Authentic Brazilian Cuisine

Working on a list of useful links

2012-01-12T09:58:00.000-06:00

As a translator and researcher in the area of Culinary Arts, I collected a series of websites links on various subjects in the area over the years (and I do this for over 10 years now!). Most of them are in Portuguese, since the majority of my work is in the English-Portuguese direction, but there are some in English too. Not all the information in the websites is accurate or well written, but it proved to be very useful in many cases, especially as a visual guidance and from the terminological stand point.

Today I started working on this list to publish here in my blog, and the first items I found were mostly related to baking (from when I translated the book Professional Baking, recently published by Manole as Panificação e Confeitaria Profissionais).

With time, I hope to work on all other areas (I have several hundreds links, some of them need updating...). I hope you also find this list useful - I think you will, especially if you are a translator.

Please, send me any questions, suggestions and/or updates for the links. Thanks!

2011-11-26T00:18:00.002-06:00

Bobó de Camarão - a velvety Afro-Brazilian stew

Training for my upcoming buffet meal at school the other day, I cooked my first Bobó de Camarão - a velvety shrimp, yucca and coconut stew-like concoction typical of the Northeast region of Brazil, especially the Bahia state, where the presence of African gastronomic traditions are more strongly felt.

I had eaten a few Bobós before, and had a very definite idea of how it should taste. After researching several recipes on the internet, which differed quite drastically, I came out with my own. The Brazilian audience that savored the final result - including a friend from Northeastern region who was visiting us - approved it enthusiastically.

My instructor, on the other hand, told me that the texture may not be very pleasant to the North American palate, as it is reminiscent of porridge, for its thickness and starchiness. But the texture, as well and the coconut, yucca and dendê oil flavor combination, is what pleases me the most.
I hope you feel tempted to try it too, so you can give me your opinion!

Bobó de Camarão

(Shrimp, Yucca and Coconut Stew)

Yield: 60 oz (6-8 portions)

Ingredients:
18 oz frozen, peeled yucca
1 cup yucca cooking liquid (plus more, to adjust consistency)
1 can (14 fl. oz) coconut milk
1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp dendê oil
2 Tbsp olive oil
6 oz (1 cup) finely diced onion
1 oz (2 Tbsp) minced green bell pepper
1 tsp seeded, minced jalapeño
1 garlic clove, minced
0.5 oz cilantro stems (from approx. 1/2 bunch)
1 scallion, finely sliced
1 ripe tomato, seeded and finely diced
12 oz (14.5 oz frozen) peeled and deveined 51/60 (or smaller) shrimp
6 oz whole 36/41 shrimp, to garnish
1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves (from approx. 1/2 bunch)

- Cook yucca in plain water (no salt) until fork tender. Drain, saving the cooking liquid. Working in batches, purée yucca while still hot in a food processor with the salt, coconut milk and 1 cup reserved liquid (save remaining liquid for thinning the stew later, if necessary).

- Heat dendê and olive oil in a large pan. Add onion, sauté until translucent. Add green pepper, jalapeño, garlic, cilantro stems and scallions and sauté until light golden brown. Add tomato and cook, stirring, until it starts to dissolve. Add shrimp and sauté until pinkish.

- Add prepared yucca cream and stir well to combine. Adjust salt and consistency adding more of the cooking liquid, if necessary.

- On a separate pan and working in batches, sauté whole shrimps in olive oil and a very thin drizzle of dendê oil. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

- Right before serving, add chopped cilantro to stew, saving some to decorate. Top serving dish or individual portions with sautéed shrimps and a sprinkle of chopped cilantro. Serve with white rice.

2011-07-09T15:09:00.003-05:00

Cuscuz - Brazilian interpretation(s) of couscous

I finally made some time to add another recipe to this blog. I’m sorry for being away for so long, but life has been hectic - cooking classes, academic research, cookbook translation review and now I became a regular contributor to a Brazilian cooking magazine (Sabores do Interior http://www.saboresdointerior.com.br/) and to a blog about Brazilian food culture hosted by Mapa da Cachaça (http://mapadacachaca.com.br/blog), a website about the emblematic Brazilian hard liquor used to make caipirinha.

The term Cuscuz, also spelled cuscus and cuzcuz in Portuguese, refers to several preparations in different regions of the country. The origin of the plate is certainly the Middle Eastern couscous, but once it was introduced to the new tropical culture, several versions using local ingredients began to develop.

Cuscuz can be a plain, steamed, cake-like cereal made with flocos de milho pré-cozidos (yellow, precooked corn meal - “Milharina”, by Quaker, is a very well known brand). Usually served for breakfast, it’s made in the cuscuzeira, or cuscuzeiro (see picture), a steaming pan that has a perforated metal disc with a handle that seats on top of simmering water where you place the corn meal, previously moistened with salt water. This preparation is sometimes called cuscuz nordestino, especially by people that are not from nordeste, that is, the Northeast region of Brazil. It can be served with manteiga de garrafa (a type of clarified butter), queijo coalho (typical cheese from Northeast region), coconut milk, etc.

