Broccoli and Cheese Soup

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It’s spring time here in Seattle, the temperatures are slowly moving up and the flowers are blooming. Not too long until it turns really warm and we start doing virtually all our cooking on the patio (I love grilling!).  But before that, I have a soup recipe to share with you, one of my favourites.

Broccoli is super healthy, tastes great and is often on sale, so I use it a lot here at home. This soup is not difficult to make, but you have to be careful when adding the cheese. It must be done slowly over medium heat to avoid it from separating. I normally use sharp Cheddar cheese for this recipe, but Colby or Monterrey Jack work will work as well. You can blend this soup before the cheese is added, strain it and return to the pot, or you can leave it a sit is, with pieces of broccoli in it. That’s normally how I do it. Serve it with toasted garlic bread.

 

Broccoli and Cheese Soup Recipe:

serves 4

You will need:

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

2 large cloves of garlic, pressed trough a garlic press

2 lb of broccoli florets

1 quart of water, or more as needed

Juice of half a lemon

2 cups of half and half cream

2 1/2 cups of shredded cheese (Cheddar, Colby or Monterrey Jack)

 

Melt the oil in a large pot and cook the onion until translucent. Add garlic and cook a minute more. Add 1/2 cup of the broccoli and sauté for about 5 minutes, until broccoli is tender but still firm. Remove broccoli from pan, leaving the remaining onion on the pot. Keep broccoli warm in a low over (200 degrees).

Place the remaining broccoli and water in the pot and boil for about 10 minutes, or until the broccoli is tender. (see note)

Reduce heat to medium and add the half and half. Wait a minute until it starts to warm up again, then add the cheese slowly, stirring often, until all the cheese is melted and incorporated in the soup. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add the lemon juice.

Divide soup into four bowls and top each with a portion of the reserved broccoli. Serve immediately.

 

Note:

At this point, if you want  a smooth soup, blend it, strain it and return to pot. If you are ok with a chunkier, more rustic soup, simply continue with the recipe.

 

Enjoy it!

Creamy Tomato and Basil Soup with Walnut Pesto and Goat Cheese Crouton

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If you are looking for a light soup recipe, the kind that will help you keep up with your new year’s resolutions, you might want to skip this post. This is definitely not a resolution-keeping, weight-loss, figure-friendly soup. However, if you are interest in a creamy, indulgent, rich soup that reminds you of the best soups you tried at restaurants….then read on.

This soup is so rich that it’s intended to be served in small portions, like an appetizer. It is creamy and delicious and just what I crave on those rainy and grey Seattle days.  The walnut pesto and the goat cheese croutons (which aren’t technically croutons) are a perfect compliment to the soup. The pesto lends a fresh and garlicky touch and the goat cheese crouton gives tang and texture. I like using coarse cornmeal to coat the goat cheese because it gives it a wonderful contrast of textures with the soft cheese.

 

Creamy tomato and basil soup with walnut pesto and  goat cheese crouton recipe:

makes 6 servings

 

You will need:

 

For the tomato and basil soup:

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, chopped

3 cups of chopped tomatoes (use fresh when in season, otherwise use good quality canned)

3 cups of tomato juice

10 fresh basil leaves

1 1/2 teaspoons of salt

1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper

1 cup of half and half

4 tablespoons of butter

 

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large pot and cook the onions and garlic until they soften, about 10 minutes.

Add the chopped tomatoes and the tomato juice and simmer for 20 minutes, until soup thickens slightly.

Blend the soup along with the basil leaves, return soup to pot and season with salt and pepper. With the soup on low heat, add the half and half and the butter, stirring until it’s all combined and the butter is completely melted.

 

Spoon soup into small bowls, drizzle with the walnut pesto and top with a piece of goat cheese crouton.

 

For the walnut pesto:

makes 1/4 cup

1 packed cup of fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup of chopped walnuts

1 garlic clove

4 tablespoons of olive oil

4 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

 

Pulse the basil, garlic  and the walnuts in a food processor. With the motor running, slowly drizzle the olive oil (use more or less until you get the desired consistency, I like my pesto loose and more on the liquid side). Pour pesto into a small bowl, stir in the cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep covered and refrigerated.

 

For the goat cheese croutons:

makes 6 “croutons”

1  log of goat cheese (8 inches)

1/4 cup of coarse corn meal

1/2 tablespoon of olive oil

 

Place the cheese in the freezer for 10 minutes. Spread the corn meal in a deep dish.  Heat the oil in a non-stick skillet. Slice the cheese into 6 rounds, coat each piece with cornmeal and shallow fry it in the oil until golden, about 2 minutes each side. Transfer to a paper towel to dry.

Chocolate Salami

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This is an old Brazilian recipe that has been on my list of things to cook for quite a while and I am so happy I finally made it, it was easy to do and the end result was quite delicious. No, it’s not a sweet salami. In fact, it’s not a salami at all. This is a sweet, chocolaty treat made with cocoa, nuts, sweet condensed milk and a touch of cognac. Sounds good? It gets even better: this is a one-dish, no-bake recipe that requires less than half an hour of hands-on time.  It’s called “salami” because this log shaped treat resembles a salami, both from the outside or when sliced. Even if the salami resemblance is not that obvious,this dessert will for sure make a good conversation piece.

