Food Samba

Chicken Ballotine with Serrano Chile Balsamic Honey Vinegar Reduction

2012-02-24T08:49:00.001-08:00

There is nothing like a homemade meal for dinner! I haven’t been having much time to prepare homemade anything because I have been so busy with school, work and appointments and errands! But, one of my New Year’s resolutions – actually my only one – was to change this. So, lately I have been taking advantage of all the delicious meals I prepare at school, by practicing making them at home.

Recently, I was in “butcher station” at school. This consisted of butchering an endless amount of chicken, beef and lamb. In the midst of my butchering, I got a chance to prepare a chicken ballotine. I made it with a whole deboned chicken at school, but decided to make some at home with just the chicken legs – which is actually what a real ballontine is!

This may seem like an intimidating task, but trust me it is super easy and the results are so rewarding and beautiful! The deboning process is a little time-consuming, but it can be done the day ahead, marinated, and left in the fridge over night. You can watch this YouTube video with Jacques Pepin for a first hand look on how it is done. You also can get as creative as you'd like with the stuffing/filling. I stuffed mine with sausage, peppers, onions, carrots, and a little bit of breadcrumbs to hold it all together. And, for my sauce,I reduced some of Honey Ridge Farm’s Serrano Chile Balsamic Honey Vinegar. This was probably the simplest, yet delicious, sauce I’ve ever made. It turned out amazing - a little tangy, sweet and spicy! And, the best part about it is that it only contains two ingredients: honey vinegar and butter.

You can now get yourself some of the many flavors or Honey Ridge Farm’s honey at your local Whole Foods! And, you can always visit their website and browse some of their artisan products.

Serrano Chile Balsamic Honey Vinegar Reduction

1 cup Serrano Chile Balsamic Honey Vinegar
1 tbsp butter

Place honey vinegar in a small sauce pan. Over medium high heat, reduce vinegar by half. Add butter and stir until melted into sauce. Remove from heat.

Sauce should be thick, with a syrup-like consistency.

A Snowy Suprise & More on Honey Ridge Farms

2012-01-20T16:00:00.000-08:00

If you haven’t heard, much of Washington was blanketed with snow and ice for a few days. Some of us Seattlelites, like me, were prepared for only ONE snowy day. Little did we know that it would turn out to be a little more dragged out than we had expected.

After spending all of Wednesday inside – I HATE snow/cold – I developed a severe case of cabin fever yesterday. With a three year-old running around like a mad woman, I had had enough and decided I needed to face my nemesis. So, I toddled along nearly ten blocks of snow and ice to the grocery store, all along hoping not to be that idiot caught on the news falling on my behind. I hoped that preparing a delicious meal would cure my cabin fever and rid me of my funk. After making an amazing braised beef sandwich at school last week, I had a taste for steak drenched with a thick, green, garlicky, spicey sauce.

As, I was preparing my sauce, I think I got a little out of control while squeezing the lime and my sauce turned out to be a little more acidic than I intended. I then instantly remembered that I had done the same thing at school the other day – I may have some suppressed anger issues with lime – and my instructor told me to add a little bit of sugar to balance the acidity out. So, I reached for the sugar and to my horror, we were all out! But, just bellow my empty sugar jar, I spotted a jar of delicious Honey Ridge Farms honey crème. I figured honey is as sweet as sugar, so a put a dollop in my sauce. The result was a real surprise! The honey crème not only added a hint of sweetness to counter balance the acidity, but it elevated the sauce into something sugar wouldn’t have been able to, with an undertone honey taste!

The sauce turned out even better than the one I made at school. I would suggest using it on any type of meat, especially beef. It is quick and easy, you just throw the ingredients into the blender and voilà! Whether it is stuffed in pancakes, used in a savory sauce, or spooned into your mouth right out of the jar Honey Ridge Farms honey crème just will amaze you every time, so click here to get yourself some!

One more surprise before I sign off. Last week, I got the chance to speak with the owner of Honey Ridge farms, Leanne Goetz. Besides the fact that their products are of superior quality and delicious, I love the fact that they are a family business. Being a family business girl myself, I am all for supporting families working and building something together! Read bellow to learn more about Leanne, her family, the company and the beekeeping business:

FS: How did you get started in the honey/beekeeping business?

Leanne: I grew up with it – my father was a beekeeper for many years – running up to 4,000 colonies of bees. My father taught my son Ryan who is a fifth generation beekeeper in our family. We had uncles, cousins and grandfathers on both sides of my family that have been commercial beekeepers. . My father suggested I start selling my son’s honey at farmers market. That’s how we got started – selling honey at the local Farmers Market – we grew from there.

FS: Can you describe the beekeeping business to those of us that are not familiar with it?

Leanne: I’m not sure how much detail you want here but it involves caring for and maintaining the health of the bees, finding appropriate locations for the best honey production, and of course, pollination is a large part of beekeeping these days. Ryan is actually moving bees this month to California for the almond pollination.

FS: I see that your son, Ryan, is also involved in the business. I am a family business girl myself and love it! What’s your favorite part about running a family business?

Leanne: I like the freedom of having my own business. Ryan runs his business now separately and handles the beekeeping end of it. I work with the production of our honey products. My other two children are not involved in the business full time – one is working on her Master’s degree for early childhood education and my youngest son who is 13 only works in the summer with Ryan.

FS: Your company features a variety of different products, from honey crèmes to balsamic honey vinegar. Who creates these different products?

Leanne: I am the one that has created our product line. That’s what I like to do!

FS: What is your favorite Honey Ridge Farm product?

Leanne: Serrano Balsamic Honey Vinegar and Lemon Honey Crème.

FS: Can you describe how Honey Ridge Farm products are uniquely different from other honey-based products out there?

Leanne: We were the first to create Balsamic Honey Vinegar and have “pioneered” the product in the USA. We use only natural ingredients in all of our products. Our honey crèmes are made slightly different from the “traditional” method of creaming honey. Many other honey crèmes use artificial flavorings instead of real fruit in their products. Also, ours are more spreadable than most other creamed honeys. We also only use USA produced honey, therefore supporting USA beekeepers. We never import honey from other countries.

Thanks again to Leanne for taking time out of her busy schedule to answer my questions!

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Spicy Cilantro Honey Sauce

1 1/2 cups lightly packed cilantro leaves

2 tbsp coarsely chopped parsley

1 tbsp coarsley chopped garlic

1 tbsp Honey Ridge Farms Clover Honey Creme

3 tsp fresh squeezed lime juice

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine ingredients in a blender and puree.

*Disclosure: I was not paid any compensation for reviewing this product. All that was stated above was based on my sole opinion of the product

Cranberry Honey Crème Stuffed Orange Pancakes

2011-12-13T19:56:00.000-08:00

A few weeks back, I received a box full of honey crèmes from Honey Ridge Farms. I openly confess my love for honey, which should come as no surprise to you all knowing how enormous my sweet tooth is. But, these honey crèmes are not your average honey, honey. It’s thick and creamy (of course!) and has an outrageously loud honey flavor.

Honey Ridge Farms, located here in Washington State, is a boutique, honey-focus business that provides a variety of Grade-A honey-based products. The founder, Leanne Goetz, is part of an extended fifth-generation beekeeping legacy. Leanne develops and oversees the production of four honey-based product lines that are available for purchase worldwide.

