Pork Sausage in a bed of Spring Onion Bulgar dusted with Paprika



Really easy to make yet nutritious and fast to accomplish.

Recipe Ingredients: (enough for 3-4 people)
  • 300grs bulgar wheat
  • 2 garlic cloves (1 finely diced, the other crushed)
  • 2 carrots (julienned)
  • 6 spring onions (thinly sliced)
  • 1 soup spoon of tomato concentrate
  • 1 bay leaf
  • some olive oil
  • a little butter
  • Salt, pepper and (sweet) paprika to taste
Cook the Bulgar (I used fine one this time) as you would cook rice it will be done in 7-8 minutes, and once cooked drain it in a small holes strainer, and set it aside. Meanwhile get a frying pan with a glug of olive oil and a little butter (heaped tea spoon will do) and as soon as is hot add the garlic the bay leaf and the sausages, following this method seal turn, seal turn keep doing that until is sealed all the way around, then you do the same for browning, browned turn and so on.

And while that is doing, on another frying pan put a glug of olive oil and the minced garlic soon as it get hot add a little seasoning and the carrots and spring onions, cook until the spring onions start to go a little darker, at this stage add some paprika and a soup spoon of tomato concentrate and 1/2 cup of water, bring to the boil reduce the heat to minimum and let it simmer for about 10 minutes, then join the sauce to the drained bulgar and let it rest about 3 minutes with a lid on....serve and eat. this was my yesterday's diner. Have fun


Sunday 1 March 2009

Portuguese Battered Cod & Roasted Potatoes with Cauliflower

Receita em Português AQUI



Now this is a very simple dish and therefore the recipe is mainly on the cod and it's batter, but I will also descriptively tell you how to make the accompaniment.

Recipe ingredients: (enough for 4)
  • 1 egg (stirred in a bow)
  • 4 soup spoons of flour (in another bowl)
  • 1 garlic clove (minced)
  • 1 lemon (in juice)
  • 400grs fresh cod fillets (skinless and cut into smaller portions)
  • salt and pepper (to taste)
The roasted potatoes I done these without any precooking, basically just get some medium to small potatoes (enough for the people you cooking them for, around 2-3 per person), peal them and the larger ones cut in half. Place a roasting tray in the oven with some olive oil to cover the bottom, then once hot place the potatoes in and back into the oven for about 45 minutes at 200c (temperature) and that should be the potatoes done.

The cauliflower and broccoli (yes I did broccoli, but is not on the picture as plate was already full) I steamed these, by putting a pan on the stove with about 1 inch deep of water with a little salt, I washed and cut both of these veg to more manageable pieces and place them in the pan with a lid on and once started boiling I reduced the flame to just above minimum to continue the boiling and placed a lid on the pan to recycle the water and steam, I cooked these for 15 minutes, obviously keep a check as you may want them better cooked or less cooked. but that is the veg done.

The fish, this one you dry very well with either paper towels or kitchen towel, squeezing the fish to really draw the excess water (as they always have lots of water) this is important as next we marinade the fish and we want these marinade to be absorbed. On a little container (maybe a ramekin) mix the lemon juice and the garlic, leave it for about 3-5 minutes to infuse flavours and then put it all over the fish marinading the fish in this leaving it for 30 minutes, don't forget to also add a little salt and pepper to the marinade. Once this is done, you place a frying pan on the stove with about 1/2 inch of vegetable oil, and piece by piece (of cod) you pass it through the flour, both sides shake off the excess than into the egg making sure is well involved, than into the piping hot oil, repeat the process until the frying pan is full, but make sure at the same time you need to turn the fish over as soon as it is sealed, letting it cook on both sides until is golden brown, I had to do the fish into two go's as it didn't all fit in the first batch in the frying pan. Once the fish is cooked place it on a plate with a couple of paper towels to absorb the excess oil. And you done, it is delicious and the fish just flakes off when you eat it.

I use the above accompaniment in the winter and in the summer (also a more traditional Portuguese way) I do it with tomato rice and a mix salad of tomato, onion and lettuce (with a little vinaigrette, making this meal lighter and more refreshing. Have fun..

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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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