Then, there’s the cuscuz de tapioca, a sweet, flan-like version of the dish made with manioc/yucca tapioca pearls, coconut and condensed milk - I’ve never tried this one, but the pictures I saw are mouthwatering! And there is the cuscuz paulista (paulista means from São Paulo state), which is also traditionally steamed, but it is a savory dish that uses both farinha de milho (see picture) and farinha de mandioca (manioc / yucca flour).

The recipe I am going to post today is a simplified, more Minas-Gerais-style version of the later. A flavorful broth made with sautéed onion, garlic, tomatoes and your choice of shredded chicken, sardines, other fish and shrimp or vegetables is thickened with farinha de milho. It is then poured into a mold, usually a tube pan decorated with sliced boiled eggs, tomato and other vegetables such as hearts of palm and green peas. Once cooled and unmolded, it looks pretty, on top of being a complete, delicious meal.

Cuscuz de frango com farinha de milho

(Chicken Brazilian Couscous)

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped (1/2 - 3/4 cup)

2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 Tbsp tomato paste

3-4 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

4 cups chicken stock or water, or a mix of both

1 chicken breast (approx. 8 oz), cooked and shredded (see the recipe for Coxinha filling)

1/2 cup corn kernels, frozen or canned (drained)

1/2 cup green peas, frozen or canned (drained)

1/2 cup hearts of palm, drained and chopped

1/2 cup chopped parsley and scallions or chives

6 oz. (aprox.) farinha de milho (flaked corn meal - see picture)

To garnish:

2 hard boiled eggs, sliced

1 ripe tomato, thinly sliced

sliced hearts of palm

sprigs of parsley

olives or green peas

lettuce leaves

Method:

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan. Sauté onion until translucent. Add garlic and sauté until both are light golden brown. Add tomato paste and sauté for another minute, stirring constantly. Add chopped tomato and cook, on high heat, for five to ten minutes, stirring every now and then, until tomato starts to melt and release its juices.

2. Stir in stock, shredded chicken, corn, peas, and hearts of palm. Season with salt, black pepper and/or Brazilian preserved chili oil. It should be a little over seasoned, because you’re going to add the farinha de milho later. Bring to a boil.

3. Meanwhile, lightly oil a tube mold and decorate with sliced boiled eggs, tomato, green olives, hearts of palm slices, peas and parsley sprigs, or any other ingredient you’re using to make the cuscuz or that goes well with the chosen ingredients (such as shrimps and sardine fillets, etc.).

4. Once the liquid is boiling and all flavors are all well combined, lower the heat and slowly add the farinha de milho, stirring constantly with a long handled wooden spoon. Watch out for the bubbles, as cuscuz spatters like polenta - use protective gloves to stir it until the flour is well blended with liquid and the mixture gets thick (it should be thicker than polenta). Then, cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, stirring every now and then, until mixture is creamy and thoroughly cooked. Remove from heat, add chopped herbs and mix well to combine.

5. Adjust seasoning and pour the mixture immediately onto prepared mold, being careful not to misplace the decoration. Hit the bottom of the pan lightly against the counter to eliminate air bubbles and smooth the surface with a spatula. Set aside and let cool almost to room temperature before unmolding.

6. To serve, give the mold a brisk shake, place a platter on top and turn upside down. Decorate all around it with lettuce leaves.

Variations:

- Substitute 2 cans of sardines (drained), or 2 cans of tuna (drained), or 1 cup chopped shrimp and/or white fish fillets for the shredded chicken. Use water or fish stock instead. Garnish the mold accordingly.

- Make a vegetarian version by substituting extra corn, green peas, tomato, shredded carrots, shredded zucchini, sliced green beans, chopped green olives, and/or hearts of palm for the chicken.

2011-02-02T17:59:00.000-06:00

Broinhas de fubá - a cross between cream puffs and corn bread?

After all this time (last post was May 2010!), here I come with yet another Minas Gerais specialty - the broa de fubá, or broinha. I prepared some at my mom’s house during my recent 40-day trip to Brazil, and they were delicious!

Fubá, from Kimbundu fuba, is the word in Portuguese for cornmeal, or corn flour (not to be confused with the white powder British English speakers call “conflour”, Americans “corn starch”, and Brazilians amido de milho). There are two main types of fubá in Brazil - the fubá mimoso, very finely ground (like corn flour), which imparts a finer texture to foods such as porridges and cakes, and the fubá grosso, coarser and sometimes simply referred to as fubá (in terms of texture similarity, somewhere between medium to fine ground cornmeal). There are several other kinds of corn flours and meals available, and most of them have a precooked version. Together with manioc (or cassava, or yuca) flours and starches, these are the second choice of starch in Brazil (after rice), and they are also widely used in baking goods both savory and sweet.