I’ve been eyeing my honey crèmes for a while and, besides spooning some straight into my mouth here and there, haven’t had a chance to develop the perfect recipe for them. This last week though, was my last week of practicum for my first quarter of culinary school. I had a huge sanitation test on Tuesday and a stressful knife competency test on Friday. After acing my sanitation and doing an amazing job on my knife competency, I was finally able to get my creative juices flowing and decided to treat myself for the weekend. Sunday morning I made myself, and the family, some cranberry honey crème stuffed orange pancakes that were out of this world!

I’ve never made stuffed pancakes before, but this is definitely going to be a staple at our house now. The hint of orange in the pancakes was warm and comforting. And, orange and cranberry go perfectly together in my book. The zesty, fluffy pancakes filled with an ooey-gooey, luscious cranberry honey crème filling was the perfect for a winter morning breakfast.

Cranberry was just one out of seven flavors the lovely folks at Honey Ridge Farms sent me. So, stay tuned for money sweet and delicious recipes coming your way!

Check out Honey Ridge Farms Grade A, honey-based products here.

Cranberry Honey Crème Stuffed Orange Pancakes

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups milk

1/2 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice

2 eggs

3 tbsp melted unsalted butter, plus 1/2 tsp for frying

2 tbsp fresh orange zest

Honey Ridge Farm Cranberry Honey Crème

Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl.

Add milk, orange juice, eggs and melted butter and whisk to combine.

Heat a large griddle or nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Using a pastry brush, brush the 1/2 tsp of butter onto griddle/pan.

Ladle about 1/4 cup of batter onto the griddle/pan.

Add 1 tsp of cranberry honey cream and spoon a little batter over the honey to cover it.

Cook the pancakes until golden on bottom, about 1 minute.

Repeat with remaining batter and keep finished pancakes on a heatproof plate in oven.

Serve warm, with orange segments and warm maple syrup.

*Disclosure: I was not paid any compensation for reviewing this product. All that was stated above was based on my sole opinion of the product.

Cookies Across America

2011-12-12T12:57:00.000-08:00

This past Saturday, Denise and I had a super sweet morning! We were invited by All Recipes to go down to their Seattle headquarters and decorate cookies for their "Cookies Across America" campaign. Needless to say, Denise had a blast ~~licking~~ decorating cookies! There was a packed house and, as you can see from the pictures bellow, loads of beautifully decorated cookies. It's safe to say, All Recipes did a fabulous job of putting together a successful party!

Now, before you start feeling a bit jealous, we did not get to eat those gorgeous cookies. The Cookies Across America campaign is all about baking and sharing cookies with those less fortunate in your community. The campaign runs through the whole month of December, so even you still have time to "bake a difference" in your community.

Check out the Cookies Across America Meetup site to join a cookie exchange party near you or plan your very own cookie exchange with family and friends!

A special thanks to the All Recipes team for inviting me to participate in their cookie exchange and for teaming up with Taste of Home and Nestle to create this wonderful campaign!

Save a Turkey, Roast a Pig!

2011-11-28T15:36:00.000-08:00

First and foremost, I should start with a warning. What you are about to see is not for the faint of heart or animal lovers. If, by any chance, you do not condone the killing and cooking of animals, then please exit right now. But, if you are like me and don't really care unless it tastes good, you can go on...

piggie getting ready to roast

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. And, if you caught a glimpse of my family's celebration last year, you can see that we really make Thanksgiving our own. Although our dinner menu might seem really unique and exotic to you, since it is pretty much the same each each I've been getting a little tired of it. So this year I came up with the bright idea of roasting a whole pig! A suckling pig for Thanksgiving!

Stuffing - We used the same stuffing we use for turkey

The idea came to me when I was watching one of my guilty please reality shows. A handful of ladies set off on a drama-infused trip to Hawaii, where they had a luau. That's when I caught a glimspe of the suckling pig. I mean, I've seen one before but this time it was different - maybe it was all the drama, tears and catfightting that came along with it. Anyways, as my mouth was watering and my eyes dead-set on the juicy chunk of meat a light bulb went off! With Thanksgiving just around the corner, maybe I don't have to travel across the Pacific Ocean to get a bite! I recruited my mom and dad, went on a search for vendors and the rest is history!

Leitão a Pururuca

What always intrigued me about a suckling pig was it glistening skin. But, my dad wanted to try the pig "a Pururuca" , which is basically pouring hot oil over the skin so it fries and bubbles up and essentially become like pork rinds. Let's just say I'm glad I didn't stop him!

All in all, we had a wonderful and delicious Thanksgiving dinner! How was your dinner? What was your favorite thing on the table?

Dad frying up the skin

Catch a glimpse of my dad frying up the skin:

Being Thankful & a Pumpkin Flan with Walnut Crumble Crust

2011-11-21T13:18:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday, is just around the corner. There is something so amazing to me about a day consumed with family, friends and food. There are no costumes, no gifts, no stress. It is just a day, focused on the blessings of life and being thankful for all of them.

Ever since becoming a mom, I feel like I have been so much more awareness of the blessings in my life. My knowledge of how fragile life is has become much more intense. I take no person, thing or moment for granted. I am grateful everyday for my bubbly, happy, energetic 3 year-old diva,who started out in this world a 2lbs 15oz preemie and spent the first two months of life in a neonatal crib. I'm thankful for my boyfriend/partner/baby-daddy, who has loved me for seven years and is the most present, caring, supportive person in this world. I am thankful for my mom and dad for their unconditional love and support in all I do in life. I'm thankful for amazing friendships that I've had for many years and new ones that I continue to make everyday. I'm thankful for the talent and passion for cooking. And, I'm thankful for my blog, where I can share this passion with you all. I am thankful for so much, and what I've just shared with you is just a small fraction of it. I am grateful for these things in my life everyday, but I love that on the same evening most people in this country will take a moment to acknowledge their blessings.

As a token of my appreciation for you, my readers, I wanted to share one of my new favorite recipe for Thanksgiving. Last year, I shared with you all my family's traditional American-Brazilian Thanksgiving dinner. On the menu for the first time, was my pumpkin flan with walnut crust. It is my Latin twist on the all-time Thanksgiving favorite pumpkin pie. So, if you want to spice up your menu on Thursday, this is definitely it!

I wish you all a fabulous Thanksgiving dinner. This year, my family and I will be cooking something totally different! We are roasting a 37lbs. suckling pig! And, yes, I will be taking lots of pictures and sharing it with you guys. Now tell me, what is on your menu this year? Are you trying something new? Or sticking with your usual traditional dishes? Who's invited? Please share!

Pumpin Flan with Walnut Crumbe Crust

Flan:

1/2 cup granulated sugar

15oz can pumpkin puree

2 - 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
3large eggs
1 ½ cup whole
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
½ tsp vanilla extract

Crust:
2 cups chopped walnuts
2 tbsp butter
½ cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Flan:
To prepare caramel, add sugar in a heavy saucepan and cook over low heat. Cook until the caramel turns a medium amber. Pour into a " round cake pan, generously coating bottom and set aside.
In a food processor bowl, process all ingredients until well incorporated.
Pour mixture into the prepared cake pan.
Place pan inside large roastig pan and pour hot tap water into the pan so that it comes halfway up the sides of the cake pan.
Bake for about 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours, or until center is slightly jiggly but not wavy. Cool to room temperature. Evenly pour the walnut crumble crust on top and cover with plastic wrap.
Refrigirate for at least 3 hours.

