Serve 20
Pumpkin, Carrot and Ginger Soup
Ingredients
Onions - 0.5 kg
Olive Oil - q.b.
Fresh Ginger - q.b
Garlic - 100g
Celery - 2 sticks
Potatoes/Zucchini - 1 kg
Pumpkin - 1 kg
Carrots - 1 kg
TO SERVE
Cummins
Cream
Paprika
Pumpkin seeds
Crispy Smoked Ham (optional)
Parsley
Cooking Steps
1. In hot olive oil, saute chopped onions
2. When onions are soft, add chopped garlic.
3. Add chopped carrots, then pumpkin and potatoes.
4. Add water.
5. When vegetables are softly cooked, blend the mix in a blender with fresh grated ginger.
6. Serve with a drizzle of cream, olive oil, paprika, chopped parsley and, seeds or crispy smoked ham to give that crunchiness this soup deserves.
Serves 5
Caldo Verde
More than 500 years ago, Caldo Verde was just a lower class soup from the north of Portugal. Today, Caldo Verde is widely recognized as one of the portuguese finest traditional soups, across all social levels. According to CNN, it’s one of the best soups in the world.
Ingredients
onions - 2 medium
garlic cloves - 2
potatoes - 500 g
portuguese cabbage - 200 g
portuguese chouriço - ½
water - 1.5 L
Cooking steps
1. Cut the chorizo in thin slices.
2. Put slices in the oven at 150C for 10 minutes.
3. Slice the onions.
4. In a big pot with HOT olive oil, sauté the sliced onions.
5. When onions are light brown add garlic.
6. Add a bit of water and potatoes peeled and cut in small chunks.
5. Season with salt. Cook over moderate heat for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked.
6. Grind the soup with a blender until the potatoes are completely pureed.
7. Add finely sliced cabbage.
8. Boil the soup until cabbage is cooked.
9. Serve and add to each bowl a couple of chorizo slices.
Main course (serves 4 to 6)
Bacalhau à Brás
Bacalhau (cod) à Brás comes from Mr. Brás tavern, located in Bairro Alto, the man who led it to stardome. From Lisbon, Bacalhau à Brás conquered the world, reaching Macau, Asia. In Spain, this Portuguese delicacy appears on some menus as “Revuelto de bacalao à la Portuguesa” or as “Bacalao Dorado”. Although the origin is still uncertain, it’s a typical Lisbon dish, easy to make with a surprising taste and texture.
Ingredients
Onions - 3 medium
Garlic - 2 cloves
Shredded soaked cod - 600g
Shoestring potatoes - 400g
Eggs - 4 to 6
Parsley
Olives - 50 g
Cooking steps
1. In a small pan cook the cod, never letting it boil, for 3 to 5 minutes. Use as little water as possible.
2. Strain the cod, reserving part of the water and remove the bones.
3. In a bowl, lightly beat the eggs with a part of the cooked water (let it cool first).
4. Slice onions and sauté them in a large pan in hot olive oil.
5. When onions are soft and getting brown, add chopped garlic.
6. Let the pot cool a bit to avoid scrambled eggs, add the eggs and mix. We are looking for a creamy savoury custard.
7. Add half of the shoestring potatoes and let the potatoes soften a little.
8. When eggs are almost cooked, had the cod and the rest of the shoestring potatoes and olives.
8. Serve with parsley and a bit of olive oil.
Serves 5
This pear salad rocks
Ingredients
Rock Pear - 1 to ½
Goat cheese - 5 thin slices
Mix of salad greens
Olive oil - q.b.
Wall nuts - q.b.
Beetroot - 1 small
ORANGE & GINGER Vinaigrette
Dijon Mustard - 1 tbsp
Olive oil - 2 tbsp
Vinagre - 1 tbsp
Honey - ½ tbsp
Orange Zest - q.b.
Ginger - 1 or 2 tsp
Salt & pepper - q.b.
Cooking Steps
1. First, add all ingredients of the vinaigrette into a bowl and mix well. Reserve.
2. Slice pear in wedges or cut in cubes and sauté on a preheated skillet with a bit of olive oil, until golden brown.
3. Cut thin slices of the goat cheese and place them in an oven tray.
4. Use the blow torch to braise the cheese slices.
5. Grate the beetroot.
6. Before serving mix all ingredients with vinaigrette.
Serve 12 a 15
Braised Leek with Peas
Ingredients
Leek - 6
Garlic - 3 cloves
Rosemary or thyme - q.b.
