Life and Flavours

CHICKEN BEAN STEW

2019-02-21T12:49:00.002+00:00

Good Morning!!!

What about another nutritious and very tasty recipe?

Today the recipe is Bean Stew where I used white beans. White Beans are a great ally for those who want to reduce weight, but more importantly, they have several benefits for our health.

This food is rich in fibre, flavonoids (antioxidants), proteins, magnesium, calcium, B Complex vitamins, iron and zinc. In addition to quenching hunger, it contributes to a reduction in carbohydrate absorption, prevents diabetes, improves blood circulation and bowel function, prevents cell ageing and strengthens bones.

RECIPE:

Ingredients:

500g Cooked white beans
1 Medium onion
6 Cloves of garlic
3 Tablespoons of olive oil
8 Small sliced Bacon
1 Quality "Farinheira" (I advise a farinheira of Beira Baixa Region, Portugal) - You can replace this with chorizo.

Note: Farinheira is a Portuguese smoked sausage filled with flour, pork fat and seasoning's and is really tasty.

6 Chicken sliced beefs
300ml Chicken stock
1 Bay leaf and rosemary to taste
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 chilli and a little saffron powder
1 Mint Leaf

Preparation:

Mince the onion and garlic in a blender. Add the olive oil, the crushed mixture, salt, pepper, chilli, saffron, a bay leaf and rosemary to taste in a pan. Let it fry until slightly brown on a low heat.

In another pot, put the "farinheira" or chorizo with water to cover and let boil 5/10 minutes on medium heat. Take care to remove the "farinheira" immediately if it bursts.

In the onion pan, add the chicken, the bacon and the broth, and if desired, a little of the cooking water of the "farinheira", letting cook for about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Verify the seasoning's and add the mint.

Cut the "farinheira" into pieces of 3 cm with care, so that it does not undo and place in a dish to serve with the Bean stew.

I hope you enjoy this recipe just like I do!

Enjoy and kisses !!!

OAT AND CHIA PANCAKES

2018-10-24T12:10:00.000+01:00

Good Morning!!!

Today I´m posting a recipe of my own that I tested this weekend and turned out quite tasty:
Oatmeal and Chia Pancakes.
They yield about 14 pancakes, but it will depend on the amount of batter you put in the frying pan.

Pancakes can be a great choice for breakfast, especially if made with nutritious and quality ingredients.

On to Recipe:

Ingredients:

2 Cups of oat flakes
3 eggs
1 Cup of milk
1/2 Cup of water
1 teaspoon chia seeds
1 teaspoon olive oil for the batter
1 teaspoon olive oil for frying pan
1 pinch of salt
Honey to taste.

Preparation:

Place in a jar, the oats, eggs, milk, water and salt and blend well.

Add the chia seeds and the olive oil.

Turn on the stove and heat a frying pan. When hot, on medium heat, place a tsp of olive oil in the frying pan, greasing it and pour a ladle of the batter in shaping it into the pancake.Let it cook for a few minutes on each side.

The pancakes will be ready when they have a golden colour!

Serve with honey or other ingredients to taste.

Enjoy your food!

DUCK RICE

2018-05-04T09:59:00.001+01:00

Ingredients:

Half (1/2) Duck
350g of Basmati Rice
4 to 5 Cups of Water where the Duck cooked (broth) for the rice
1.5 Litre of Water
150ml of Red Wine
Half (1/2) Meat Chorizo for topping the meal
1 Piece of Meat Chorizo
1 Onion
8 Cloves of Garlic
1 Bay Leaf
1 Rosemary Branch
Salt and pepper to taste
3 to 4 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

Method:

Put in a pot a 1.5 Litre of water, red wine, bay leaf, the Rosemary Branch, the duck, a piece of meat chorizo and salt and pepper.

Turn on the stove and cook on medium heat for 50 to 60 minutes. After this time, certify the duck is tender and cooked with a fork.

Strain the duck broth and save it. Let the duck cool down and shred it.

Chop the garlic and onions in a mincer.

In another pot, add the olive oil, the garlic and chopped onion and let it cook a little on a low heat. Then, add the washed rice, letting it fry a little.

Cut the half of the chorizo into slices.

Add the duck broth and, if necessary, a little more water. Season with salt to taste, mix and cook the rice to a maximum of 10 minutes.

Add the shredded duck and mix well.

Put on a Pyrex or baking tray, the prepared rice with duck, smoothing the top. Garnish the rice to taste with the chorizo slices.