Crust:
In a saute pan, over medium heat, combine all ingredients. Cook until brown sugar melts, about 3 minutes.

To unmold, run a knife around the inside edges to loosen it. Invert a round platter over the dish and turn them both over together.

Caldo Verde Cremoso - A Creamy, Lactose-Free Soup

2011-11-14T12:11:00.000-08:00

Have I mentioned to you all how much I am loving my culinary school experience? Seriously, for me to wake up at 7am and go to school for six hours all with a big smile on my face is incredible! And I don’t think I’ve ever aced every single test I’ve been given. EVER! It makes me super happy to know that I’ve made the right decision and am following a path that was destined for me. I also know that I am blessed to have made this discovery at such a young age.

Today when I came home from school I was in a mood for a creamy soup. I remembered a soup my mom used to make called caldo verde. Caldo verde is a traditional Portuguese soup made with collard greens, potato, and linguiça (Portuguese sausage). The soup is simple and has great flavors, but is really thin and brothy. Being that I was in the mood for something with a little more body and creaminess, I had the bright idea of making it a caldo verde cremoso—creamy caldo verde.

Since regular milk has been upsetting my stomach lately and I have family members that are lactose-intolerant, I chose to use Lactaid whole milk in my caldo. It transformed the usually thin soup into creamy, thick heaven—sans the upset stomach!

For my Caldo Verde Cremoso recipe and othe lactose-free recipes visit Moovision.

FoodBuzz 24x24: Fall Comforts with a Tropical Flair

2011-10-30T14:57:00.000-07:00

A few weeks back, Foodbuzz asked their featured publishers to send in a proposal for their October 24x24 event. I was thrilled to find out that I chosen to participate! October is one of my top five favorite months.When October comes, fall is officially amongst us. One of the things I love most about Seattle is that it has seasons – four, very distinct, seasons. Fall in Seattle brings along beautiful, vibrant colors and crisp, cool surroundings. There is nothing better than some homemade, comfort food with the family on a fall evening, which is what I want to share with you all today.

Although I do love fall, this year I feel a little gypped. Seattle decided to skip a season this year and that season happened to be summer. We got about five whole days of true 80+ degrees weather. And, it so happens that the hottest couple of days fell on the week my family and I took a vacation to California. So, when planning this fall comfort food menu, I wanted to bring a little bit of the much missed summery, tropical vibes to it.

Have you ever tried Kabocha squash? If you haven’t, you are truly missing out. It will make you leave all other squash and pumpkin behind and never look back. Kabocha is a Japanese winter squash and if you live in Seattle, Uwijimaya is a guaranteed place to get it. It’s not the prettiest squash on the outside, but its true beauty lies within its intense orange, meaty, sweet inside. I knew that when I chose to make a squash bisque, Kabocha squash would be headlining the show. I also added a hint of coconut milk, for that tropical, sitting-on-the-beach sensation and creamy, velvety texture. And, to tie everything in together, I served a crostini rubbed with ginger-butter. When dipped into the sweet, silky soup, it left a spicy hint of ginger.

For the main entrée, I chose to do my tropical version of pot roast, mashed potato and gravy. Nothing is more comforting that steak and potatoes, right? Wrong! Mashed plantains are the new “black”, so toss out those boring ol’ taters and indulge yourself in a sweet, fruity version of the conventional mashed potatoes.

You want to make sure that you buy the ripened plantains. The one that is soft with a dark brown, almost black peel. They are sweeter and tenderer, which makes for perfect mashed plantains. The green ones are starchier and not as sweet. They hold their shape better, so they are great for frying up. I thinly sliced the green ones and fried them up for decoration and to add a little bit of texture to the dish.

I seasoned my pot roast with salt, black pepper and ground cumin and braised it in a typical Brazilian refolgado: onion, garlic, curly parsley tomato paste and stock. Added a couple of bay leaves for good luck, and depth and richness, of course, and let simmer away for about three hours. The results were a flavorful,tender, moist piece of meat.

Being that we had the sweet and savory side covered, I thought a little spiciness could only add to the party. So, I added some Serrano peppers to the juicy sauce from my roast, thickned it with little corn starch and cream for a kicked-up gravy. The trio of flavors was unbelieveable and certainly not overpowering. Each flavor and component was brought out by the other.

For dessert, I experimented making papaya crisp. I had never made this before. In fact, I had never even made the traditional apple crisp before. After googling around for a basic starting point, I decided that it was a relatively easy dessert to make. I peeled, deseeded and cut my papaya into small cubes. Then, seasoned it with an itty-bitty, hint of cinnamon and sugar – I wanted the papaya flavor to be very distinct and dominant. The top crust was your typical crisp topping containing: brown sugar, butter, flour and oats. I baked the papaya crisp in individual ramekins (remember, I don’t like sharing when it comes to desserts) and topped them off with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Pure goodness! If you want to impress your family and friends this holiday season with a unique version of a dessert they love, this is it!

Menu

Sopa de Abobora Kabocha com Leite de Coco e Torrada de Gengibre

Kabocha squash and coconut milk bisque with a ginger-butter crostini

Lombo com Banana da Terra MachucadaPimenta Serrano

Braised pot roast with mashed plantain and Serrano pepper gravy

Tortinhas de Aveia e Mamão

Papaya crisp

Papaya Crisp

Filling:

1 ripe papaya, peeled, deseeded and cubed smallTopping

¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp sugar

Topping:

½ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup brown sugar
Pinch of salt
3 tbsp unsalted butter
¼ cup regular oats

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine all filling ingredients and distribute into 4 8oz ramekins.

In a bowl, mix flour, brown sugar and salt.

Blend butter in until it forms little pea-sized lumps.

Add oats.

Sprinkle topping over filling.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until topping is golden brown.

Served a la mode with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration Part II: Cuban Ropa Vieja & a Giveaway

2011-09-30T15:20:00.000-07:00

During part one of my Hispanic Heritage Month celebration, we explored the cuisine of Colombian and made some fancy-schmancy arepas de queso. This week we are moving on to Cuba! I have always been fascinated by Cuban culture, not only the cuisine. I find it so similar to Brazilian culture, more than other Latin countries.

As I ventured to find a cookbook that would not only have authentic Cuban recipes, but also delve into Cuban culture, I found Memories of a Cuban Kitchen. In this cookbook, the late author Mary Urrutia Randelman tells a romantic story about her early childhood in Havana in the 1950’s and her unforgettable and overwhelming move to Miami. Reading her story, I couldn’t help but feel an emotional connection with her, as I too moved to the US at an early age and experienced similar situations she describes. Besides sharing her personal family story, Mary explains the diverse cuisine of Cuba, complete with a glossary of Cuban ingredients.

Cuban food is mostly known for its pork dishes. Unfortunately, Mike isn’t a fan of pork and, unless its bacon or barbecued ribs, I usually pass on the pig. So, I decided to make the popular Cuban dish, Ropa Vieja. The name of this dish translates to “old clothes”. And, trust me, although the name is not very appetizing, this meal is a knock-out and was perfect for the chilly, beginning-of-fall weather we’ve been having in Seattle.

The portion in the book yields about 6 to 8 servings. Being that there are only two and a half of us at home, we had plenty of leftovers. I don't know about you, but I almost always find that the next day's leftovers are even better than the day you made it! This was definitely true for the ropa vieja - the tender ribbons of beef soaked up the hearty, tomatoey sauce and had even more flavor!

