Pumpkin Pie / Tarte de Abóbora

Pumpkin Pie is an all American favorite. This recipe will teach you how to make a pumpkin puree and avoid store bought pumpkin pie mix. This sweet and spice infused dessert is perfect for holiday events.

A tarte de abóbora é uma sobremesa eleita pelos Americanos. Esta receita ensina-lhe a fazer o pure de abóbora de raiz. Uma infusão de especiarias adocicadas; esta sobremesa é perfeita para as festas Natalicias. 

Ingredients / Ingredientes

Cookie crust / Base de bolacha

600 ml condensensed milk / leite condensado

800 ml pumpkin puree / puré de abóbora

3 whole eggs / 3 ovos inteiros

Pumpkin Pure / Puré de abóbora

+/- 1 kl of chopped pumpkin / abóbora cortada aos pedaços
100 g of unsalted butter / manteiga sem sal
2 tbs of butter / c. de sopa de manteiga
1 tsp of nutmeg / c. de chá de noz moscada
1 tsp of ginger / c. de chá de gengibre
4 cloves / cravinhos
100 ml of Sweet Vermouth / Martini Rosso
200 ml of water / agua
100 g brown sugar / açucar mascavado

Sauté the pumpkin in the butter for about 3 minutes. Add spices and Sweet Vermouth and continue stirring. As the liquid begins to evaporate add the water and sugar. Simmer for about 20 minutes and puré. Set aside.

Refogar a abóbora em manteiga durante cerca de 3 minutos. Acrescente as especiarias e o Martini Rosso e continue a mexer. Conforme o liquido vá evaporando junte a agua e açucar. Deixe cozinhar em lume brando durante 20 minutes, Passe com um passevite e coloque de lado.

Cookie Crust / Base de Bolacha

1 packet of Graham Crackers / 1 pacote de Bolacha Maria
80 g. of plain butter / manteiga sem sal
1 tbs of sugar / 1 c. de sopa de açucar

Mix the ingredients in a food processor.

Coloque os ingredientes num processador de alimentos.

Preheat the oven to 160ºc. Butter a pie dish and firmly press the mixture for the the bottom crust onto the bottom of the dish. Slightly come up the sides. Bake for about 10 minutes. Let cool for 5 and firmly press the filling into the pie dish.
Aqueça o forno a 160º c. Unte uma tarteira e pressione a base de bolacha no fundo subindo ligeiramente pelos lados. Leve ao forno durante 10 minutes. Deixe arrefecer antes de colocar a massa da tarte.

Pumpkin Filling / Recheio de abóbora

In a medium sized bowl mix the pumpkin puree, condensed milk and eggs and beat thoroughly. Pour over cookie crust and bake for 40 minutes.

Numa taçã media misture o puré de abóbora, leite condensado e os ovos. Misture bem e verte sobre a base de bolacha. Leve ao forno e cozinhe durante 40 minutes. 

Tapenade 

Olive Paté / Paté de Azeitona

This versatile paté can me made and stored for up to a week in the fridge. Add it to a baked potato, pasta or spread on crackers as an appetizer. Perfect for vegetarians and lactose intolerant. Parmesan cheese is the only cheese that has had the lactose removed during its manufacturing. 

Este paté é bastante versatil e pode ser feito com antecebdência e guardado no frigorifico durante uma semana. Junte á batata assada, misture com massa ou barre em tostas como canapé. Esta receita é perfeito para vegetarianos e para quem é intolerante á lactose. No processo de fabrico do queijo Parmesan é removido toda lactose. 

Ingredients /Ingredientes

200 g black olives / azeitonas pretas

60 g fresh basil / mangericão fresco

Zest of 1 lemon / raspa de limão

10 g pine nuts / pinhões

4 garlic heads / cabeças de alho

Sea salt to taste / Sal grosso q.b.

Ground pepper to taste / Pimenta moida q.b.