Bake in the oven at 180º C (360º F) for 15 minutes until it´s golden.

Enjoy your food!!!

FISH AND SHRIMP SOUP

2018-04-18T12:49:00.003+01:00

Ingredients:

1,200 Kg Frozen or fresh hake (7 to 8 hake slices)
10 Medium Shrimps
3 Large onions
5 Medium ripe tomatoes
3 Carrots
8 Potatoes
1 Small pepper
7 cloves of garlic
3 to 4 Tablespoons of olive oil
Coriander leaves to taste
1 Chilli pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Bay Leaf
3 to 4 litres of water (If you use cooked fish water or a fish broth the soup will be tastier).

Preparation:

Place the hake slices to cook for 15 minutes in a saucepan with salt, water and 2 cloves of garlic. In another pot, add the potatoes and carrots, seasoning with salt and letting it cook for 15 minutes.

Add in a mincer the onion and remaining garlics, mincing everything well. Add the ripe tomatoes to this mixture and grind again.

In a soup pan, place the olive oil, the crushed mixture, salt and pepper to taste and stir, allowing to braise a few minutes.

Remove the seeds of the pepper and cut it into thin strips. Then chop the coriander. Add the peppers to the braised mixture, adding the water and the fish stock and leaving the heat at medium temperature for a few minutes to cook the pepper. Turn off the stove.

Suggestion: You can add prawns to this soup to turn it more tasty, letting it cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the stove.

Remove most of the water from the potatoes and carrots and cut into cubes or mash them with a blender until mashed (Children will love the soup this way).
Put the puree in the soup, season with salt and add the coriander.

Cut the fish into cubes and place in the soup at serving time.

When the soup in the pan is warm or cold, you can add the remaining cubbed fish. This way, the fish will not be undone, keeping its shape.

Enjoy your food!!!

CONDENSED MILK DELIGHT

2018-04-06T23:02:00.001+01:00

Hi !

Today's recipe is so tasty and simple to prepare and is already available on YouTube to watch all steps.
Sign up and select 🔔 to receive notifications and more about tasty recipes 😍!

CONDENSED MILK DELIGHT (Video)

RECIPE

Ingredients:

1 can of cooked condensed milk
150g Biscuits of your choice (Ex.: Maria biscuits)
3 Packs Fresh Heavy cream - 30% Fat (3 x 200ml)
Juice of 1/2 Lemon
4 egg whites
Fruits to decorate (Ex: Blueberries)

Method:

Place the contents of a can of cooked condensed milk in a large bowl. Then crush the biscuits in a mincer.

In another bowl, add 600ml of cream and the juice of half a lemon. Beat the cream until it´s firm.

Put the egg whites in a bowl and beat them.Add the cream to the cooked condensed milk and mix well with a wooden spoon. Meanwhile, beat these ingredients with the mixer until they´re cream-coloured.

Place the beaten egg whites in the mixture, folding carefully until they have disappeared.
Pour the mixture into a small or large dessert glass, as you prefer, placing a layer of the mixture, a layer of crushed Maria biscuit, another layer of the same mixture and finally, another layer of crushed Maria biscuit, decorating to taste with fruits. I used blueberries.

Hope you like it !

Enjoy your dessert !!!

BEAN CLAMS

2018-03-20T11:16:00.000+00:00

Ingredients:

1 kg of Bean clams;
3 tablespoons olive oil;
5 Garlic cloves;
Chopped coriander leaves;
Juice of 1 lemon;
Salt and pepper to taste;
1 or 2 Chilli peppers.

Method:

Wash the shells and soak in salted water for about 12 hours.

Add in a pan, garlic cut into slices and let them fry in the olive oil. Season with salt, pepper and chilli (s) and let simmer on a low heat mixing occasionally.

Remove from the heat immediately (so they stay juicy) and sprinkle with chopped coriander and season with lemon juice.

Serve on a tray with lemon segments.

They are a delight as a snack in the summer !!!!

Enjoy your food!!!

CREAMY COD GRATIN

2018-02-19T12:39:00.000+00:00

Creamy Cod Gratin is a very much appreciated typical Portuguese dish and so easy to execute.
Great for reusing cooked codfish and turning it into a tasty dish that never fails to please!

This recipe is on Youtube, please sign up and select the 🔔 to receive notifications and more news 😍!

CREAMY COD GRATIN (Video)

Now to the recipe:

Ingredients:

3 or 4 Cooked Cod Fish slices
1 kg Potatoes
1 Large onion
4 Cloves of garlic
500ml Milk
2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Bay leaf
200ml Heavy cream
100g Grated mozzarella cheese
4 Tablespoons of olive oil

Method:

Peel and cut the potatoes into small cubes, washing and draining them well.