I will be giving away a copy of Mary Urrutua Randelman’s book Memories of a Cuban Kitchen to one of my lucky reader! So, if you want to explore the amazing cuisine of Cuba this is what you need to do:

How to enter:

-Must be a Food Samba follower (the follow button is on the right sidebar.)

-Leave me a comment answering any of the following: What's your favorite comfort food? Have you ever tried Cuban food? Ropa vieja? What did you think?
*Make sure your comment links back to an email address or provide me with your email so I can contact you if you win!

+1 Point:
Like Food Samba on Facebook. Leave me a separate comment saying you did this.

+1 point:
Follow Food Samba on Twitter, RT the following:

“Win the cookbook, Memories of a Cuban Kitchen, via @foodsamba, as part of a month-long series celebrating #HispanicHeritageMonth :http://bit.ly/qKnBZH ”
Leave me a separate comment saying you did this.

*Giveaway closes Friday, October 7th at noon PST. I will be choosing a winner at random, through random.org. The winner will be contacted through email.

Ropa Vieja
from Memories of a Cuban Kitchen

2 1/2-lb. flank steak, cut in half
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup pure Spanish olive oil
1 large onion, cut in 1/2 and each half thinly sliced
1 large green bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
2 to 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cups drained and chopped canned whole tomatoes, or prepared tomato sauce
1/2 cup sherry
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup finely chopped drained pimientos, for garnish
1/2 cup drained canned early sweet peas, for ganish

Place beef and one bay leaf in a large saucepan, cover with salted water, and cook over low heat, covered, until the meat is tender, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove meat from the stock (save the stock for another use), allow to cool at room temperature, then cut the meat into 2-inch chunks.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the oil over low heat until fragrant, then cook the onions, bell pepper, and garlic, stirring, or until the onions are tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes, sherry, and the remaining bay leaf, and cook, uncovered, an additional 15 minutes.
When the meat is cool, shred it with your fingers, season with salt and pepper, add it to the tomato mixture, cover, and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaves, garnish with the pimientos and peas, and serve with rice.

Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration Part I: Colombian Arepas & a Giveaway

2011-09-15T14:20:00.000-07:00

For the last couple of days I have been researching a touchy subject: Are Brazilians Hispanic, Latino or both? After much debate and research, my answer has been narrowed down to: Brazilians are Latino, but not Hispanic. The deciding factor was that, technically, the term Hispanic is used to describe someone or something relating to Spain or to Spanish-speaking countries. Brazilians are Lusophones, in other words “Portuguese-speaking”. This discovery kind of bummed me out. Why, you ask? Well, today just so happens to be the first day of a month-long (September 15th – October 15th) celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. So, does this mean I don’t get to celebrate with my fellow Latina sisters, just because Brazil is the only non-Spanish speaking country in Latin America? Absolutely not!

I may not come from a Spanish-speaking country but, I feel like I need to celebrate this month. Apart from the language factor, I believe that all Latin American countries have a great deal in common. One specific common factor we all share is food. Not only do some of our foods have a trace of similarity, but our food culture is very unique. Everything happens around food!

So, in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month I invite you to learn a little bit more about a couple of my Latin neighboring countries that are certified“Hispanic”! From now until October 13th, I will be hosting a three-part series featuring a Hispanic recipe from a cookbook, which I will then be giving away! So, let’s get right to it. The first country we will be exploring is, Colombia!

Colombia, while being one of Brazil’s neighbors, was pretty foreign to me. When it came to Colombian cuisine, I had no idea what a typical dish was. So, on a quest to find more information, I came across Secrets of Colombian Cooking. This cookbook had lots of great reviews, so I decided to buy it and further explore the cuisine of Colombia – boy am I glad I did! This book, by Patricia McCausland, is full of knowledge. The recipes are detailed, ingredients described thoroughly, and stories of Colombian cuisine are told.

After much debate on what recipe I would share with y’all today, I decided to make arepas de queso. Patricia described these as little breakfast snacks made of cornmeal, butter and cheese. But, what got me hooked into this one was her suggestion of serving it as hors d’oeuvres with sour cream and caviar! Ummm, yes please!

Arepas are to Colombians what pao de queijo are to us in Brazil. Enjoyed as breakfast or as a snack, simple to make and found at just about every corner kitanda. Patricia’s recipe for arepa de queso, is a more modern, less labor-intensive version that she describes as being popular in homes of Colombian cities. You will find the recipe from Secret of Colombian Cooking for arepas de queso bellow.

Now, I’ve got some fabulous news for you! I contacted Patricia, the author of this wonderful book, and was able to have a quick Q&A with her! She graciously agreed to answer some questions about herself and Colombian cuisine:

FS: Tell us a little bit about yourself - what is your background and when did you find an interest in food?

Patricia: I have been interested in cooking since a very young age, as my mother had a pastry shop in our house. I started working after schools and weekends at the age of 13.

FS: In Brazil, feijoada is dubbed the "national dish". Does Colombia have a national dish?

Patricia: Our national food would be sancocho, even though it is prepared slightly differently in different parts of the country. Colombia, like Brazil, is made up of the mixture of Black, European and Native communities and therefore we have a bit of each in our traditional foods. Sancocho is a soup served with many kinds of meat, poultry and seafood, all together or separately depending on the area it is made. It is commonly cooked with plantains, roots and tubers, luke, yucca, name, arracacha, and potatoes.

FS: Can you describe Colombian cuisine and share with us the reason you chose to right a book about it?

Patricia: I chose to write book about Colombian food after I reached the age of 40 and was transferred from Colombia to Panama with my husband. I decided I wanted to write after working more than 20 years in the bakery business. Our food is as diverse as our territory and so, I wanted to leave a heritage to my girls, now leaving their country as young children.

FS: I know with Brazilian cooking, there are some ingredients that are hard to find locally in the States. Is this the same with Colombian cuisine? How can the average home cook get around that?

Patricia: In the States there are many Latino food markets around large cities, and for smaller ones the Internet is very valuable. Food stores that carry natural and organic foods also carry many Latin ingredients and fresh produce.

To learn more about Patricia and to see her in action in the kitchen subscride to her YouTube,

And the post keeps getting better and better… I am giving away a copy of Patricia’s book, Secret of Colombian Cooking, to one of my lucky readers!

How to enter:
-Must be a Food Samba follower (the follow button is on the right sidebar.)
-Leave me a comment answering any of the following:Have you’ve ever had Colombian food, if yes what did you have and how was it? If not, would you like to? What other Hispanic cuisine are you curious to learn more about? How are you celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month?
*Make sure your comment links back to an email address or provide me with your email so I can contact you if you win!

+1 Point:

Like Food Samba on Facebook. Leave me a separate comment saying you did this.

+1 point:

Follow Food Samba on Twitter, RT the following and leave me a separate comment saying you did this:

“Win a copy of Secrets of Colombian Cooking via @foodsamba, as part of a month-long series celebrating #HispanicHeritageMonth : http://bit.ly/pjnE9E ”

*Giveaway closes Wednesday, September 28th at noon PST. I will be choosing a winner at random, through random.org. The winner will be contacted through email.

Arepas de Queso
From Secrets of Colombian Cooking

1/3 cup precooked white cormeal
1/3 cup warm water
2 tsp butter, soft
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 pound grated white farmer's cheese
Oil or butter for cooking

Place the cornmeal, water, butter and salt in a bowl; mix with your hands for about 30 seconds until it has taken the consistency of a paste. Let it rest 5 minutes. Knead with your hands about 1 more miute until a ball of dough forms.