The word broa (broinha is the diminutive) is also used in European Portuguese and in some regions of Brazil to name a type of corn bread, large and round, that used to be more popular in the past. I remember being a child and going with my mom or dad buy broa de milho at the tiny armazém near our house in Guaxupé - I was so small I could not see the wood counter top, but I could see and smell the broas de milho, fresh and beautiful, laying behind the counter glass.

It’s hard to make an outstanding broinha like those you buy in some padarias in Brazil (on the left) in a noncommercial oven, as they require high and constant heat to rapidly puff before the steam cracks open the shell and escapes. But it’s worth a try, especially if you don’t know the other version of the treat.

Some decades ago, broinhas were often made with pork lard (some people still use lard), which imparts a nice flavor, aroma and texture to the product. The smell and taste of the aniseeds, though, is what characterizes both broas and broinhas. There are also the ones made with toasted, ground peanuts - DELICIOUS! But I’m still working on that recipe. For now, try this one and let me know how they come up!

Broinhas de fubá

(Brazilian Cornmeal Puffs)

1 cup filtered water

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup unsalted butter (or unflavored pork lard, if you have access to a good one)

1 cup finely ground cornmeal (corn flour)

1 cup all-purpose flour (plus extra to roll the broinhas)

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp aniseed

pinch of salt

5 large eggs

1) Combine corn and all-purpose flour, sugar, aniseed and salt in a bowl.

2) Combine water, milk and butter in a saucepan and bring to a boil.

3) Add corn and flour mix at once and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until it forms a uniform ball and pulls off the sides of the pan (see picture). Let cool until warm.

4) Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition to incorporate air in the batter.

5) Preheat the oven to 400oF.

6) Oil the inside of a small bowl or rounded cup with oil. Add 1/2 tsp flour and shake to coat the sides well (do not shake off excess - this flour prevents the dough from sticking to the bowl). Using a cookie scoop or a tablespoon, drop spoonfuls of the dough inside the floured bowl and, working fast and continuously, twirl the bowl so the dough is coated in flour and forms a ball. Immediately turn the bowl upside down onto an oiled baking sheet, placing the broinha at least 2 inches apart from the sides of the pan and the other broinhas (see video - I'm working on a better one, though). Add another 1/2 tsp flour into the bowl for each unit you make.

7) Bake immediately until deep golden brown. The inside will seem raw, but it’s not - it should be humid and hollow, like puff pastry. Serve warm or cold, plain or with butter, sided by a good cup of piping hot, strong coffee.

TIP: if the dough is too loose to apply this method, or if it starts sticking to the sides of the bowl, use the cookie scoop to place the portions of dough onto baking sheet and, using a small strainer, dust their tops liberally with flour.

Coxinha: the beloved queen of Brazilian salgadinhos

2010-06-03T22:31:00.004-05:00

Brazilian salgados or salgadinhos - savory little snacks you can eat at any time of the day you are not hungry enough for a complete meal - comprise dozens of categories, such as empada (also called empadinha), risoles, pastel, quibe, esfiha, croquete, bolinha de queijo, enrolado, folhado, pão de batata, and their several variations (i.e., most of them can be prepared with different fillings). But coxinhas are among the favorite ones. They can be found in nearly all lanchonetes and padarias in Brazil and were very popular at birthday parties some time ago.

The name coxinha derives from the snack’s peculiar drop shape, mocking a chicken drumstick (which, in Portuguese, is curiously called “coxa” [= thigh] only when referring to chickens; the chicken thigh is called sobrecoxa...). The golden, crispy exterior of this salgadinho surrounds a layer of soft dough filled with lightly seasoned, moist shredded chicken. Some people love to eat them dotting each bite with some good hot red pepper sauce.

The major “secret” to prepare coxinhas is patience. It takes a while to mold them, especially if it’s your first time. Be careful not to let the filling touch the edges of the dough disc, and make sure it is well sealed around the filling, or it will crack open when fried. Coxinhas can be molded as big, individual pieces (virtually a meal), or bite-sized.

The cooked dough is very easy to prepare, as well as the filling. The dough can also be used to make other salgadinhos, such as risoles (half-moon shapped) and bolinhas de queijo (cheese balls). Use fine bread crumbs (grind some panko in the processor, if you wish) to bread them and, instead of dropping them in the egg white, dip your hand in it and use it spread a layer of egg white on the surface of coxinhas before tossing them in the breadcrumbs.