Fry the potatoes in very hot oil for 10 minutes and turn the oven to 200°C (390ºF).

Meanwhile, shred the codfish.

In a large frying pan, place the olive oil, the sliced onion and cloves of garlic, bay leaf and salt and pepper to taste. Let the ingredients braise slightly until they´re translucent.

Blend the cornstarch into the milk and add in the frying pan, mixing well.

As soon as the sauce is thick, add the codfish and blend all ingredients.

Remove the excess oil from the potato chips and join them with the cream to the pan. Mix and let cook for about 5 minutes.

Put this preparation in a tray and straightening the top.

Sprinkle with the grated mozzarella cheese on top and gratin in the oven for 25 minutes until it´s golden.

Indulge yourself with this dish!

❤ ❤ SANGRIA OF RED WINE - S. VALENTINE'S DAY ❤ ❤

2018-02-14T23:56:00.004+00:00

St. Valentine's Day is celebrated due to a Roman Bishop named Valentim (3rd century) who secretly celebrated marriages due to the banning of these by the Emperor Claudius II. Upon the discovery of this fact, Valentim was arrested and sentenced to death on February 14, 270.

Today's suggestion is a fresh and delicious alcoholic beverage called Sangria.

Sangria is a drink made with a mixture of red or white wine, juice and pieces of fruit and sugar. Other drinks like brandy, sparkling wine can be used too.

The drink has to be really fresh, therefore ice can be added if necessary.Traditionally, in Portugal, spices (cinnamon stick) and aromatic fresh herbs (mint, basil) are added to the beverage.

RECIPE (for 1 Lt of sangria)

Ingredientes :

0,75 l of quality red wine
0,20 l of soda, 7up or Sprite;
100 gr. yellow sugar;
1 large orange cut into pieces;
6 strawberries cut in halves;
1 lemon cut into pieces;
1 apple cut into pieces;
1 cinnamon stick
2 mint leaves;
4 leaves of basil.

Method :

In a jar for 1.5 Lt., place the cut fruit.
Add the sugar and the wine and stir well until the sugar dissolves.

Add in the cinnamon stick and leave in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

At serving time, join the soda, mint and basil, mixing to combine the the flavours.

ENJOY YOUR DRINK!

SWEET POTATO AND TURNIP GREENS SOUP

2018-01-30T12:53:00.001+00:00

Hi everyone! Today´s recipe is SWEET POTATO AND TURNIP GREENS SOUP.

Sweet Potato is very healthy and a great option to reduce the amount of potatoes in soup besides giving a new and tasty flavour to them.

The are many benefits we can achieve from Sweet Potatoes: anti inflammatory, source of beta-carotene, protection of the stomach and anti-aging, energetic, increase of the immune system, detoxifying the body, regulator of blood glucose and blood pressure and relaxing.

RECIPE:

Ingredients:

1 onion
5 potatoes
2 sweet potatoes
1 turnip
4 cloves garlic
3 carrots
400g turnip greens
6 slices chourizo ( If you´re vegan just discard this ingredient)
1/2 leek,
2 to 3 litres water,
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil.

Method:

Put the water in a large saucepan and turn the stove on high heat.

Wash, peel and cut the vegetables.
Put them in the water (only half the turnip greens) and season. Let them boil for 15 min.

Mince the vegetables and add the remaining turnip greens, diced chourizo and verify the seasoning.
Boil another 5/10 min.

Pour the olive oil and it's ready!

Enjoy your soup!

LEMON CURD

2018-01-17T23:41:00.001+00:00

Lemon Curd appeared in the late 19th century. The homemade lemon curd was traditionally served with bread or biscuits with afternoon tea as an alternative to marmalade and as a filling of cakes, biscuits and pies.

From this time to the present day it is one of the favourite desserts or accompaniment of desserts for British and North American.

Recipe:

Ingredients:

2 Lemons (juice)
220g Sugar
3 Medium eggs
60g Butter

Method:

Put the sugar, the butter and the lemon juice in a pyrex glass bowl.

Put it over apan of simmering water (on a low heat) stirring with a wooden spoon and cook until the sugar is completely dissolved (about 5 to 8 minutes).

Turn the heat off and allow to cool slightly. Beat the eggs well and put them in the mixture.

Turn the stove back on low heat, letting it cook and stirring constantly until the curd begins to coat the back of the wooden spoon.