Make an indentation in the ball with your hand, add the cheese and kneadd 1 minute more. Divide and form into 4 small balls.

Place the balls between 2 sheets of plastic and with a havy pan or pot cover flatten to the thickness you desire, from 1/4 to 1/2 inch.

Melt 1/4 tsp of butter in a pan and set over medium heat. Place the arepas in the pan, and cook about 2 minutes on each side until they have a golden color.

Vovó's (Grandma's) Cold Remedy: Canja de Galinha

2011-09-10T10:57:00.000-07:00

How was your Labor Day weekend? Mine was amazing! I went camping for the first time ever – well, besides my 5th grade camping trip to Ft. Flagler ages ago. The familia and I went to Lake Chelan, in Eastern Washington. We spent the holiday weekend boating, barbecuing and making s'mores. And, when it was time to get back to real life, Chelan sent me home with a parting gift: strep throat!

For the past couple of days, I have been in bed, barely able to open my mouth. I finally woke up yesterday feeling a little better with just a little tingle of a sore throat and a persistent cough. So, I mustered up enough energy in me and pull out one of Vovó's old trick to kicking colds to the curb: canja de galinha.

Move over chicken noodle soup, canja de galinha is all one’s soul needs to be soothed and set on the road of recovery. The light, flavorful tomato paste and chicken broth is filled with chicken, rice, potato and carrots. Like the admired American version, canja de galinha is believed by many Brazilians to be a healing soup. And, besides being flavor-packed, it’s simple and easy to make. This makes it perfect for your kitchen illiterate partner to prepare this for you when you are in bed sick.

What are your favorite cold/sickness remedies? Do you have a favorite chicken soup recipe for when you’re under the weather?

Canja de Galinha

2 tbsp olive oil

1 small yellow onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 chicken breast, cubed

1/2 cup parsley, chopped

1 tbsp tomato paste

1/3 cup jasmine rice

3 cups water

4 cups chicken stock

1 medium carrot, cubed

1 red potato, cubed

Salt

Pepper

1/4 tsp ground cumin

In a large sauce pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Bring heat up to medium high and add chicken breast and sear for 4-5 minutes. Add parsley and tomato paste and cook until tomato paste is well incorporated. Add rice and saute for about 2 minutes. Add water and cook for 10 minutes. Add chicken stock carrot and potato. Season soup with salt, pepper and cumin. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until veggies are cooked through and soup has reached desired thickness, about

Feijoada: Featured on Flanboyant Eats

2011-09-05T08:36:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday, everyone - and happy Labor day! The fam and I are headed to Lake Chelan to go camping this morning. But, before we hit the road I wanted to share some exciting news. Today I am being featured on my girl Bren's fabulous food blog, Flanboyant Eats , as part of her "All Around Latin America" round up in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month! So, if that tantalizing picture up there has your mouth watering, head on over to Flanboyant Eats to learn more about this Brazilian national dish and my recipe for it!

Fried Hearts of Palm with a Spicy Coconut Sauce

2011-09-01T10:50:00.000-07:00

Hearts of palm, or palmito, is a very popular ingredient in Brazilian cuisine. As you can probably tell from the name, it is a vegetable that comes from the inner core of certain types of palm trees. They are skinny, white tubes with a very blunt, tangy, artichoke-like flavor and tender, velvety texture. In Brazil, we eat them in salads, by themselves, as well as cooked in hot dishes.

I love palmito in any form, but especially cooked! During my last visit to Brazil, my family and I visited restaurant that served Brazilian-style crepes. I ordered a crepe filled with shrimp and palmito in a coconut sauce. It was amazing! And since then, I have never been able to get the flavor out of my mind. This fried palmito with spicy coconut sauce recipe is a play on that crepe dish I had. The flavor combination is a match made in heaven. The warm and juicy hearts of palm, soaked in the sweet and spicy, silky coconut sauce, marry together perfectly creating samba party explosion in your mouth!

Fried Hearts of Palm

Canola oil, for frying

1 jar hearts of palm (5 sticks/tubes)

1 egg

1 cup plain bread crumbs

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

Pour enough oil into a large frying pan to \reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat until it reaches 350 degrees F.

Working gently, pat the hearts of palm dry with a paper towel and cut in half.

Stir the bread crumbs, salt and pepper in a bowl to blend. Whisk the eggs in another small bowl. Gently dip the hearts of palm in the egg to coat completely and allow the excess egg to drip back into the bowl. Coat the hearts of palm in the bread crumb mixture, patting to adhere and coat completely.

When the oil is hot, fry the hearts of palm until they are golden brown, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried hearts of palm to paper towels and drain.

Spicy Coconut Sauce

1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 cup coconut milk
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

In a saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and sweat until they become translucent. Add tomato and cook mixture for 2-3 minutes. Add coconut milk, cayenne, salt and pepper and let mixture simmer until sauce thickens, about 4-5 minutes.

Parmesan Pound Cake Topped with Doce de Leite Whipped Cream

2011-08-18T09:39:00.000-07:00

Ever since we started serving romeo & julieta, a guava paste and cheese dessert, at the restaurant, I have been obsessed with eating cheesy dessert. Does that not sound appetizing to you? Trust me, there is nothing like combining salty, savory cheese with sweets! This week, I decided to give my tummy a break from romeo & julieta and revamp my Parmesan Pound Cake.

I hadn’t made this cake in over a year. I had my recipe saved, but I wanted to tweak it a bit. The last time I made it, it came out with an amazing texture and a very noticeable and complementing Parmesan flavor. This time, I decided to add shredded Parmesan instead of grated Parmesan. Surprisingly, it turned out to not really make too much of a difference texturally, but did kind of bring the Parmesan flavor down a notch. So, from now on I’m sticking to grated Parmesan.

I did, however, hit a home run by topping it off with a luscious doce de leite – aka dulce de leche – whipped cream! In Brazil, we have a little dessert/pastry called queijadinha, which was brought over to us by the Portuguese . It's made with cheese, coconut and condensed milk. I wanted to mimic the flavors or the queijadinha with this. I don't know why I didn't think of this the first time I made this Parmesan pound cake!

Bellow is the recipe for the Parmesan pound cake. I've adjusted the recipe bellow to feature grated Parmesan, since I think that that works best!

Parmesan Pound Cake

1 stick unsalted butter

1/4 cup vegetable shortening

1 1/2 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 cup flour

1 cup corn starch

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cream butter and shortening together in a mixer.

Add sugar, a little at a time.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each one.
Stir dry ingredients together in a bowl and add to mixer alternately with milk.
Pour into a greased and floured tube pan and bake for about 30-45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Guava BBQ Chicken Wings

2011-08-03T22:05:00.000-07:00

I think it's safe to say that summer has finally arrived in Seattle. And, of course, the hottest day (hottest meaning almost 80 degrees) of the week is the day that we are going on our first family road trip to California. Our first stop is Aptos, CA, for Mike's family's annual family reunion. Then, we will be heading down to L.A., where we'll be taking Denise to Disneyland!

Before we hit the road, I wanted to leave you all with a new recipe I recently tested, which was a huge success! I had a can of guava paste in my kitchen and was getting bored of just eating it with a slice of cheese or with creme de leite. So, after a little brainstorming, I figured that guava paste had the perfect consistency for makings of a delicious and exotic BBQ sauce.