Frozen peas - 200g
Olive oil - q.s.
Goat cheese - optional
VEGETABLE Stock
Leek leaves
Onions and Garlic
Peels and leftovers from other recipes
Cooking Steps
1. Discard the outer, darker, tougher leek leaves for the broth.
2. Cut each leek lengthwise and wash well.
3. Place the leeks in a pan, without crowding, and cover with the vegetable broth, in the pan. Cook 15 minutes until cooked through.
4. Remove the leek and add the peas. Cook until the vegetables are cooked.
5. Place the leek on a tray and toast with the torch.
6. Mix the peas, the leek with a little thyme or rosemary and season with olive oil.
BROTH
1. Brown the onion in hot olive oil.
2. Add the garlic.
3. Slice and add the leftover leek leaves.
4. Add leftover vegetables such as carrots, mushrooms, turnips, cabbage, etc.
5. Add boiling water and let it simmer.
6. Filter the broth.
Serves 25
Beetroot Hummus
Ingredients
Roasted/cooked beet - 1 big
Lemon juice - ½ a lemon
Salt and black pepper - q.b.
garlic cloves - 2
Tahini - 50g to 100g (start with 50 and add to taste)
Olive oil - 4 tbsp
Sesame seeds - q.b.
Cumins - q.b.
Cooking Steps
1. In a food processor add all the ingredients.
2. Mix at full speed until smooth.
3. Taste and correct flavours.
Serves 4 - 6
Octopus Risotto
Ingredients
Rice - 400 g
Onion - 1 medium
Garlic - 5 cloves
Octopus - 800 g
Olive oil - q.b.
Octopus stock - 1.5 L
Red wine - q.b.
Aromatic herbs - q.b.
Salt - q.b.
Pepper - q.b.
Dried tomatoes - q.b.
Cooking Steps
1. Heat the octopus stock and grill the octopus legs, in the oven, with olive oil and chopped garlic.
2. Sauté the onion - the onion must be chopped to the size of the grain of rice.
3. When onion has soften, add minced garlic.
4. Add the rice and stir gently for 1 minute.
5. Add red wine and stir.
6. When wine has completely evaporated, add stock little by little and keep stirring.
8. Repeat previous step until rice is creamy and cooked all dente.
9. Correct flavours.
Serves 16
Vegan Chilli
Ingredients
Red pepper - half
Garlic - 4 cloves
Onions - Half chopped
Chili powder blend - 25g
Ground cumin - 15g
Smoked paprika - 1 tsp
Tomatoes - 1 can of 400g
Tomato pulp - 200g
Water 400ml (plus more as needed)
Lentils - 150g dry
Beans - 2 can of 520g
Corn (optional) - 1 can 285g
FOR SERVING
Red pepper - half diced for serving
Chillis - 1 to 5
Onions - Half diced for serving
Cooking Steps
1. Heat a large pot over medium heat. with olive oil.
2. When oil is hot saute chopped onion and diced red pepper, stirring frequently until onion is soft.
3. Blend in a small food processor, fresh chillies, cumin, paprika, jalapeño, and garlic into a rough paste and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Use olive oil if needed.
4. Add tomatoes, tomato pulp, water, chilli paste and and stir to combine. Bring to a low boil over medium high heat.
5. Once boiling, add lentils and reduce heat to medium-low or low, so it’s at a gentle simmer. You want to see bubbles, but you don’t want it boiling.
6. Add the beans and let it cook for 30 minutes, or until lentils are tender.
7. As it’s cooking you may need to add more water if the mixture is looking too dry and the lentils aren’t submerged and stir occasionally.
8. If you want corn, add it when it's almost done.
8. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more chilli powder, cumin, salt, etc.
9. Serve with fresh jalapeño, cilantro, red onion and red pepper (optional).
Serves 4 - 6
Duck Risotto
Ingredients
Rice - 400 g
Onion - 1 medium
Garlic - 5 cloves
Duck - 400 g
Olive oil - q.b.
Duck stock - 1.5 L
Red wine - q.b.
Aromatic herbs - q.b.
Salt - q.b.
Pepper - q.b.