Pour in a small jar, cover and let cool.

Enjoy !!!

LEMON CAKE

2018-01-17T23:26:00.003+00:00

I love Lemon! Lemon aromatizes food, dishes, drinks, creams and drinks. It can be used in so many ways, but its greatest asset is the benefit it gives us by improving our immunity system.

It´s packed with Vitamin C, prevents premature ageing and some types of cancer, detoxifies the body, speeds up the healing process and is anti-inflammatory.

Check out this recipe on YouTube, subscribe and select 🔔 to receive notifications and more news 😍!

LEMON CAKE (Video)

Recipe:

Ingredients:

160g Unsalted butter (at room temperature)
250g Plain Flour
200g Sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Peels of 1 lemon
1 whole egg + 3 egg yolks
2 Tablespoons of Lemon juice
160ml Buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt
Zest of 1 Lemon + 120 ml water
250ml Lemon Curd for Coverage (See the recipe at https://goo.gl/veaNsE )

Method:

Begin by preheating the oven to 180º C (350º F) and grease a mould with butter and flour it.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and lemon zest.

In another bowl, beat the butter with 150g of sugar until it is a light and fluffy mixture.Beat at low speed, the whole egg and egg yolks one ingredient at a time. Put the lemon juice in this mixture and beat again. Add the butter and sugar.

Buttermilk can be bought at any supermarket, however, if you don´t have it, you can easily make it at home: just join 160ml of milk + 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and wait about 10 minutes until it´s curdled.

Whisk alternately the flour and buttermilk starting and finishing with the flour mixture.Pour the cake batter into the mould and smooth the top. Let it cook in the oven for about 25 minutes for a centred opening cake mould. If the mould isn´t centred, bake another 10 minutes.

While the cake bakes, make a syrup for the cake by joining the remaining 50g of sugar with 120ml of water. As soon as it boils, add the lemon peels and simmer for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and remove the peels from the syrup.

Check with a toothpick if the cake is ready and remove it, letting it cool for about 15 minutes.

Punch the cake with a fork, cover with syrup and let it cool.

Finally, decorate the cake with the lemon curd.

Enjoy it!!!

ROASTED SEA BASS (RECIPE AND VIDEO)

2018-01-09T13:04:00.003+00:00

SEA BASS is a very healthy sea fish with mineral salts (calcium, phosphorus and iodine), vitamins (B complex), omega 3 and proteins.It can be cooked in different ways like for example baked in the oven or grilled.

You can watch this Recipe on video on YouTube, sign up and select the 🔔 to receive notifications for more news! 😍

ROASTED SEA BASS (Video)

Recipe

Ingredients:

4 or 5 medium Potatoes
2 Carrots
1 Sea bass (1 kg)
2 Ripe Tomatoes
1 Large Onion
6 Cloves of Garlic
1 Bay Leaf
1 Bunch of Coriander leaves
80g Butter
8 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Salt, pepper, chilli, rosemary and chives to taste
100 ml White Wine for Sea Bass (optional)

Cook the potatoes and the carrots in salt and water for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour in a tray 7 tablespoons of olive oil, a bay leaf, 1/2 onion cut into "half moons", 2 cloves of garlic, a little salt, pepper and chilli and turn on the oven to 200º C
(390º F).

Grind in a mincer or roughly chop the other half of the onion, 3 garlic cloves, the coriander and the tomatoes.

Add in the tray, the white wine and chopped ingredients spreading evenly.
Place the Sea Bass on this tray and cut the butter into cubes, placing them on top of the fish.

In another tray, add 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 chopped garlic cloves, pepper, rosemary and chives to taste, topped with cooked potatoes and carrots.

Bring the trays to the oven for 30 to 40 minutes. During this time, check the appearance of the Sea Bass, drizzling it with the sauce now and then.

When the ingredients in both trays are roasted, turn off the oven off.

Hope you enjoy!

DELICIOUS GIN TONIC

2018-01-04T14:43:00.003+00:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2018!!!

I wish you all a wonderful Year of 2018 filled with health, peace, love and good things!
😘🍾🍸🎇🎉🎊🎵🥂

Life is easier when full of affection, joy, solidarity, support and surely with recipes of LIFE AND FLAVOURS 😊😊😊!

!I´ll continue to publish delicious recipes and relevant news and count on you to follow the blog and social media !