I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Coxinha de frango

(mock chicken drumsticks)

Dough

2 cups chicken stock

2 1/8 cups all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp powdered milk

2 Tbsp butter (room temperature)

1 tsp salt

1. Process all ingredients in a blender until smooth.

2. Cook in a heavy pan, over medium heat, stirring constantly until the dough forms a ball that pulls away from the sides of the pan (make sure there are not wet spots in the dough).

3. Let it cool and use to mold the coxinhas.

Filling

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 Tbsp grated onion

1 small garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp colorau or anatto powder

2 boneless chicken breast halves

1 Tbsp finely chopped parsley

1 Tbsp finely chopped scallion

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Cook chicken in about 3 cups water. Reserve 2 cups of the cooking liquid to prepare the dough.

2. Finely shred chicken.

3. Heat oil in a saucepan, add onion, then garlic and then colorau. Fry until golden brown.

4. Add shredded chicken and about 3 Tbsp cooking liquid - the chicken should be moist, but not runny.

5. Turn off the heat and add chopped herbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Molding and frying

1 egg white

1 cup plain panko, finely ground, or fine breadcrumbs

2-3 cups vegetable oil, for frying

1. Take a portion of dough about the size of a golf ball and roll it out manually or with a rolling pin into a disk about 1/4 in. thick.

2. Place a teaspoonful of filling at the center - be careful not to let the filling touch the edges of the dough. Carefully mold the dough around the filling forming a bundle.

3. Twist the excess dough on top and remove it to obtain a drop shape.

4. Smooth the surface, if necessary, to correct any imperfections. Make sure the filling is well sealed into the dough.

5. Wet your hand in the egg white and spread a thin layer on the coxinha surface and dip in breadcrumbs.

6. Fry in hot oil until golden brown. Let drain on paper towels.

Panquecas: the name sounds familiar... but it is another matter entirely

2010-03-30T17:26:00.009-05:00

Upon request, this post is about Panquecas. Yes, the word should sound very familiar to you, recalling those stacked, warm, fluffy concoctions topped with a good dab of butter and a drizzle of maple syrup you sometimes have for breakfast. But, apart from the fact that the batter uses similar ingredients - such as eggs, milk, and flour - the analogies between Brazilian panquecas and American pancakes stop there, as you can see from this picture:

There are many good things about panquecas, although one might find the preparation of the dough a little tricky and time consuming. But once you master this stage, you are ready to prepare your own assortment of panquecas, because the filling is what really gives them a character. In this sense, they are a good way to use meat, chicken and/or vegetables leftovers. Another good thing is that panquecas can be prepared way in advance and just reheated before serving. They freeze very well too - just remember to transfer the dish to the fridge the night before. As a matter of fact, they can also be successfully reheated in the microwave oven, the only downside being the fact that the cheese will not be as golden brown and the dough won’t get crispy on the edges.

Panquecas are a stand-alone dish, but can also be served with rice (and beans) and salad. If you want them to look fancier, prepare the discs in a larger frying pan and, instead of rolling up with filling, make little bundles, tied with a green scallion leaf or parsley stem wilted in the stove flame. You can then spoon some tomato or other sauce or coulis on a plate and place the trouxinha (Portuguese word for little bundle) in the center. Or use the dough as layers to build a savory cake with any filling you like. Another way to make them look different (and more nutritious) is to add herbs (such as parsley, basil and cilantro), cooked and squeezed spinach, powdered carrot and/or beet, paprika etc. to the batter. The only thing you will need to do, then, is to adjust the consistency. But you’ll have to do it anyway, as different flour batches and egg sizes will produce different batter consistencies.

The only way to adjust the consistency of the batter is by trial and error. The dough should be liquid enough to spread all over the frying pan as you twirl it before starting to set, but not so thin that you have big holes and/or a mushy, creamy final product that falls apart. Adjust it by adding more milk or flour to the batter, little by little. The next picture shows the first panqueca I prepared with my batter - you can see that there is a yellowish layer in the middle that started setting before I was able to spread it onto the pan, making the dough a little too thick. I added a tad more milk to the mixer cup and the next one turned out ok.

Lastly, I have to say a word about the “authenticity” of panquecas as a Brazilian national dish. Most Brazilians would never remember to mention panquecas as a “Brazilian” dish; some would even strongly disagree with this “upgrade” I propose here. But, hey, although they sure are a French legacy, the way Brazilians got hold of them and developed all sorts of new manners to prepare them is, sure, unique! And, as far as I know, panquecas are served all over Brazil.

I hope you too become a fan of them - as Nina and Kristin already are! After all, imagination is the only limitation to how you can prepare them.