Chorizo - ½
Cooking Steps
EXTRAS
1. Peel and slice ½ chorizo.
2. Place chorizo slices in a oven tray and place it in the oven at 120 C for 20 minutes or until roasted.
RISOTTO
1. Put the duck stock to boil.
2. Separate duck meat from bones and reserve.
2. Sauté the chopped onions.
3. When onion has soften, add minced garlic.
3. Add the rice and stir gently for 1 minute.
4. Add red wine and stir.
5. When wine has completely evaporated, add stock little by little and keep stirring.
6. Repeat previous step until rice is creamy and cooked all dente.
7. Correct flavours.
8. Add duck meat and serve with roasted chorizo and balsamic vinegar.
Serve
Pumpkin Risotto
Ingredients
Arborio rice - 400gg
1 onion, finely chopped
Roasted pumpkin puree - 250g
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Vegetable broth
White wine q.b.
Parmesan - q.b.
Thyme leaves q.b.
Salt q.b.
Butter - 30g
white pepper q.b.
GARMENTS
Balsamic reduction
Toasted hazelnuts
Pumpkin seeds
Cooking Steps
1. Heat the vegetable broth.
2. Chop the onion to the size of the rice grains and sauté in hot olive oil until brown.
3. Add the garlic and, 1 minute after, add the rice and saute for a couple of minutes.
4. Add white wine and stir until completely evaporated.
5. Add two cups of vegetable broth to the pan and stir well until dry.
6. Place two more cups and repeat the procedure until the rice is cooked and "al dente".
7. Add the pumpkin puree, pumpkin cubes, butter and parmesan cheese and stir gently.
8. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.
9. Serve immediately and top with toasted hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds and balsamic reduction.
Serves 4 - 6
Pork Tender Loins
Ingredients
Pork tenderloin -1
Salt and black pepper - q.b.
Olive oil - 2 tbsp
Butter - 50g
Garlic minced - 4 cloves
Balsamic vinegar (optional) - 3 tbsp
Aromatic herbs like basil, rosemary or thyme
White wine - q.b.
Cooking Steps
1. Remove the silver skin from pork loins
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet on high heat. Add the tenderloin pieces and a rosemary sprig.
3. Mix all the herbs, spices, vinegar, butter and garlic in a small inox bowl.
4. Sear on all sides for about 5 minutes, turning the meat regularly using tongs.
5. When pork is roasted refresh with a bit of white wine and reduce heat. (cover the skillet for faster cooking process).
6. Let it cook for 8-10 minutes or until the required internal temperature of 65ºC.
NOTE: Pork is considered safe to eat when it has an internal temperature 65ºC. At this point, it will be medium-rare and quite pink. Don’t overcook the pork out of fear it might not be safely cooked.
7. Take the loins from the skillet, rub them with the aromatic mix and cover them with aluminium foil. Let them rest for 4 to 5 minutes.
8. Cut and serve.
Serves 5
Mushroom Risotto
Ingredients
Stock - 1.5L to 2L
Onions or shallots - 1 small
Garlic - 2 cloves
Mushrooms - 500g
Rice - 400g
Wine - q.b.
olive oil - q.b.
parsley - q.b.
salt - q.b.
Cooking Steps
1. Heat the vegetable or mushroom stock.
2. In another pan, sauté the finely chopped onion with olive oil.
3. When onion is caramelised, add minced garlic.
4. Add rice and give it some stirs
5. Pour over wine and stir till the alcohol evaporates.
6. Keep the pan over a medium heat and pour in one or two cups of mushroom stock stirring often, until the rice has absorbed all the liquid.
7. Continue adding stock and stirring until the rice is cooked.
8. Take the pan off the heat and add half a handful of chopped parsley leaves or other aromatic herb.
MUSHROOMS
NOTE: When the rice is 5 minutes from finishing start this process
1. Heat a frying pan.
2. When pan is hot, add mushrooms cut into desired shape.
3. Give them a few stirs to cook evenly
4. After 2 or 3 minutes add some olive oil, minced garlic and let it cook.
5. Add some herbs.
Serves 4
Spaghetti Nero di Sepia with Prawn Bisque
Ingredients
Black squid ink spaghetti - 250g
Olive oil - q.b.
Cherry tomatoes - 200g halved
Garlic - 5 or more cloves
Lemon juice and zest - 1 lemon
Shrimp or prawns - 250g
Basil/ Parsley - q.b. chopped
Carrots - 2 medium sliced
Celery - 1 stick
Onions - ½ chopped
Cooking steps
BISQUE
1. Remove shells and heads from prawns, reserving meat. Leave tails on.
2. Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add shells and heads and cook for 10 minutes until deep red brown.
3. Add chopped onions, garlic cloves with skin, chopped carrots, sliced leek, celery and bay leaves. Saute for 5 minutes or until brown, then pour rose wine to refresh the pan.