Recipe:

5cl Gin (Bombay Sapphire is my choice)
20 cl Indian Tonic Water (Schweppes is my choice)
Cubed ice to taste
4 Juniper Berries
4 Pink Pepper Seeds
1 Mint Leaf
Half Lemon or Lime

The Gin should be cold, so leave it in the fridge and it´ll be fresh when preparing your drink.

Put ice to taste in a Gin glass and spin so the ice cools the glass. Remove the water from the melted ice.

Pour 5cl of Gin and 20cl of Indian Tonic Water into the cup. The Tonic Water should be poured slowly at 45º so that you do not lose it´s sparkling.

Cut a thin slice of lemon and fold it to release the juices and aromas. Fold the mint leaf in half and place it with the lemon, the pink peppers and junipers in the glass.
Finally, squeeze the lemon juice into the drink.

Gin Tonic can have several aromatizations according to one´s personal taste :

red fruits, rose petals, black peppers, as long as there is imagination!

It's delicious!

Enjoy it!!!

FISH SOUP

2017-12-22T15:25:00.002+00:00

Fish gives us several health benefits, such as: prevention of cardiovascular disease, relief of arthritis symptoms, is a source of vitamin D and protein for the body and improves memory and prevents Alzheimer's.

Recipe

Ingredients:

Remains of heads and fish bones (eg Sea Bass, Gilthead seabream, Hake, etc.)
4 Hake slices (or other fish you enjoy)
3 large tomatoes
1 Carrot for broth
2 Carrots for the soup
5 Potatoes
5 cloves of garlic
1 medium / large onion
1 Bay Leaf
1 or 2 Chili peppers
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 bunch of coriander leaves
1 bunch of parsley
1 Piece of green or red pepper in strips (optional)
200ml White wine
1 liter of water

Method:

Add in a large pot 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Cut into pieces or mince the onion, garlic and tomatoes, bay leaf and chili peppers and let them heat until the ingredients are soft. Stir and cook for 10 minutes.

Place in the pan the leftover heads and fish bones, carrot, parsley and 1 Liter of water, salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut the potatoes and 2 carrots into cubes.When the broth is ready, strain it and add it to the potatoes, carrots, white wine and cook for 10 minutes.

Add the hake cut in cubes, the pepper strips and finally the chopped coriander.Let it simmer for another 15 minutes.
Check the seasoning and the water of the soup.

This soup is delicious!

Enjoy it!

YOUTUBE VIDEO STUFFED EGGPLANTS (AUBERGINES)

2017-12-18T18:42:00.001+00:00

Hi everyone!

I´m so happy to say I've posted my first delicious recipe on Life and Flavours YouTube !!! Please visit the channel, sign up and select the 🔔 to receive notifications.

STUFFED EGGPLANTS (AUBERGINES)

Recipe: https://lifeandflavours.blogspot.pt/2017/08/stuffed-eggplants-aubergines_20.html

I hope you enjoy! 😘😘😘

WONDERLAND LISBOA AND EDUARD VII PARK

2017-12-04T12:52:00.002+00:00

Yesterday I was at the Christmas Market of the Wonderland Lisbon 2017, located at Parque Eduardo VII and I really enjoyed it. Being a typically cold and sunny winter day, I was able to see many fun options for the whole family.

An Ecological Ice Rink, a Giant Wheel, a Christmas Tree, Santa's Village, Carousels, Music, Entertainment, Animation and Children's Culture with free entry and a Christmas market with various exhibitors of fashion, handicrafts, regional products and Christmas confectionery.

In addition to this Christmas Market you can enjoy the beautiful Parque Eduardo VII which is the largest park in the center of Lisbon with a privileged view of the Tagus River.

It was baptized in 1903 in honor of Edward VII of England, who had visited Lisbon the previous year to reaffirm the alliance between the two countries. Until then, it was nameded Parque da Liberdade (Freedom Park.).

The center of the park is covered with grass, flanked by long walks of Portuguese sidewalk, dividing the park into two green, afforested areas.

To the northwest of the park is the beautiful Cold Greenhouse, with a variety of exotic plants, streams, waterfalls, palm trees and rails, fuchsia, flowering shrubs and banana trees, and the Hot Greenhouse with lush plants, lakes and cacti as well as tropical birds.

A great option for a different tour!

YOUTUBE VIDEO STUFFED AUBERGINES

2017-12-04T10:02:00.000+00:00

Hi eveyone!

I've posted another delicious recipe on YouTube !!!
Do visit the channel, sign up and select the 🔔 to receive notifications.

I'm in the process of publishing recipes in English😘😘😘l

STUFFED AUBERGINES

Enjoy!!

