Oven Baked Fresh Cod with Potatoes and Charlottes

Ingredients: (for 4 people)

• 2 fresh cod fillets (about 700grs) skinless and boneless (cut into small pieces)
• 4 Large pealed potatoes cut into very thin slices (about 5mm thick)
• 8 Charlotte's (thinly sliced)
• 8 Spring onions (sliced)
• 2 Broccoli heads (cut into pieces)
• 4 Garlic cloves (finely diced)
• 250mls fresh cream (you can use creme fraiche)
• 1 fish stock cube (knorr or any other brand)
• 1 bunch of parsley (finely chopped)
• 1/2 Glass of white wine (sweet)
• Juice of 1 lemon
• A little olive oil, salt, black pepper and butter.

An uncomplicated recipe, simply cook the potatoes in water until they become translucent, but not completely cooked (cooking for around 7-10 minutes depending on the potatoes quality), at the same time place on a frying pan a little olive oil and as soon as is very hot add the Charlotte's and the garlic with a pinch of both salt and pepper, stir regularly until these become golden, which then you should add the wine and the spring onions, leaving these to cook until soft (about 3-4 minutes.

In a Pyrex tray, cover the bottom with a film of olive oil, then lay out the sliced potatoes until the bottom is covered, on top of these place half of the onions mixture and also crumble half of the stock cube over it, repeat the process potatoes and onion mixture and stock cube, on on top of this final layer place the filleted fish pieces on top, and cover the fish with sliced red (or white onions) and finally to top it all add the fresh cream over it all, cover the tray with foil and place in a 180 degrees Celsius preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Once the 20 minutes are over, remove the aluminium foil from the tray, with care not to burn yourself or for food to be stuck to it, and let it remain in the oven at the same temperature for a further 20 minutes.

During the last 20 minutes place a deep pan on the stove with two fingers deep of water in it adding to it the broccoli put the lid on and once reaches the boil reduce to minimum leaving it to cook for those 20 minutes.

During the last five minutes before the broccoli are ready, place a little bowl in bain-marie and place in it a little butter around two soup spoons, until its melted adding to it at this stage the chopped parsley    and the lemon juice.

Now that all is ready at the same time is just to assemble the dish on the plate and eat it. Bon apettit!!

Roasted Pork tenderloin on Saffron Rice with Oven Potatoes and Broccoli

Ingredients for the recipe: (for 2 People)

• 1 organic pork loin about 300grs
• 250grs rice
• 1/2 onion
• 2 long potatoes (washed and cut into wedges)
  
• 2 pieces of broccoli (cut into small pieces)
  
• 1 soup spoon of turmeric
• 1 tablespoon of tomato concentrate
• 1 tablespoon of butter
  
• 1 Tea Spoon of chilli powder
  
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 piece of ginger (size of a clove of garlic)
• 1 sprig of parsley
  
• olive oil, salt and pepper to taste

Very simple good wholesome food, as most of my dishes. Make small incisions in the pork loin as you see in the picture. Then in a small bowl crush the garlic, ginger, a little salt, pepper cream until it makes a consistent, rub it well in the back especially in the incisions, and let the rest for about 30 to 60 minutes.

Then put a skillet pan on the stove and in a little oil, once hot put it and let the loin fry sealing it and making crispy and golden all around, cooking is done pretty fast so it will still be raw inside, then place the skillet in the oven (or transfer the pork to an oven-proof dish and bake it for about 15 minutes 200celcius. 10 minutes before putting the pork loin in the oven, put the potatoes in a baking tray seasoning them with a little olive oil and some salt, these then bake for 25 minutes ending at the same time as the loin. While the pork cooks make the rice placing this in a pan with only a little salt and water, boil it until it is almost cooked (only short about two minutes).

Meanwhile in another pan put the chopped onion, the remaining chopped garlic, the chilli, a tablespoon of turmeric, salt and black pepper to taste, and about four tablespoons of olive oil and fry until the onions have caramelized a little, about 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Once cooked, add a little water and a tablespoon of tomato concentrate and one of butter, stir it and cook a further 3 minutes.

Now add the drained cooked rice to this sauce cook for a further 1 minute, mix in the chopped parsley cover with a lid and let it rest 3 minutes. Of course while the rice is doing, on another little pan cook the broccoli. Then just arrange the plate, this dish if if you notice is the header on my blog. Bon appetit!

