Moqueca
2 pounds white fish such as cod or tilapia, thawed
2 pounds deveined, uncooked shrimp, thawed
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 large yellow onions, sliced in rings
1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced in 3/8-inch-thick rings
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced in 3/8-inch-thick rings
2 medium tomatoes, chopped into 1/3- to 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 to 4 tablespoons red palm (dendê) oil
14-ounce can coconut milk
1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves
1 1/2 cups dry white rice, prepared
Place fish and shrimp in a large dish. Sprinkle shrimp and both sides of fish fillets liberally with salt. Add vinegar and minced garlic. Mix gently to coat fish and shrimp. Refrigerate the dish and allow it to marinate for about 20 minutes.
Add olive oil to a large, heavy skillet. Swirl the pan to coat the bottom. Place onions in the pan so the bottom is covered with slices of onions. Layer on fish, peppers and tomatoes.
Place a lid on the skillet and cook over medium-low or medium heat for about 10 minutes or until fish is almost cooked. Add shrimp. Cover and continue cooking for 4 or 5 more minutes, until the shrimp is cooked. Add coconut milk and oil.
Allow the stew to simmer, uncovered, for 5 to 7 minutes. Add additional salt to taste. Sprinkle with cilantro.
Serve moqueca over white rice. Traditionally, moqueca is also served with farofa, which is made of tapioca meal that is toasted in a skillet with butter and onions. Farofa helps soak up the liquid from the stew.
Serves 6 to 8
Feijoada (Black Bean Stew)
2 pounds dried black beans
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 pounds meat (see note below)*
3 bay leaves
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Rice
Place the beans in a large pot or bowl. Cover with water above the level of the beans. Soak overnight, then drain.
Heat the oil in a large pot. Add onions and garlic. Cook over low heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Increase the heat to high. Add the meat; sear it on all sides. Add beans, bay leaves, salt, pepper and enough water to cover the beans. Cover the pot with a lid and cook on low for 2 to 3 hours, until beans and meat are tender. If using sliced smoked sausage, add it during the last half hour of cooking. If the beans become too thick, add more water. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve beans over steamed rice.
*Use approximately 3 pounds of pork or beef, including bones. Tough cuts of meat work well. Choices include pig’s feet, pig’s ears, tongue, oxtail, short ribs, corned beef, chunks of top round, bacon, chorizo sausage and smoked sausage. Feijoada typically includes a few different meats in each batch.
Serves 16
Strogonoff de Frango (Chicken Stroganoff)
2 pounds boneless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
¼ cup ketchup
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
1½ cups table cream*
Shoestring potatoes
Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Season with salt and pepper.
In a large skillet, heat oil and butter over low heat. When the butter is melted, add onions and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes, until tender. Add chicken and mushrooms. Increase the heat to medium-high.
When the chicken is cooked through, add ketchup, mustard, paprika, Worcestershire sauce and corn. Mix well. Reduce the heat to low and stir in cream. Cook, stirring frequently, until the stroganoff is hot.
Serve over steamed rice. Sprinkle shoestring potatoes on top.
*Look for table cream in the Hispanic section of the grocery store. If not available, substitute heavy cream.
Serves 4 to 6
Salpicão (Smoked Chicken Salad)
3 cups shredded smoked chicken*
1 apple, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
1 carrot, peeled and grated
½ cup raisins
¼ cup diced onion
¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
¼ cup chopped green olives
½ cup mayonnaise
8-ounces table cream or 1 cup plain yogurt**
Salt and pepper to taste
Shoestring potatoes
Lettuce
Combine all ingredients except potatoes and lettuce in a large bowl. Mix well. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Sprinkle potatoes over the top of the salad just before serving on a bed of lettuce.
*If smoked chicken is not available, use rotisserie chicken, or season two chicken breasts (about 1 pound total) with salt, pepper and liquid smoke flavoring. Bake at 375 F for 25 minutes or until cooked through. Cool and shred.
**Look for table cream in the Hispanic section of the grocery store. If it is not available, substitute plain yogurt in this recipe.
Serves 3 to 4
Brigadeiros (Chocolate Caramels)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons butter, plus extra for greasing
Chocolate sprinkles or refined sugar
Small paper candy cups
Grease a large platter and set aside.
Place condensed milk into a large saucepan and whisk in cocoa powder. Mix well. Add butter and heat the mixture over medium heat. When the mixture begins to boil, stir constantly with a wooden spoon for 5 to 7 minutes. Brigadeiros are done when the spoon, scraped across the bottom of the pan, leaves a line in the chocolate and the bottom of the pan is visible for a few seconds.
Pour the chocolate onto the greased platter. Cool at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes, or until it’s not too hot to handle.
Place the sprinkles or refined sugar onto a plate. With greased hands, form 1½ to 2 teaspoons of chocolate into a ball. Roll the ball in the sprinkles and place into a paper candy cup. Repeat the process with the remaining chocolate.
Tip: It’s easiest to roll brigadeiros with two people—one to form the balls, the other to roll them in sprinkles or sugar.
Store at room temperature in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days.
Yields approximately 30 candies