ROASTED CHESTNUTS AND St. MARTIN

2017-12-01T10:41:00.003+00:00

Portuguese chestnut is a dried fruit that is consumed in Portugal in the autumn from October to January. Traditionally there are "the Magustos" the popular parties where families and friends gather for the celebration of St. Martin and the roasted chestnuts are accompanied by "Jeropiga" (Typical Portuguese alcoholic drink with a sweet flavour).

This season is related to St. Martin, a popular Catholic saint of Europe. It was the 4th century, in a very cold autumn that swept across Europe, where a Gaulish knight, named Martin, tried to return home when he encountered a beggar during a storm, begging him for alms. As Martin had nothing with him, he removed the mantle that warmed him from his back, cut it in half with his sword, and gave it to the beggar. At that moment, the storm disappeared and a radiant sun began to shine.

The miracle became known as "the summer of Saint Martin." Since then, by the time of St. Martin's Day on November 11, the weather improves and there is a radiant sun.

Some of the many benefits of the portuguese chestnut are:

High carbohydrate and fiber source for energy supply and improved bowel functioning
Low in fat
High in minerals through iron and proteins that will satisfy the need for food
Rich in potassium, vitamin A, B and E, calcium, phosphorus, iron and folates.

Ingredients:

400g Chestnuts
salt

Method:

Turn the oven to 180º C (360º F). Wash the chestsnuts well and cut them with a knife until the middle of the chestnut or in a cross.

Add a reasonable amount of salt to cover the base of the tray. Add the chestnuts and wrap with salt. Place the tray into the middle of the oven and roast until you see that the shell begins to bend. Be careful not to let the nuts burn.

The cooking time may vary, but 20/25 minutes is enough for them to be ready!

They are a delight !!!
Enjoy your food!

CREAMY HOT COCOA

2017-11-16T10:07:00.007+00:00

Cocoa comes from the cocoa tree, native to the Amazon, Brazil.

Being a very healthy fruit, it is necessary to consume it in bitter chocolate with at least 60% of cocoa in its composition.

Among the many health benefits, some can be highlighted:

stimulation of the brain through proliferation of neurons;
combats depression, stimulates mental disposition and relieves stress;
combats hypertension and bad cholesterol;
stimulates the good functioning of the heart;
moisturizes and oxygenates the skin due to its composition of retinol, ascorbic acid and vitamins A, B1, B2 and B3.

Recipe:

Ingredients:

10 tablespoons of powdered quality cocoa (unsweetened)
3/4 Tablespoons of brown sugar
1 pinch of salt
400ml Water
300ml Milk
200ml Heavy Cream
2 teaspoons Vanilla extract

Method:

Boil 100ml of water. In a small pot, place the cocoa, sugar and salt.

Add the boiled water to the ingredients, mixing everything, and lightly boil on low heat, while stirring for 2 minutes. Take care that it does not burn. Turn off the stove.

Add milk, remaining water and cream, stirring well. Heat until very hot, but do not boil, continuing to stir.

Finally, turn the stove off and add the vanilla extract.

You can drink your Cocoa as it is, or if you prefer, add some whipped cream!

Enjoy !!!

CULINARY EXTRAVAGANZA - HOTEL CONRAD ALGARVE - 4 to 6 NOVEMBER

2017-11-04T11:42:00.000+00:00

This weekend will be the second edition of the culinary event "Culinary Extravaganza" at the Hotel Conrad ALGARVE - Quinta do Lago.

15 CHEFS | 15 STARS MICHELIN | 5 EVENTS Extravaganza Culinary joins the celebrated Michelin Star and International Chefs in November.

This month, culinary extravaganza will bring a constellation of selected michelin stars and world-famous chefs, scones and mixers from the Hilton Portfolio!

This three-day gourmet showcase will take place from the 4th to the 6th of November. A total of 16 Michelin-starred, globally renowned chefs will descend on the Conrad Algarve to create a series of exclusive ticketed culinary events across the weekend, hosted by one of the world’s leading chefs, Heinz Beck.

Already established as a gourmet hotspot, with GUSTO headed up by 3 Michelin-Starred Chef Heinz Beck, Conrad Algarve reached new culinary heights in 2016 with the inaugural Culinary Extravaganza. Following the huge success of the event, Conrad Algarve hosts this food lover’s paradise for a second year running, now as part of an annual gourmet initiative to encompass the Hilton brand.