Broccoli Spears and King Prawn Quinoa

A delicious and healthy recipe, that is light and well suited to this time of year (summer). Also long awaited by you my followers, with my apologies for the wait.

Recipe Ingredients: (for 4 people)

• 350grs Quinoa
• 250 Pealed Prawn (raw) cut in halves
  
• 1 white onion, chopped
  
• 1 medium carrot, diced
  
• 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
  
• 200grs broccoli spears, (branches sliced)
  
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped
  
• 4 mild chillies, chopped
  
• 1 piece of ginger (size of a garlic clove) minced
  
• 1 fish stock cube (like knorr or Oxo)
• 1/2 can plum tomatoes pealed and chopped
  
• 1 soup spoon of turmeric
  
• 1/2 soup spoon of paprika
  
• 2 soup spoons of chopped coriander
  
• olive oil, salt and black pepper to taste (+ 1/4 glass of wine "red or white)

Preparation:

Put In a pan about three to four tablespoons of olive oil ,a pinch of salt and a little pepper. Place this one on the heat and let it heat, once hot add the onion, garlic, ginger, carrot, chilli, chopped branches of broccoli, chives, paprika and turmeric. Cook a little for about 1 to 2 minutes stirring occasionally, when it starts to get a little stuck to the pan, de-glacé it with 1 / 4 cup of white or red wine, and it will form a thick sauce, to which you add a glass of water, the tomatoes, broccoli, the fish stock and the Quinoa .

Once boiling reduce the heat to minimum and put a lid on the pan, watching it from time to time to see if a little more water is needed, let cook for about ten minutes, then add the prawns and let it cook three to four minutes more stirring occasionally, adding last coriander cover the pan again with the lid and let stand about two to three minutes which will make it ready to serve .... bon appetit.

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.

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..

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.

Sausages w/ Broccoli & Cauliflower Gratin and Roasted Garlic Potatoes

How beautiful this dish is....However is so simple and easy to make that I would challenge you to make it. This dish is made of three parts: Broccoli and Cauliflower Gratin, Fresh pork Sausages and finally Roasted new potatoes.

Recipe Ingredients:

• 300grs Cauliflower (obviously do more if you want, separated into pieces)
• 300grs Broccoli (obviously do more if you want, separated into pieces)
• 1 and 1/2 cup of grated cheese
• 1/2 glass of warm water with plain flour well dissolved
• 300mls of milk (approx)
• 1 soup spoon of butter
• 2 cloves of garlic (1 crushed, 1 pureed)
• 3 soup spoons of olive oil
• Seal Salt and black pepper (and a little nutmeg)
• enough sausages for all guests
• 1kg new potatoes
  

Cut new potatoes if big in half or three parts if very small leave them whole, important is that the pieces are all of identical size, boil them until just fully cooked. Place them in a bowl with the pureed garlic and a pinch of sea salt (also you can sprinkle some paprika) and toss these, set it aside. Now put some water in a pan take it to the fire and place in the pan the broccoli and the cauliflower put a lid on and let it cook until nearly fully cooked but still very firm. While this is doing is time to do your bechamel.....very easy ...put the milk in a pan with the butter, until this one fully melts at this stage add a pinch of salt a pinch of nutmeg and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper, also add the water with the flour always mixing to not form lumps, once is fairly thick the consistency of gravy add the 1 cup of cheese again stirring and this should take it to the next level consistency of heavy gravy. And that is it your bechamel is made. Now spread the (veg) cauliflower and broccoli into a Pyrex tray, and pour over to cover all of it them top it up with the left over 1/2 cup of cheese (before pouring the bechamel you can sprinkle a little salt over the veg as these ones were cooked with no salt). Put the coated potatoes in another tray and stick both the potatoes and the veg trays in the oven (previously heated to 200c) leave it all there for 20 minutes, to brown. Meanwhile in a pan put the olive oil the crushed garlic and some paprika heating and, once hot fry shallow fry the sausages (previously butterflied) until golden (remember these sausages can be vegetarian) in my house I done half and half (half veg sausages and half turkey sausages) as my wife is a vegetarian. Assemble as in picture above, and you can if you wish also make some nice gravy. Find bellow pictures, the the cooked dishes separately.