1/2 tsp dried oregano / 1 c. de chá oregãos secos

100 ml olive oil / azeite

                                                                                           4 tsp grated Parmesan cheese / 4 c. de chá de                                                                                                                                    Parmesan ralado

In a medium sized frying pan heat 30 ml of olive oil and sauté the garlic for 3 minutes. Add the pine nuts and cook for another 2 minutes. Turn off heat.

Wash and remove basil leaves. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and put on medium spead. Slowly add the rest of the olive oil. Continue to puree until a grainy paste is formed.

Store in a container and place in the refrigerator. 

Numa frigideira media aqueça 30 ml de azeite e coloque as cabeças de alho. Cozinhe durante cerca de 3 minutes. Junte os pinhões e deixe aloirar durante cerca de 2 minutes. Desligue e coloque de lado.

Lave e remova as folhas do mangericão. Coloque todos os ingredientes, guardando o azeite por ultimo, num processedor de alimentos. Ligue na velocidade media. Junte o azeite aos poucos. Triture até obter uma pasta granulado.

Guarde num recipiente e leve ao frigorifico.

Brownies

Brownies are part of american traditional sweets. Not only served as a dessert but also as a snack. This recipe includes a pinch of Cayenne pepper bringing out the richness of the chocolate and softens the sweetness of the sugar. 

"Brownies" são um doce traditional americano. São servidos não só como sobremesa mas também como lanche. Este receita incluí uma pitada de pimenta Cayena atenuando a sabor intenso do chocolate e suavizando o doce do açucar. 

Ingredients / Ingredientes

200 g unsalted butter / manteiga sem sal

220 g sugar / açucar

220 g brown sugar / açucar amarelo

220 g flour / farinha

180 g dark chocolate / chocolate preto

1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper / 1/4 c. de chá de pimenta Cayena

1/4 tsp salt / 1/4 c. de chá de sal

1 tsp vanilla extract / 1 c. de chá de essência de baunilha

4 eggs  / ovos

Powder sugar / Açucar em pó

Preheat the oven to 160 º c.

In a double boiler melt the chocolate with the butter.

In a mixing bowl beat the eggs and salt until liquid. Add the sugar and vanilla and continue to whisk for one more minute. Add the melted chocolate and the Cayenne pepper and beat on a higher spead for an additional minute. Fold in the batter with a spatula. 

Grease a pan and pour batter. Smooth the top and cook for 25 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes on a rack.

Cut into squares and sprinkle powdered sugar on top.

Aqueça o forno a 160 º c.

Derreta o chocolate e manteiga em banho Maria.

Coloque os ovos e sal numa taça e com uma batedeira electrica bata até ficar liquido. Acrescente o açucar e baunilha e continue a bater durante 1 minuto. Junte o chocolate derretido e a pimenta Cayena e continue a bater. Acrescente a farinha e envolve na mistura lentamente com uma espatula. 

Unte un tabuleiro de forno rectangular e verte a massa de bolo. Leve ao forno durante 25 minutes.

Deixe arrefecer durante 30 minutes e corte em quadrados. Polvorize com açucar em pó utilizando um pequeno filtro.

Whole Grain Spaghetti with Salmon, Broccoli and Parmesan

This light and simple dish is perfect for the whole family. It is a great way to introduce fish and vegetables into children´s diet. All you will need is a medium sized pan and a strainer; no mess! The three main spices incorporated in this dish are bay leaves, cloves and dill. Salmon and dill pair very nicely together and are common in both Scandinavian and Russian cuisine. Add a scoop of plain yogurt to the dish for some extra creaminess. 

Ingredients

250 g of fresh salmon

4 bay leaves

4 whole cloves

2 tsp of dried dill

1 lemon sliced thinly

Sea salt

Ground Pepper

80 ml of olive oil

1 medium sized broccoli bouquet

250 g whole grain spaghetti

60 g freshly grated Parmesan Cheese

Bring a medium sized pot of water to boil. Add the lemon slices, cloves and bay leaves. Season with salt. The cloves bring a nice rich flavor to your stock. Allow to boil for 5 minutes in order to for these ingredients to blend together for a spicy, herbal infused stock. Place the chopped broccoli heads in the pan and cook for 5 minutes. Remove with a strainer and set aside. 