I don't mean to toot my own horn but...... "toot-toot"! I really nailed it with this one guys! The sauce was amazing and super flavorful - sweet, tangy, with a little kick of spice at the end. It was perfect on the chicken wings, but I'm betting it would be perfect with just about anything - shrimp, ribs, and/or beef. I served it with some Brazilian-style potato salad, which I will be sharing with you all sometime in the near future!

Guava BBQ Sauce

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup chopped onions

1 clove minced garlic

8 oz guava paste

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp tomato paste

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon cayenne

2 cups water
1/4 tsp ground cumin

Salt

Black pepper

In a medium sauce pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and sweat until onions become translucent. Add garlic and cook for about a minute. Add the remaining ingredients. Reduce heat to low and maintain a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half or to desired thickness.

A Trip to NYC, a Giveaway & a Recipe!

2011-07-24T16:15:00.000-07:00

About to present my dish to the judges!

Happy Sunday!

A couple of weeks ago, I was chosen as one of five finalists to participate in a “toast-off” for I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! The lovely people from ICBINB! flew me out to NYC to recreate my chosen recipe, Garlic-Shrimp and Mango Salsa Crostini at the Unilever test kitchen. Besides being terrified of the 6 hours flight, I was ecstatic about this exciting opportunity!

Having a blast, watching Chef Norma Jean's demo! Photo Courtesy of Cheeky Kitchen

Before flying to NYC, I, like any other serious competitor, decided to size up my competition: Bren from Flanboyant Eats, Brooke from Cheeky Kitchen and Fiona from A Boston Food Diary. After glancing at each ladies’ toast-off recipe, I knew I was up for a big challenge!

Preparing my quick-fire challenge dish, avocado-marscapone spread on chocolate toast!

After arriving in NYC, getting some sightseeing and shopping out of the way, we headed to the Unilever test Kitchen. There, we were greeted by Chef Norma Jean, who demoed some of her fabulous recipes for ICBINB!, which can be found here. The demo was followed by a delectable lunch prepare by Chef Norma Jean and her staff.

When lunch was over, we were all ready for a nap. But, our laziness didn't last for too long... We were surprised with a "quick-fire" challenge and told that the winner would win extra points towards their "toast-off" score!

Getting ready to present my quick-fire challenge dish to the judges!

I quickly spotted some avocados sitting on top of the counter and decided to pair it up with the chocolate bread I had gotten earlier during our morning brunch. I made a creamy avocado and mascarpone cheese spread. Even though, I got plenty of compliments and the avocado spread was gone quicker than I could say "butter", I didn't take the win.

Brooke, me, Bren, and Fiona. Courtesy of Cheeky Kitchen

Then, came time to prepare and present our toast-off recipes. I was the last to present to the judges. After huddling in a room for about ten minutes, they came back and announced the winner, Brooke and the Girlfriend Toast! Her simple and delicious spread had won her the title of "Toast Ambassador" and a hefty cash prize. But, as you can see from a the pictures, there were no sore losers. We all were truly happy for Brooke, for the experience we had on our NYC trip, and for getting the chance to meet each other!

My 'Toast-Off' dish, Garlic Shrimp and Mango Salsa Crostini

Now, for some exciting news...

First and foremost, my Garlic Shrimp and Mango Salsa Crostini recipe can now be found on Food Network's website! How cool is that? Just knowing that my recipe is up there mingling with the Stars' recipes puts a smile on my face! Pinch me!

Second, I've got a chance for y'all to win some cool prizes. I Can't Believe It's Not Butter is offering you a chance to win a special kit that will help you recreate my recipe at home!

Here's what you'll get:

· Spreader and set of four herb jars
· Simply Calphalon Non-Stick 12" Covered Fry Pan
· Nonslip Bamboo Small Cutting Board
· Avignon Serving Platter

Now, I know you're dying to make these crostinis at home so here's how to enter:

- Must be a Food Samba follower (the follow button is on the right sidebar).
- Leave me a comment telling me about your go-to appetizer and/or dish when for entertaining and how you could incorporate I Can't Believe It's Not Butter in it! (Make sure your comment links back to an email address or provide me with your email so I can contact you if you win.)

+1 point:
Like Food Samba on Facebook

+1 point:
Follow Food Samba on Twitter and RT the following:
"I just entered a chance to win a #ICBINB cooking kit on @FoodSamba."

Giveaway closes on Monday, August 1st at noon PST. The winner will be contacted via email.

With the winner, Brooke, and her bread bouquet!

Avocado-Mascarpone Spread

1 small avocado

1/4 cup mascarpone cheese

1 tbsp sugar

Cut avocados in half. Remove seed. Scoop out avacado from the peel, put in a mixing bowl.

Using a fork, mash the avocado.

Add mascarpone cheese and sugar and mix until everything is well incorporated.

Cumin Spiced New York Steak with Brazilian Black Beer Glaze and Mashed Yucca

2011-07-21T15:29:00.000-07:00

Have you ever tried Brazilian black beer? If you haven't, you need to put it down on your to-do list now!

I've been eyeing the Xingu beer we serve at the restaurant for a couple of weeks now. Not only is it enjoyable to drink (which is not something I usually say about beer), I knew it would be great to cook with. Xingu is classified as a larger.and is surprisingly light and sweet with a cola-like taste.

For my first time cooking with Xingu, I decided to transform it into a glaze. I sweat some shallots in a sauce pan, added some garlic, thyme, brown sugar ( just a touch, since the Xingu is pretty sweet already) and the Xingu beer. I let it simmer over medium heat until it reduced by half.

I bought a nice piece of bone-in New York steak and rubbed it down with salt and my secret stash of pimenta cuminho - equal parts of toasted and ground black pepper and cumin - which, of course, is an essential Brazilian spice. After searing both sides of the steak, to lock in the flavor and give it a wonderful caramel-colored crust, I popped it in the oven until it was cooked to my liking.

I decided to serve the steak and black beer glaze with a simple mashed yucca. I really wanted the flavors of the steak and glaze to be the star of the show!

The glaze turned out absolutely fabulous! It added depth and complex flavors to this dish. The tidbits of garlic and shallots that had sucked up all the bold and sweet Xingu flavor were my favorite part!

Brazilian Black Beer Glaze

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 small shallot, chopped

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped

1 tsp brown sugar

1 bottle of Brazilian black beer

In a sauce pan over medium heat add oil and sweat shallots 2 to 3 minutes then garlic and cook until translucent. Add thyme leaves, sugar and beer and let simmer. When sauce has

reduced by half, remove from heat and it's ready to serve.

Cachorro Quente: Brazilian-Style Hot Dog

2011-07-14T16:27:00.000-07:00

For some reason, we Brasileiros love to make everything our own. One of my favorite Brazilian-style foods has got to be our savory and saucy hot dog. I remember always wanting my mom to make it for me as a kid.

When I came to the US, I was highly disappointed with the dull version of a hot dog. It took me a while to get accustomed to a slab of grilled, unseasoned sausage on top of a cold roll, slathered with ketchup and mustard. But now, I’ve got to admit, you might see me in line for a Costco hot dog every now and then...