Panquecas de frango
(Chicken panquecas)

Filling:

2 boneless chicken breasts halves, or 2 leg quarters, or any combination of dark/white meat you like

1/2 tsp colorau or powdered annatto seed (optional)

1/2 tsp white wine or cider vinegar

1 Tbsp thinly sliced onion

1 tsp oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp tomato paste

1 cup shredded carrots (about 2 medium)

1/2 cup corn kernels, frozen or canned (drained)

1/2 cup green peas, fresh or frozen

3/4 cup shredded zucchini (1 small, optional)

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Season chicken with salt, pepper, annatto powder, vinegar, onion and 1/2 tsp oil. Let sit for at least 30 minutes, or overnight. (You can also season the chicken with salt and pepper only right before cooking, but you’ll need to season the refogado very well to compensate for that.)

2. Heat remaining 1/2 tsp oil in a saucepan or pressure cooker and add chicken. Sear until golden brown on all sides.

3. Add enough water to cover the meat and cook on low heat until very tender (15 minutes in the pressure cooker; about 35 minutes in a regular pan, partially covered). Add more water if necessary.

4. Remove chicken from pan, reserving the broth, and shred the meat.

5. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a saucepan, add onion and fry until translucent. Add garlic and fry until golden brown. Add tomato paste and fry for a few seconds, just to mix it with well with the other ingredients in the pan.

6. Add carrots, corn, peas, and zucchini and refogue on high heat for about 5 minutes, stirring every now and then.

7. Add chopped tomatoes and shredded chicken and cook, on medium heat, partially covered, until vegetables are tender and tomato is almost dissolved (about 10 minutes). Add reserved chicken broth as needed - there should be plenty of moisture in the filling, but it should not be watery or runny.

Batter:

1/2 cup whole milk

1 Tbsp butter, melted

2 large eggs

1/4 tsp salt

6-7 Tbsp all-purpose flour

vegetable oil for frying

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender until well mixed.

2. Heat a drizzle of vegetable oil in a 8-10 inch non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add about 1/8 of the batter to the hot pan (1/8 of a cup, approximately) in a steady stream, twirling the pan in the air as you pour to spread the batter evenly on the bottom of the pan.

3. Cook until the sides begin to curl up and the bottom is golden brown. Flip over and cook the other side until golden brown.

4. Repeat procedure, stacking the discs as you go, until all the batter has been used (you should have 6 to 8 panquecas, depending on the size of your frying pan).

Tomato sauce:

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp finely chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 16-oz can crushed tomatoes, or 4 ripe tomatoes, very finely chopped

1/3-1/2 cup chicken broth

2 Tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Heat olive oil in a saucepan. Add onion and fry until translucent. Add garlic and fry until golden brown. Add canned or chopped tomatoes, 1/3 cup chicken broth, salt and pepper to taste.

2. Cover the pan and cook, on medium heat, for about 15 minutes, stirring every now and then. Add more chicken broth, if necessary - the sauce should be thick enough just to stay on top of panquecas, not more.

3. Turn off heat and add chopped parsley.

Assembling:

2 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese

- prepared panqueca dough

- prepared filling

- prepared sauce

1. Depending on the serving size you want (bigger for stand-alone entrées, smaller when served with side dishes and/or a salad), divide the filling among panqueca discs and roll them up.

2. Place cylinders side by side on an oiled baking dish, or arrange them on serving plates (oven proof, if you’re going to reheat them) and pour some tomato sauce along the center, crosswise.

3. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake on preheat oven (375^oF) until cheese is melted and filling is heated through.

Yield: 6 large, thick to 8 medium, thinner panquecas (2 portions, if served straight, or up to 4 portions, if served with side dishes and salad)

Other filling suggestions: prepared ground or shredded beef or turkey; any combination of shredded, cooked vegetables (such as carrots, zucchini, yellow squash, corn, hearts of palm, peas); chopped / small shrimp cooked in tomato sauce; spinach and white sauce.

Gluten-free, delicious “pão-de-queijo mineiro”

2010-03-10T19:05:00.024-06:00

Pão-de-queijo (literally cheese roll) is an irresistible, addicting Brazilian comfort food: a treat to be savored at any time of the day. It is a very popular item in lanchonetes (more later) and padarias (Brazilian-style bakeries) all over the country, especially in the Southeast region - painted red in the map below. People have pães-de-queijo (plural) for breakfast, with coffee, as an afternoon snack, sometimes filled with different kinds of cheese (or other fillings), or at any time of the day they feel hungry and cannot or are not in the mood for a whole meal.

Pão-de-queijo can even be served as an accompaniment to main meals. When I was a child growing up in the country-side of Minas Gerais state (YES!!! I am “mineira”), people used to serve them at wedding parties with thinly sliced pernil (roasted ham) and maionese de legumes (Brazilian-style potato salad) - very “caipira”, and so so yummy!!!