Hosted by the Master of gastronomy Chef Heinz Beck, the Culinary Extravaganza 2017 line-up will bring together a top selection of Chefs, Sommeliers, and Mixologists from Hilton’s worldwide global fine dining portfolio. There will be a plethora of 5 glamorous events on offer including the Grand Opening Event with live performances, a BBQ Brunch at Dado Q, and a Roof Garden Suite lunch to name a few. The weekend makes the most of all of Conrad

Algarve’s outlets and the stunning surroundings, as well as showing off the famed Hilton gourmet offering. Several Hilton Chefs who take up residence in various Hilton hotels across the world will host the weekend alongside Heinz Beck, as well as renowned international chefs hailing from destinations in every corner of the world, including Prague, Istanbul, Netherlands, Cairo and Dublin.

This year’s Culinary Extravaganza promises to be another three days boasting a unique fusion of flavours, technique, and gastronomic finesse to tantalise all the senses.

Source:
Site: http://www.culinary-extravaganza.com/en/blog/
Photos: https://www.facebook.com/ConradAlgarve/

PORTUGUESE BROAD BEANS STEW (ALENTEJO REGION)

2017-11-03T23:06:00.001+00:00

With the arrival of Autumn, one wants a warm, strong and comforting meal. This recipe is with Board beans, a very healthy leguminous that satisfies hunger for longer hours.

Broad beans or Fava Beans are leguminous from Peru that are born within a pod.

They can be used fresh at their season or bought frozen.Rich in starch and fibre, they give the necessary energy to our body. Broad beans are a high source of iron (treating anaemia), vitamin B complex and magnesium.

They are also rich in potassium, salt that is responsible for controlling blood pressure and still prevent heart problems and relieve stress and daily irritation.

In the preparation of this dish, I used a clay pot that I strongly recommend as it makes any dish much more tasty.

Ingredients:

500 g of peeled Broad beans
500 g of Pork Ribs
1/2 Black Chorizo
1/2 Meat Chorizo
200g Bacon
6 Cloves of garlic
1 Large onion
5 Tablespoons Olive oil or 70g Lard
200 ml of White wine
1 teaspoon Sweet Pepper (Paprika)
1 Bay leaf
1 Branch of Mint
1 Branch of coriander
Salt and cayenne pepper as desired

Method:

Cut the pork ribs into pieces and season with the white wine, 3 chopped garlic cloves, sweet pepper, bay leaf, mint, coriander salt and cayenne pepper to taste. Let marinate for 30 minutes.

In a large pot, add the olive oil and fry the whole bacon and chorizos. Then, add the 3 garlic cloves and chopped onions, and let it brown. Add the beans and season with salt to taste.

Add water to the Broad beans 5 minutes later and let it cook for about 15 minutes on medium heat.After this time, add the pork ribs with all the seasonings and cook another 30 minutes. Season if necessary.

Broad beans may take 1 hour to cook and become tender when they are fresh. Time to prepare them may vary according to their variety, so I advise you to check their texture throughout the cooking.

The recipe is ready!

I hope you enjoy this delight from Alentejo (Southern Region of Portugal)!

PERSIMMON JAM

2017-10-30T23:02:00.002+00:00

With the end of summer, it is time for jams, compotes and jellies based on fresh or dried fruit, whole, in pieces or minced.

See my post with Tips on Sweet Jams, Compotes, Jellies, Marmalades and Preserves: https://lifeandflavours.blogspot.pt/2017/10/sweet-jams-compotes-jellies-preserves.html .

Persimmon (or Oriental or Japanese persimmon) is an oriental fruit with an orange colour and characteristic flavour that not everyone appreciates. Another way to eat this fruit is as a jam or compote, making it even more tasty.

Health Benefits: Improved vision, improvement of production of red blood cells, has anti-infective, anti-inflammatory, anti-haemorrhagic properties and is rich in B-complex vitamins.

Ingredients:

1 to 1.2 Kg of Persimmons (6 to 7 Persimmons)
300g to 350g Yellow or white sugar
2 teaspoons Cinnamon powder
1 large Lemon (peel and juice)

Method:

Peel, remove the seeds and cut the pulp of the Persimmons into pieces. In a pan, add the pulp, peels, sugar, cinnamon powder and the lemon´s peel and juice. Turn on the stove at medium to high temperature and stir occasionally until it starts to boil.

As soon as it begins to boil, lower the temperature to a low heat and simmer about 15 minutes until the fruit is cooked, not forgetting to stir from time to time.