Place the salmon in the seasoned water for no longer than 4 to 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Add 1 tbs of olive oil to the water. Remove the cloves, bay leaves and lemon slices and place the whole grain pasta in the boiling water. Whole grain pasta takes slightly longer to cook so allow to boil for 10 to 12 minutes. 

In a mixing bowl break up the salmon into small pieces with your fingers. Mix in the broccoli and season with ground pepper and a pinch of salt.

Strain the spaghetti and mix into the salmon and broccoli. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and season with the dill. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. 

Serve 4.

Green Lentils with Soy Sausage and Veggies

This is the perfect vegetarian comfort dish. Serve with slices of rustic bread and enjoy sitting on the coach in front of a fire. Lactose free and full of flavors and spices. Cumin is the spice of choice for this particular dish and pairs harmoniously with the lentils and the smokiness of the sausage.

Ingredients

250 g dried green lentils
Olive oil
2 medium sizes tomatoes diced
1/2 chopped onion
1 finely diced chili pepper
1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
5 medium sized soy sausages finely chopped
1 small cabbage thinly chopped
1 tsp sugar
2 tbs dried cumin
50 ml soy sauce
250 ml white wine
1 sliced lemon

Soak the lentil in a bowl of water over night. Strain and boil in a pot of water for 20 minutes. Set aside.

Saute the onion, chili pepper and ginger in a bit of olive oil on medium heat. Cook thoroughly for about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the soy sausage and cook until golden. This will add a nice smoky flavor to the lentils. Add the tomato and cabbage and season with a pinch of sea salt. Cook on medium heat for 4 minutes. Add the lentils, soy sauce, cumin, sugar and white wine. Cover and let cook on low heat for 20 minutes. Remove lid and serve in a bowl. Squeeze a bit of fresh lemon juice to bring together all the flavors.

Serve with slices of fresh rustic bread or toast. Add a scoop of natural yogurt to freshen up your dish.

What to have in the Kitchen

After having received several messages from my fellow bloggers about not having some of the ingredients in their pantry when preparing to make some of my recipes I have decided to make a list of key ingredients to have at all times in the kitchen and pantry. This will make your cooking experience more efficient.

Refrigerator: Pesto Sauce, Soy Sauce, Mustard (Dijon, Honey), Homemade breadcrumbs, Diced onions in a Tupperware, Black Olives, Heavy Cream (Soy), Plain yogurt, Unsalted Butter, Margarine, Eggs, White Wine for cooking, Chili Peppers, Lemons, Plain Yogurt , Parmesan Cheese

Pantry: Variety of rices (wheat, basmati, black), Variety of pasta, Tomato paste, Canned Diced Tomatoes, Canned Tuna Fish, Lentils, Beans, Honey, Olive Oil, Truffle Oil, Sun dried Tomatoes, Flour, Sugar, Variety of Nuts, Sweet potatoes, Onions, Garlic, Dark Chocolate, Condensed Milk, Graham Crackers (bolacha Maria), Balsamic Vinegar.

Spices: Oregano, Basil, Coriander, Chili Powder, Dill, Thyme, Curry, Paprika, Cummin, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Cloves, Dried Bay leaves, Ground Pepper, Seasoning Cubes, Vanilla Extract

Octopus Trickster Rice

This is an adapted version of a traditional Portuguese dish. "Malandro", the word for trickster stems from the fact that the rice, although thoroughly cooked, baths in extra stock. I have added chili peppers, chives and Marinara sauce to neutralize the fishiness of the octopus. A trick to keep the meat tender is not only to never put salt directly onto the octopus, but also boil it previously with hard alcohol ( tequila, firewater, vodka).

Ingredients

1 kl frozen octopus

200 ml tequila

1/2 red pepper sliced

1/2 onion diced

1 chili pepper diced

1 tbs chopped chives

Olive oil

200 ml Marinara Sauce

500 ml water from the boiled octopus

Sea Salt

Juice from 1/2 a lemon

1 tsp of sugar

500 g of rice (I prefer sticky rice, ideal for risotto to absorb all the flavors)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the defrosted octopus and the tequila. Cook for about 20 minutes. Strain and reserve 500 ml of the water and set aside.