“Caipira” (the same root found in the Brazilian national drink name, “caipirinha”) means “country person”, and/or “pertaining to the country-side”. People from Minas Gerais, or the mineiros (men) and mineiras (women), are known in Brazil as “the” prototypical country people, and there are many jokes and sayings about their proverbial cunning and shrewdness, as well as their cooking abilities.

Legend has it that the best and only authentic pão-de-queijo (the “mineiro” one) comes from the Minas Gerais state - the land of milk and cheese. The original recipe calls for polvilho azedo (“sour” manioc starch, sold in Latin markets as almidón agrio - see picture) and queijo da canastra, a tangy, flavorful, aged farmer’s cheese made with creamy milk from cows eating mainly grass and strolling freely in the pastures of this mountainous state (the picture below is from a farm in my home town, Guaranésia). Thus, to taste the authentic “pão-de-queijo mineiro”, you will have to visit Minas Gerais... (you won’t regret it, I promise!) But, for now, if you want a recipe to prepare a very similar one, here you are.

Actually, I decided to post two recipes here: one is an attempt to get as close as possible to the traditional pão-de-queijo mineiro (or, let’s call it “pão-de-queijo the hard way”). The second one, as I see it, is a recipe for the lazy (or not too versed) cook that does not care much for the tradition and/or does not have enough time to prepare the traditional, handmade one. It uses a blender and a different type of starch, the “sweet” one - polvilho doce (sold as almidón dulce in Latin markets).

One very important note: never ever attempt to bake pão-de-queijo in the microwave oven (I did, with terrible results!). On the other hand, they reheat very well in sandwich / panini makers, specially if you fill them with cheese!

Pão-de-queijo mineiro

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 1/4 cups whole milk

2 tsp salt (more or less, depending on the cheese mixture you're going to use)

1 lb (500 g) polvilho azedo (Brazilian sour manioc starch)

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup shredded queijo da canastra (or you can try a mix of 2 parts sharp cheddar cheese and 1 part mozzarella, or 1 part mozzarella and 2 parts parmesan cheese, or any other mix of melting, strong-flavored cheeses you like)

1. Combine oil, milk and salt in a sauce pan. Heat to just below boiling point (watch closely - when the mixture starts to rise, remove immediately from heat and use mixture in step 3).

2. Place the polvilho azedo in a large bowl.

3. Pour boiling mixture all over the polvilho azedo and, using a wooden spoon, start stirring the dough.

4. When the dough is cold enough to be kneaded by hand (but still hot), add eggs and cheese and knead until it is very sticky and elastic, about 15 minutes (you will need a spoon or scraper to get it off your hands).

5. Let the dough rest while you preheat the oven to 450^oF (it is very important that the oven is at high temperature when you bake the pães-de-queijo; if they start to get too brown on the bottom before getting golden brown on top, reduce the temperature a little bit).

6. Oil two large baking pans. Oil your hands with vegetable oil and form golf-sized balls with the dough (40-45). Place them 2-3 in apart in the pan, as they grow considerably when baked. (You can, at this point, freeze the balls and then store them in zip lock bags to bake them straight from the freezer at your convenience - they will take a little longer to get ready, though.)

7. Bake until puffed and golden brown (about 15 minutes). Serve hot.

Lazy cook pão-de-queijo

2 eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup whole milk

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, or a mix of mozzarella and parmesan cheese (or any other melting cheese you like, such as cheddar, gouda, etc)

2 1/2 cups polvilho doce (Brazilian sweet manioc starch)

1 tsp baking powder

1. Oil two 6-muffin pans (medium size). Preheat oven to 435^oF.

2. Beat eggs, oil, milk, salt and mozzarella together in a blender.

3. Add half cup of polvilho doce at a time and beat well after each addition. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides, if necessary. Add baking powder and pulse 2 or 3 times to mix well.

4. Divide mixture among muffin cups filling them about half way through (the dough expands a lot when baking).

5. Bake until puffed and golden brown. Serve hot.

Eita trem bão, sô!!!

“Refogar” - a quintessential technique in Brazilian cooking

2010-02-17T16:43:00.003-06:00

Nearly all Brazilian dishes start with a “refogado”, that is, chopped onion and/or garlic (see variations below) sautéed in vegetable oil - or some other fat - until golden brown. To this, the ingredients to be cooked are added and briefly sautéed before the addition of liquids (if any). It is that simple, but it can make a huge difference in the final dish. For example: it is this initial step that sets Brazilian rice apart from other rice cooking methods, giving the grains a chewier and firmer texture, as well as a sautéed onion flavor.

“Refogar” (the verb) can be the initial and, sometimes, the only cooking technique used to prepare a vegetable, as you will see from the recipes bellow. But most often it works as the “browning” step for braising (to cook food slowly in a small amount of liquid), a technique which is also widely used in Brazilian cuisine.