Turn off the stove and crush the fruit roughly. If you want it to look like a puree, mince entirely so that it becomes a compote.

Bring this jam to low heat boil for another 10 minutes to thicken a little more.

Your Jam is ready!

Use it on delicious bread, toast, cakes and desserts!

SWEET JAMS, COMPOTES, JELLIES, PRESERVES AND QUINCE MARMALADE / GUAVA MARMALADE

2017-10-30T21:43:00.003+00:00

       Differences between Sweet Jam, Compote, Jelly, Marmalade or Guava
      Marmalade and Preserves:

Sweet Jam is made from boiling pieces of fruit / vegetable with less sugar that do not completely dissolve. Ex: Tomato or Carrot Jam.

Compote has a more fluid consistency, made with fruit / vegetable and sugar and some liquid, that tends to undo, becoming a puree. Ex: Dolmen, Pumpkin and Orange Peel Compote.

Jelly is cooked in plenty of liquid and more sugar. It is a juice of sugary and gelled fruit, when at the end of cooking the liquid is strained to become a jelly. Ex: Red Berry, Strawberry, Orange and Lemon Jellies.

Quince Marmalade (Portuguese Recipe) or Guava Marmalade or Goiabada (Brazilian Recipe) is the quince or guava puree cooked in equal parts of sugar with the fruit.

Preserve is the fruit or pieces of fruit preserved in a syrup of sugar where the fruit can be cooked or not. Ex: Pineapple preserve and pear preserve.

     Preservation:

Jams, Jams, Jellies, Marmalades and Preserves may be stored in sterilized jars up to "1 year of validity" *.

* Note: Sugar is a preservative that helps in the preservation integrity of the fruit or vegetable. The greater the amount of sugar, the longer the preservation longevity of the jam.


   Sterilization:

Place the washed jars and lids, in a pan covered with water and boil for 10 minutes. Remove and let dry, face down, on top of a clean kitchen cloth.

FRIED ASIAN TIGER PRAWNS

2017-10-27T23:37:00.004+01:00

Tiger prawn or Asian tiger shrimp is a species of shrimp that comes from the coastal waters of the Indo-Pacific region, which can reach a length of 33 cm.

Its health benefits are: cardiovascular benefits, blood pressure control, improvement in arrhythmias and protection against cancer.

Ingredients:

3 Tiger Prawns per person
4 Cloves of garlic
1 Chilli Pepper
1 Bay leaf
Coriander
Salt
5 Tablespoons of olive oil

Method:

Remove the shells from the shrimps tail leaving its end and set aside.

Then cut so as to make a line in the back of the shrimp and remove its guts and then clean through water.

Turn on the stove and place to heat a frying pan with olive oil, crushed garlic, bay leaf, chopped coriander, chilli, shrimp shells and season with salt.
Let it fry until it turns to a pink sauce and the garlic is toasted.

Put the prawns in the frying pan and allow to fry for 1 minute and a half. Turn off the stove.

You can accompany the prawns with a little lemon juice.

Enjoy your food!

DELICIOUS PISTACHIO ICE CREAM

2017-10-20T11:18:00.003+01:00

Pistachio is native to Asia and belongs to the oilseed family which has health benefits: cancer prevention, heart enhancement, diabetes control, improved vision and digestion.

Ingredients:

150g Pistachios without shell
600ml Heavy cream
100ml Whole Milk
100g Brown sugar
3 whole eggs
2 Yolks
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Method:

In a medium pot, put the cream, milk and half the sugar until it starts to boil. Meanwhile, in a mincer, chop half of the pistachios well together with half the sugar, but do not let it turn into a butter. Place this mixture in the milk by stirring constantly to make it homogeneous.

In a bowl, add the 3 eggs and 2 egg yolks by beating them slightly. Remove a cup of the hot mixture and slowly pour in the eggs to warm them slowly stirring vigorously so that they do not scramble. Gradually, add the warm eggs to the cream and reduce the heat to low. Simmer slowly, stirring occasionally and allowing to thicken for 5 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and pour the preparation through a mesh sieve, squeezing well, in order to remove any liquid that it may still have. Add the vanilla extract and mix well.

You can cool it off naturally if you have time and then put it in the freezer overnight.

If you´re short on time, you can put in a larger bowl with ice and water or only ice until it cools and then leave it at least 2 hours in the freezer.

Another option is to use a machine to make the ice cream following the manufacturer's instructions.

Finally, as soon as the ice cream is frozen, top it with the other half of the pistachios (a little chopped) and garnish as you desire!

It is truly delicious!