In a medium sized pot saute the onion, peppers, chives and chili pepper for 7 minutes. Stirring occasionally. Season with sea salt. Chop the octopus into medium sized bits and saute for 3 minutes. Add the Marinara Sauce and the water from the octopus. Combine the lemon juice and sugar. Bring to a boil.

Add the rice and stir. Add another 900 ml of water and bring to a boil. Stir for 20 minutes and serve.

Serves 4 to 6.

Ginger and Soy Chicken, Steamed Kale and Black Rice

This a a healthy meal for the day to day for those of you who are too busy to spend time in the kitchen. This meal can be prepared in 30 minutes. Black rice is a whole grain and depending on the brand can be prepared in 18 minutes. The ginger is just perfect for the cold season, not only spicing up the dish but full of anti oxidants to help you resist the cold and flu season. The bitterness of the kale pairs harmoniously with the spicy, fragrant ginger and the nutty taste of the black rice.

Ingredients

250 g black rice

1/2 diced small onion

500 ml water

olive oil

sea salt

600 g chicken breast

40 ml soy sauce

freshly ground pepper

1 tsp grated ginger root

150 g of chopped kale

100 ml water

sea salt

Season the chicken breast with the ginger, soy and ground pepper. Set aside.

Saute the onion in a bit of olive oil on medium heat for about 4 minutes. Add 500 ml of water and season with salt. Add the rice and bring to a boil. Cover and cook for 18 minutes on medium heat. Let stand for 5 minutes with the lid on.

Place the kale, water and a pinch of salt in a medium sized pot. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

On a grilling skillet heat a small amount of olive oil. Place the chicken breast and cover with a lid to keep in the juices. Cook 3 minutes on either side on medium heat.

* Serves 4. Make extra kale and rice and use the next day to mix into a salad for lunch. Throw in apple slices, arugula, dried cranberries, nuts and season with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

Mallard Duck Breast with Chocolate Balsamic Sauce and  Spaghetti with Zucchini and Truffle Oil

Mallard Duck Breast has a soft and delicate texture. The Chocolate Balsamic Sauce gives a nice sweet and spicy contrast to the duck. The truffle spaghetti pairs nicely with the rich flavors and comes together resulting in a warm composition. This recipe serves 3 to 4.

Ingredients

500 g Mallard Duck Breast
Sea Salt
Ground Pepper

1 diced onion
1 chopped chili pepper
100 g tomato paste
3 tbs cocoa powder
30 ml of balsamic vinegar
1 tsp dried rosemary
Sea Salt
100 ml of water

2 medium sized zucchinis with seeds removed
Sea salt
Ground pepper
Olive oil
50 ml truffle oil
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
500 g spaghetti


Season the duck breast with salt and pepper and set aside.

In a medium sized pot saute the onion slowly in a bit of olive oil. Add the chopped chili pepper and continue to stir on medium heat. Add the tomato paste, vinegar and cocoa powder. Reduce heat and let cook slowly. Add the water, rosemary and a pinch of salt. Let sauce reduce and thicken.

Cut the zucchini into medium sized cubes and season with salt. Let stand in a strainer for about 30 minutes to remove excess water. On a grilling skillet saute the zucchini for a couple of minutes until golden. Set aside.

Heat a grilling skillet with a small amount of olive oil. Mallard duck has a fatty layer and will release a good amount of oil onto the skillet. Place the duck on the fatty side first and grill for 3 minutes on high heat. Grill on the other side for another 3 minutes. The duck should be crispy on the outside and medium rare on the inside. Set aside.

Boil a large pot of water and season with salt. Cook the spaghetti for 7 to 10 minutes and strain. Mix with the grilled zucchini and infuse with truffle oil. Sprinkle with fresh pepper and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Slice the duck breast thinly and cover with the chocolate sauce.