In a Brazilian-style hot dog, we cook the dogs in a flavorful tomato sauce, filled with onion, peppers, and spices. But, we don’t stop the lovin’ there. We toast the rolls with butter until lightly golden, and then spread some mayonnaise on it. After assembling the dogs and sauce on the rolls, we top it off with some grated parmesan cheese and...ta-da!.....best hot dog of your life!

Now, you may find that some Brasileiros, go even further and add other stuff onto their hot dog like, corn, peas, carrots, hard-boiled eggs, and potato straws. I prefer the simpler version, but you're welcome to experiment adding the extra ingredients! What do you think? Do these have what it takes to take over and make you forget about your grill?

Cachorro Quente

2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 small green pepper, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup tomato sauce
1cup water
1 packet beef franks (8)
8 hot dog buns
Butter
Mayonaise
Grated parmesan cheese
In a large sauté pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and peppers and sweat for about 4-5 minutes or until onions are translucent. Add garlic and continue to cook for 2 or 3 minutes. Add tomato sauce, water and franks and cook until sauce thickens.

Butter hot dog buns and toast until lightly golden.

To Serve: Spread mayonnaise on a bun, add frank and a bit of the tomato sauce, and top off with parmesan cheese.

Cilantro Pesto & My Summer Pasta Salad

2011-06-14T22:48:00.000-07:00

If you read my previous post, you know that our summer in Seattle has been not so summery. So, I've been trying to put out positive summer vibes for the universe to give me some sunny hot days! And, of course, to really get that summer vibe going, especially sans sun, it helps to create and cook vibrant and fresh summery food!

When I think of summer, I think of barbecues, cookouts, and picnics! And when I think of these occasions, I think of burgers, hot dogs, and pasta salads. But, wait. You should really think twice before you breakout the recipe for Ol' Aunt Fannie's boring, replayed pasta salad. Don't you want to treat your family and friends to something different and unique? Well, I've got the perfect recipe for you.

I love cilantro. I reeeeally love cilantro. In fact, it's my favorite herb. I am not a fan of parsley. Not too fond of basil. Cilantro usually ends up being my substitution for most recipes calling for either one - like pesto!

This cilantro version is just as simple and packed with flavor as its traditional cousin. And, as with basil pesto, it has many uses. In preparation for all the summer events ahead of me, I chose to test it out in a pasta salad. I paired the fresh cilantro pesto with some penne pasta, grilled chicken, hearts of palm, red pepper and queso fresco. I can tell you that this is certainly going to be a hit this summer!

If you get the chance to make this recipe, let me know how you used it. My mind is already spinning with a bunch of different recipes I can use it in!

Cilantro Pesto

©Food Samba

1 cup cilantro
1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
1 tsp garlic
salt
pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

In a food processor, combine cilantro, pine nuts, garlic, salt and pepper. Pulse until everything is well incorporated. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute. Enjoy!

Garlic Shrimp and Mango Salsa Crostini

2011-06-07T22:49:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, the lovely people from I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! presented me with a wonderful opportunity. They invited me to participate in a food blogger competition that will crown the first ever I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! Toast Ambassador! Never mind the all expense paid trip to New York City and the $5,000 cash prize the grand prize winner walks away with, what I’m really giddy about is being able to be crowned “Toast Ambassador”! Besides being awarded “Drama Queen” of my senior class in high school, I have never held a title. Do I have what it takes? Let's hope the judges think so! This blog post is my entry for the contest. Wish me luck!

Its summer in Seattle, but a quick glance outside would have you thinking we are still in April. I’m a summer baby and am dying for some hot weather. This gloomy weather has got me in a funk. When I get like this, there is nothing better than to whip up something delicious and something that reminds me of my sultry Brazil.

This past week I have been trying to concoct the perfect recipe for the ICBINB! contest. A recipe that would get me out of this cold weather funk and transport me to the tropics. I knew I wanted to incorporate a fresh fruit in my recipe, since it was something I enjoyed daily as a kid. As you may have read in my Avocado Smoothie post a while back, my family’s back yard in Brazil was filled with fresh fruit trees. We had a bananeira (banana tree), abacateiro (avocado tree), and a mangueira (mango tree). Most Brazilians are blessed to have these and other wonderful fruit trees just a stone’s throw away from their back door.

After a couple of days, I created a knock-out recipe: Garlic Shrimp and Mango Salsa Crostini! The recipe features crispy crostini toasts baked to golden perfection, topped with some fresh mango salsa, and individually crowned with glistening shrimp sautéed with ICBINB!, garlic and lime.

As I sat back on my couch and popped one after another in my mouth, I almost felt as if I was sitting under the mangueira enjoying a nice summer day. They definately did the work and got me out of my funk.

Garlic Shrimp and Mango Salsa Crostini

Makes 24
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

¼ cup I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! Stick or Original Spread

24 slices (1/4 inch thick) French baguette

2 cloves of garlic, minced

24 medium fresh shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 ½ teaspoon lime juice

1 mango, peeled and diced

¼ cup red bell peppers, diced

¼ cup green bell peppers, diced

3 tablespoon cilantro, finely chopped

1 teaspoon honey

For Crostini Toast:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Arrange bread slices in a single layer on the baking sheet.

Using about 1 tablespoon of I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!, butter each slice of bread evenly.

Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.

For Garlic Shrimp:

Wash shrimp with water and pat dry with a paper towel.

In a sauté pan, melt the remaining I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter over medium-high heat.

Add shrimp, garlic, ¼ teaspoon salt, pepper and 1 teaspoon lime juice.

Sauté shrimp on both sides for about 3 minutes or until shrimp has turned pink and remove from heat.

For Mango Salsa:

In a small bowl, combine mango, peppers, cilantro, honey, and the remaining lime juice and salt. Gently stir until everything is well incorporated. Set aside.

To Assemble:

Arrange toast on a serving plate.

Top each toast with the mango salsa and place 1 shrimp on top of each.

*Cook's Note: You can make the mango salsa the day before and refrigerate until ready to use. While toast is baking, you can prepare the shrimp.

*Food Samba Disclosure: I was invited to participate in this contest and this blog post is a form of entry

Guava Cobbler for a Cause!

2011-05-13T15:35:00.000-07:00

This weekend, me and some my fellow Seattle food bloggers will be baking for a cause. We'll be baking some of our finest recipes for "Share Our Strength" as part of the Great American Bake Sale. So, if you are in town this Saturday, May 14th, do yourself a favor and stop by:

9:30 to Noon

Uptown Metropolitan Market

100 Mercer Street, Seattle

I was super excited to be a part of this wonderful event. Not only is this a really great cause - ending childhood hunger - but, I've been dying to perfect my guava cobbler recipe. I think I nailed it today! My crust was crisp, light and golden brown. My filling was tropical and the cinnamon gave it a little earthiness. This is great if you want to give an exotic twist to the traditional peach cobbler.

I am putting some finishing touches on the recipe and will have it up shortly! Meanwhile, if you are in town tomorrow make sure you stop by and help Share Our Strength's efforts to end childhood hunger in America, and stock up on some freshly made, baked goodies!

Cilantro Lime Shrimp with Avocado Cream Cheese Spread

2011-04-08T19:35:00.000-07:00

This week, I have been busy brainstorming and testing appetizer recipes for The Real Women of Philadelphia contest. Yesterday, I nailed it with this cilantro lime shrimp crostini with an avocado cream cheese spread. In fact, I have to admit I ate the whole thing by myself! I convinced myself it was okay, since Mike doesn't like seafood, but, who am I am I kidding? Even if he did, I was NOT sharing.