4. Add 0.75L of water and let it simmer for 30 minutes. Add more water if needed.
3. Remove from heat and strain through a fine sieve. Discard prawn shells and vegetables.
4. Bring sauce back to the boil, stir and simmer for 5 minutes until is reduced, creamer and flavours are good.
5. When the pasta is almost cooked, add raw prawns and cook until the shrimp are pink but still slightly rare.
TOMATOES
1. Slice the tomatoes in half and place them in an oven tray covered with vegetable paper. Drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil, minced and thyme, or other herb, and put them in the oven at 200 ºC for 15 minutes or more until blistered and roasted.
PASTA
1. Boil water in a pan, add salt and cook the pasta.
2. With pasta still uncooked, very "al dente" drain (reserve 1 cup of cooked water), drizzle over olive oil, and set aside.
3. Toss bisque sauce with prawns through pasta. If mixture is too thick, add a little of the cooking water to loosen.
4. Serve immediately along with tomatoes and basil.
Serves 25
Pasteis de Nata
Puff pastry and sugar syrup
Ingredients
SUGAR SYRUP:
sugar - 300g
Water - 150g
lemon peel - 4 slices
Cinnamon stick - 2
Cooking Steps
1. In a pan mix all the ingredients and let it boil WITHOUT stirring. Let the syrup reach 107C.
2. After reaching 107C put the syrup aside and let it cool.
CUSTARD TARTS:
- Open the puff pastry into the mold and fill it with ¾ of cream
- Put in the oven for 8 to 12 minutes at 250C or more if your oven reaches even higher temperatures!
Egg custard
Ingredients
Corn starch - 30 g
Flour - 30 g
Milk - 500 ml
Egg yolks - 6
Egg - 1
Cooking Steps
1. Dissolve the flour and starch with a bit of cold milk until you reach a cream without lumps. Mix the remaining milk and bring to boil (stirring ALWAYS).
2. After it starts boiling, let the cream boil for 2 minutes, ALWAYS stirring until thicken.
3. Add the sugar syrup to the cream slowly, mixing with the whisk to avoid lumps.
4. Let the cream cool for 10 minutes.
5. In a bowl mix the egg yolks and the egg.
6. After the 10 minutes have passed, add the mixed “eggs” into the cream and whisk (really well) with the whisker to incorporate everything.
Serves 24
Brownies
Ingredients
Flour - 120g
Sugar - 270g
Brown sugar - 270g
Butter - 510g
Dark chocolate - 270g
Cocoa powder - 30g
Eggs - 9
Cooking Steps
1. Heat the oven to 160ºC.
2. Melt the butter and mix the the chocolate.
3. Separately beat the eggs and sugar.
4. Add the butter and chocolate mixture, mixing slowly so as not to incorporate air into the mixture.
5. Sieve the flour and cocoa powder while adding to the mixture. Mix in slowly and do not over mix.
6. Cook about 20 minutes. The center should still wobble slightly when removed from the oven.
7. Allow to cool completely before cutting.
Serve 8
Overturned Snickers
Sometimes rules are made to be broken. Water is supposed to be chocolate's enemy, but here's the key to a surprisingly simple mousse to make, and since it doesn't involve cream, it has an intense, satisfying chocolate flavour and it's vegan.
Ingredients
Dark chocolate (70%) - 350g
Boiling water - 270ml
TOFFEE
Sugar - 100g
Cream - 150g
Butter - 25g
PEANUT CRUMBLE
Peanuts - 500g
Sugar - 280g
Water - 100ml
Salt - 1 pinch
Cooking Steps
1. Grate the chocolate in a bowl and add 270ml of boiling water.
2. With a whisker, mix until all the chocolate dissolves.
3. Place the bowl over an ice-water bath and whisk until the mixture starts to thicken.
4. As soon as you feel the mixture starts to thicken, remove the bowl from the ice-water bath and continue to mix until the mixture is smooth and firm.
COOKING TIP:
If the mousse is too firm, just place it in a bain-marie for a few seconds to loosen it.
TOFFEE
1. Make a caramel with the sugar.
2. Add hot cream.
3. Finish with the butter.
PEANUT CRUMBLE
1. In a pan put the water, sugar and a pinch of salt.
2. Mix and bring to a low heat, let it boil until the sugar melts and lightly browns.
3. Add smashed peanuts, mix well. Keep stirring until the sugar is golden brown.
4. As soon as it caramelizes well, turn off the heat and immediately pour the peanut butter onto a silicone mat or marble surface (or other cold, heat-resistant surface) greased with a little oil.