The secret to a good “refogado” is: i) chop all the ingredients about the same size, so they will cook uniformly; ii) add garlic (if using) after onion, as it browns much faster; iii) sauté onion, garlic, etc. until golden brown, over moderate to high heat, without covering the pan - to sweat them (cook slowly in fat without browning) will not produce the desired taste and appearance.

The fat of choice is, again, vegetable oil, although it was pork lard until a few decades ago, before vegetable oil became more readily available - very tasty, but not very healthy considering nowadays lifestyle. You can also use olive oil, butter (preferably clarified, so it will not get burned) and bacon drippings. Here are some other ingredients to include in your “refogado”:

chopped bacon (use less oil, add onion, etc. only after bacon is golden brown)
chopped scallion / green onions (add green parts after white ones, if using)
celery (finely chopped)
leek (sliced, white parts first)
green bell pepper (finely chopped, in small quantities)

Now, a couple of very simple recipes for you to try. They all pair well with Brazilian rice and beans and the protein of your choice (braised pork loin seasoned with salt, black pepper and lime juice, in this picture).

Abóbora refogada

(Braised Squash / Pumpkin)

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

3 Tbsp thinly sliced onion

1 tsp finely chopped garlic

3 cups 1-in cubed peeled pumpkin, butternut or acorn squash

1/2 cup water, approximately

salt and pepper to taste

2-3 Tbsp chopped parsley and/or cilantro

1. In a heavy pan, heat oil over medium heat.

2. Add onion and sauté for a few seconds. Add garlic and sauté until golden brown.

3. Add squash and sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

4. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add half the water, to start with, and stir well.

5. Lower the heat and cook, covered, adding more water if necessary, for 15-20 minutes, or until most of the water has evaporated and the squash is tender and begins to fall apart.

6. Right before serving, sprinkle with chopped parsley and/or cilantro.

Verdura refogada

(Sautéed Green Leaf Vegetable)

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 Tbsp finely chopped onion

1 tsp finely chopped garlic

4-5 cups finely shredded collard greens, or kale, or escarole, or mustard greens, or cabbage, or any other tough, green leaf vegetable

salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large, heavy pan, heat oil over medium-high heat.

2. Add onion and sauté for a few seconds. Add garlic and sauté until golden brown.

3. Add shredded vegetable and toss well so the onion and garlic are not in contact with the bottom of the pan anymore (or they will get too brown and become bitter).

4. Lower the heat, cover the pan and let cook for about 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally (or to the doneness of your preference - I like mine al dente). Add a few drops of water, if necessary.

5. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper (Brazilians would probably add pepper only to the cabbage) and serve.

Tip: if you are preparing cabbage, add 1 ripe tomato cut into wedges or cubed to the pan before covering it.

Bom apetite!

The "rice-and-beans" of Brazilian food

2010-02-08T20:00:00.009-06:00

Rice and beans are so important for Brazilian cuisine that when we say something is “o arroz com feijão” (the rice and beans) of something else, we mean “the basics”, “the foundation”. So, let me try and explain some of the most basic, general differences between Brazilian and North American eating habits and their food staples to start with.

Brazilians usually have three main meals a day - a light breakfast right after waking up, a substantial lunch between noon and 2 pm, and dinner around 7 or 8 pm - in general, lighter than lunch (a full size soup with bread, or a salad, or some pasta, etc).

For breakfast, most people have coffee (strong coffee!), or coffee and milk (called “média”, when it's lighter, or “pingado”, when it's darker), and “pão francês” (similar to a baguette, but smaller and with a softer center - see picture; I’ll write more about it later) with butter. Some people make the meal more substantial by adding some cheese and ham to it, but bacon, sausage and even eggs are regarded as lunch / dinner (or maybe brunch) items, not breakfast. A variety of fresh fruit and their juices, sometimes mixed with milk instead of water, may be consumed as accompaniments. And there’s also the “pão-de-queijo” (a savory tapioca starch roll with cheese)... But this is worth a post itself, so I’ll leave it for later.

For lunch, people usually have rice and beans, a small amount of protein (about 5 oz; beef, chicken and pork are the most popular meats), at least one cooked vegetable (frequently braised) - such as pumpkin, chayote, and broccoli, shown in the first picture of this post - and salad greens (lettuce, arugula, watercress), with tomatoes and/or other raw or cold additions, such as grated carrots or beets, hearts of palm, cucumber and sliced onion.

Well, this is the basic “rule” - which means there are countless exceptions. My point here is just to state that: i) rice and beans are the base of Brazilian cooking, and the preferred accompaniment to everyday meals, as opposed to, say, mashed potatoes in the U.S.; ii) although meat is an important part of the meal, it is usually consumed in smaller amounts. In a country where hunger has been an issue for so long, the “rice-and-beans” diet may have saved many impoverished people from starvation and even malnutrition, as rice and beans, when eaten together, constitute a high-quality, or complete, protein - containing the 20 essential amino acids.