The star of this dish, surprisingly, was the avocado cream cheese spread. I promise you I am not trying to win points, since it is a Philadelphia cream cheese contest. This combination really worked! The spread was really thick, rich, tangy and filled with itty-bitty chunks of avocado. It was the perfect marriage.

So, even if my appetizer isn't chosen as one of the winners, I hope you all get a chance to make this. I made more of the spread with the leftover half of avocado and spread it on a toasted bagel this morning. HEAVEN!

You can get the easy-to-make recipe on my RWOP profile. Wish me luck!

Foodbuzz 24x24 - Noite Baiana: A Taste of Bahia

2011-03-27T23:26:00.000-07:00

Acarajé

My dad went to Brazil this past January to visit my 98 year-old grandma, his mother, who's been a little sick recently. He went by himself. I wish I could've gone. I haven't been to Salvador in five years! I wish I could take Mike and Denise with me so they could meet all my family, especially my grandma.

Left: dried shrimp from Salvador. Right: Manioc flour - the one on the left is one that can be found in Seattle and the one on the right is from Salvador, which is much lighter and finer.

Any time any of my family members or friends go to Brazil, more specifically Salvador, I always have them bring me back two special items: camarão seco (sundried shrimp) and farinha (manioc flour).You see, although I can find these two things here in Seattle at an Asian or Latin market, there is nothing like the real deal from my hometown!

The making of acarajé

So, when my dad came back from his month-long trip, I was excited to see him, but even more excited to see my camarão seco and farinha (sorry Dad!). And when Foodbuzz announced that they were looking for proposals for their March 24x24, I knew that I had to be a part of this month's feast. I proposed a Bahian culinary affair, and Foodbuzz accepted! So, today I thrilled to be sharing with you all a taste of Bahia!

Acarajé

To understand the culinary of Bahia, you have to understand its history. Pedro Alveres Cabral landed in Porto Seguro, a city on the southern coast of Bahia, in 1500 and claimed the territory for Portugal.

The city of Salvador, Bahia was established in 1549. The city quickly became the most important slave trading post in the colony. More than 37% of all slaves taken from Africa were sent to Brazil, and most of them passed through Salvador before being sent off somewhere else in the country.

Bobó de Camarão

The cuisine and culture of Bahia, more specifically Salvador, is heavily influenced by African traditions which were brought by the slaves in the early 17th centry. To this day, the people of Bahia have kept the African traditions alive through food, dance, music, and religion.

Caruru - the okra is traditionally diced.

Like I've mentioned before, palm oil is one of the key ingredient in Bahian cuisine. Other hallmarks are dried shrimp, manioc flour, malagueta pepper and coconut/coconut milk. Since my dad brought the shrimp and manioc flour from Salvador, we were able to enjoy the authentic taste of Bahia!

For this special dinner, I wanted to highlight some of my favorite, traditional Bahian dishes. Here is the complete menu :

Acarajé

Black-eyed peas fritters, deep fried in palm oil and served with dried shrimp hot sauce, Vatapá, and pico de gallo. Acarajé is the quintessential street food in Salvador. You will find a Baiana in almost every corner of the city selling them. They are also a staple in Candomblé , an Afro-Brazilian religion.

Bobó de Camarão

Shrimp cooked in a yucca, peanut, ginger, palm oil in coconut milk sauce.

Feijão Fradinho

Black-eyed peas cooked with palm oil, tomato paste and dried shrimp

Arroz Branco

Garlic-scented white rice

Caruru

Brazilian-style gumbo. Okra cooked with palm oil, coconut milk, dried shrimp and spices. This is beleived to be the oldest recorded African dish in Brazil and another staple dish in Candomblé.

Farofa de Dendê

Manioc flour sautéed in butter, onions, palm oil and dried shrimp

Cocada Preta

Caramelized coconut dessert

Left: black-eyed peas. Center: farofa de dende Right: cocada preta

Cocada Preta

4 cups sugar
3 cups water
3 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
3 cups unsweetened shredded coconut

In a sauce pan, heat sugar over medium heat until it caramelizes into a golden-brown color. Add water, cloves, and cinnamon stick. Add coconut, bring mixture to a boil and remove from heat. Remove cinamon stick and cloves. Serve a spoonful in a small dish or spread mixture onto parchment paper and when cool, cut into squares.

I will be posting more recipes throughout the next couple of weeks!

Cachaça-Lime Shrimp Skewers

2011-03-24T17:03:00.000-07:00

Most of you guys have tried tequila-lime shrimp. But, have you ever tried cachaça-lime shrimp? I bet you haven't! Don't you worry, I've got the perfect recipe for you.

I've been contemplating making this dish for a while now. Since cachaça is made from fermented sugarcane, I thought serving them on little sugarcane skewers would be adorable. Today I finally got a chance to stop by the market by my house that I know sells canned sugarcane (you can definitely use fresh sugarcane if they are available near you).

This was super easy to prepare. All it really takes is mixing together all the marinate ingredients with the shrimp, placing the skewer through the shrimp and pan-frying it.

I suggest you marinate your shrimp overnight, but if you aren't able to you should marinate it for at least 30 minutes. The flavors in this dish are so vibrant - the cachaça brings a strong punch, while the honey and lime cools down the spiciness of the Tabasco! This is a great little appetizer if you are entertaining guest, or a nice lunchtime snack! You can even make it a full meal and serve it on top of a bed of Brazilian style rice and beans!

Cachaça-Lime Prawn Skewers

For Marinade:
1/4 cup cachaça
1/4 lime juice
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp garlic, chopped
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp Tabasco
Salt and Pepper, to taste

18 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 batons sugarcane, cut into 18 (5-inch long and 1/4-inch wide) skewers
1/8 cup cilantro, chopped

For marinade: Combine shrimp and ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

To assemble: Place on shrimp on each skewer and set aside.

Set a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp skewers and cook, tossing, until the shrimp are pink, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the cilantro and stir to coat the shrimp.

Brigadeiro de Pistache

2011-03-17T10:47:00.000-07:00

During the holidays, I shared with you my all-time favorite sweet treat, Brigadeiros! The traditional chocolate version, is super popular in Brazil. But today in honor of St. Patrick's Day, I decided to make a special version of these little goodies!

Like their chocolate cousin, these pistachio brigadeiros are very simple to make. They consist of only three ingredients: pistachios, condensed milk, and butter! They are also very child-friendly-you can make the balls and your child can roll them in the pistachio.

So, if you have a special party to go to tonight (or any night, at that) or you just want to treat your kids and/or spouse to a simple and delicious St. Patrick's Day treat, look no further. I guarantee everyone will love these sweet . Now, I can't guarantee you won't get pinched for more!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Brigadeiro de Pistache

8oz pistachio, shelled

1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

1 tbsp unsalted butter, plus a little extra to brush on plate and hands

Brush a plate with butter and set it aside.

Place the pistachios in a food processor and grind them until their are fine in texture.

Set aside 1/2 cup of the ground pistachio.

In a sauce pan combine the other portion of the ground pistachio, condensed milk, and butter. Over medium heat, stir mixture until the bottom of the pan becomes visible and mixture comes off the bottom of the pan easily.

Pour mixture onto the buttered plate and let it cool.

When mixture had cooled, put a little butter on your hands, take about a teaspoon of the mixture at a time and roll it into little balls, then roll it in the remaining ground pistachio.