Brazilian rice is prepared more or less like a pilaf, but the fat of choice is vegetable oil (a plain, flavorless one, preferably) - as you can see in the recipe below. Beans are mostly cooked in a pressure cooker with water only and, after that, seasoned with garlic and salt, among other things (later I’ll post the recipe for cooking beans in a pressure cooker; for now, check the recipe with canned beans).

There are many types of beans in Brazil - the largest consumer and producer of the legume in the world, with approximately 3.5 million tons harvested every year. The most popular beans are “feijão carioca / carioquinha” (similar to pinto beans), with 85% of the market, followed by black beans, with 10% (more common in Rio de Janeiro state, but mandatory in the preparation of the Brazilian national dish, “feijoada” - more soon!). The remaining 5% of sales are specialty beans, such as “jalo”, “fradinho”, “rosinha”, “bolinha”, “branco”, “verde”, “azuki” and “roxinho”.

Brazilian white rice

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon finely chopped onion

1 cup white rice (long grain)

2 cups cold water, approximately (preferably filtered)

1 tsp salt

- If rice is not pre-washed, rinse it until water is clear and let it dry in a colander before using. Beware that you’re probably going to use less water to prepare it in this case.

- Heat oil in a saucepan and add onion. Fry over medium heat until it is soft and translucent.

- Add rice. Fry, over medium heat, stirring constantly, until grains are whitish and chalky (grains start forming lumps).

- Add 1 1/2 cups of the water and the salt. Stir well. When it starts boiling, lower the heat and cook, partially covered, until water has almost completely evaporated.

- Add remaining water (less, if rice was rinsed) and continue cooking until all water has evaporated and the grains are cooked but slightly al dente (cooking will continue after you turn off the heat).

- Cover the pan, remove from heat and let stand for a few minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork before serving.

Brazilian beans

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon diced bacon (optional)

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 (16 oz) can pinto beans (or small black beans), cooked with salt only

1 cup water, approximately (preferably filtered)

salt to taste

1 tsp green onion or chives, finely chopped

- Place the beans in a colander and rinse in cold water until there’s no more frothing on top of the beans.

- Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add bacon, if using, and fry until golden brown.

- Add chopped garlic and fry until golden brown. Lower the heat.

- Add beans and, using the back of a spoon or ladle, smash some of the beans into a paste.

- Add about 1 cup of filtered water. Bring to a slow boil and cook until the broth is thick (heavy cream consistency) and brown colored - you might need to add a little more water. Season to taste with salt. Add chopped green onions or chives before serving.

Bom apetite!

Why I created this blog

2010-01-22T15:36:00.007-06:00

Since I first came to the U.S., in 1997 - to study English, after finishing a Bachelor’s degree in Linguistics at the University of Sao Paulo - I felt the urge for more information in English about Brazilian food and its gastronomic culture. I remember trying to cook my favorite recipes in Boston, MA (which has one of the largest populations of Brazilian immigrants in the U.S.), and trying to translate the recipes into English for friends at school. It was hard to find the ingredients, and even more difficult to locate proper equivalents for them and for the recipe’s processes in bilingual dictionaries.

From then on, I decided to dedicate myself to these two passions: languages and cooking. I became a translator of cookbooks and studied culinary translations and the terminology of recipes during my Master’s and PhD degrees in English. I’ve also published an English-Portuguese dictionary of culinary expressions with my academic advisor in 2008 (I’ll post more details about my professional and academic CV here soon). My love for food became so unavoidable that I am now a student of the Culinary Arts program at El Centro College, Dallas, TX.

I’ve decided to create this blog because, after all these years, despite the massive North American and worldwide interest in gastronomy in the last decades, and all of the information available on the web, to date, there are only a few books and websites on authentic Brazilian cuisine. Besides, not all of them are reliable and specifically aimed at non-Brazilian readers and cooks. Apparently, the world has “discovered” Latin American cuisine, but because (I guess) Brazil is a non-Spanish speaking country right in the middle of South America, it’s usually left out - although every now and then we see a TV show about “exotic” Brazilian food to the sound of good Cuban (!) music, or some other non-Brazilian music. So, I hope I can shed some light on those subjects with my posts.

Being a Brazilian myself, I may not be aware of some of the cultural and culinary differences between Brazil and the U.S. I beg you to ask me questions and to correct me if I don’t explain things adequately, or if my English sounds odd. And for the Brazilians that decide to follow this blog, please send me your comments and suggestions for themes to be addressed in future posts. Help me share the joy of our delicious food and culture with the English-speaking world.

I hope you all enjoy.

Sejam bem-vindos!