 

Chocolate Salami Recipe:

makes 3 logs

You will need:

1/2 cup of raisins

4 tablespoons of cognac, divided

2 packages of Maria cookies (400g total)

1 cup of blanched almonds

1 1/2 cup of melted butter

2 cups of cocoa powder

1 can of sweet condensed milk

confectioner’s sugar for decorating

Soak the raisins in 2 tablespoons of cognac for 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, break the cookies with your hands into medium size pieces. Add the almonds, butter, cocoa powder and sweet condensed milk. Add the soaked raisins and stir it all very well. This will be a very stiff dough and the best way to mix it all is by using your hands. It may seem like it’s not going to come together, but it will, just keep mixing it up until all ingredients are well incorporated, forming a dark, moist dough.

Roll a double layer of plastic wrap onto a clean work surface and place one third of the dough in the middle. Using your hands, shape dough into a log about 2-3 inches in diameter. Place log towards the end of the plastic wrap and start rolling the plastic tightly around the log. Twist the ends of the plastic like a candy and tuck them under the log. Refrigerate log overnight.

When ready to serve, use a small sieve to sprinkle the outside of the logs with confectioner’s sugar (or, if you prefer, sprinkle the confectioner’s sugar on a kitchen towel and roll the log on it).

Slice it with a sharp knife. Enjoy it!

 

 

Pumpkin and Coconut Sweet (doce de abóbora com coco)

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This is such a perfect dish to cook on a November day when pumpkins are in season and the crisp air outside makes us want to stay in, turn on the stove and cook something warm and comforting.

This dish is really simple to make and it fills the house with wonderful aromas of cinnamon and cloves while it slowly simmers. The ingredient list couldn't be shorter: pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon cloves and coconut. This is a very typical Brazilian dessert and it's normally served with a slice of fresh cheese. Here in the States I pair it with feta cheese and it makes for such a treat.

Pumpkin and coconut sweet recipe:

makes about one 16 oz container

You will need:

2 lb of pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cut into large chunks

2 cups of sugar

2 cinnamon sticks

10 whole cloves

16 oz of shredded coconut

Put all ingredients, except the coconut, in a large pot and cook on medium-low heat until the pumpkin is very soft, about 30 minutes stirring occasionally.Add the coconut, mix well and remove from heat. You can mash any large pieces of pumpkin with a potato masher, or, if you prefer, leave it more chunky.

When it's cooled down a bit, transfer it to an air tight container and store it in the fridge. Serve it cold or at room temperature. I like to eat this sweet with a slice of feta cheese, or spread over a piece of crusty bread, always accompanied by a good cup of coffee.

Enjoy it!

Fresh Peaches Poached in Spiced Coconut Milk Topped with Granola

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I am a big fruit person, but I normally eat them fresh without any cooking involved.  Peaches are especially nice fresh, when they are juicy and have a wonderful aroma. Sometimes though, I like to try something different. This time I decided to poach the peaches, and as I was opening the can of coconut milk I thought about how nice it would be to add some spices to it, like cinnamon and cloves. These spices are normally used during cold month desserts, but they worked very nicely here. The granola on top is optional, but I like the crunch. Fresh whipped cream or ice cream would work well too, specially if you are a fan of cold and hot contrast on a dish.

 

 

Peaches Poached in Spiced Coconut Milk Recipe:

serves 4

You will need:

 

2 fresh peaches, ripe but still firm

1 can of coconut milk

1 cinnamon stick

10 whole cloves

1 -2 tablespoons of sugar (depending on how sweet you want it to be)

Granola (optional)

 

Peel the peaches, cut them in half and remove pit. Place peaches in a small sauce pan and cover with the coconut milk. Add the spices and sugar. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, without boiling.

Pour each half peach in individual bowls and top it with some of the coconut milk. Top it with granola, if using. Serve immediately.

 

 

Potato and Olive Pockets in the Barbeque

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We bought our BBQ about 5 years ago in Canada. It was the simplest and cheapest gas model in the store (in the two digits category...). Since then, it has traveled to Seattle, endured a couple of really bad winters (specially last year) and the constant, terrible wind that hits our balcony all the time. The metal plate inside of it is broken, as is the lid. It's a very small grill and I do my best to keep one side of it vegetarian, although that is not always possible.  Nevertheless, I love our barbeque. I can't imagine my life without it. Sometimes I fantasize about buying one of those super grills, with a rotisserie motor (for making gyros), and it almost feels like I am cheating on our my loyal companion, our cheap BBQ grill. I use it pretty much everyday, all year around.  During the cold months (in our case, that's 9-10 months), I roll it close to the  balcony door so that I don't have to step outside, but can still grill on it from the inside of the apartment. I use our old, broken BBQ to cook just about anything I feel like. 

This time it was potatoes. I like to grill potatoes but I don't like to have to boil them first (too much work, too much clean up). So I bought some very tiny ones (from Trader Joe's), that could go straight into the grill. The foil keeps the moisture in and lets the potatoes cook nicely. The olives give a nice saltiness and a touch of  Mediterranean flavour. Sometimes I use green onions (scallions), sometimes it's chives, whatever I have in the fridge. Next time I make these potatoes, I am thinking sun-dried-tomatoes might be good addition to them.

 

Potato and Olive Pockets in the Barbeque Recipe:

serves 4 as a side dish

You will need:

 

1 lb of very small potatoes such as Trader Joe's Tiny Teeny Potatoes**

16 mixed olives

4 teaspoons of olive oil

4 teaspoons of butter

4 tablespoons of fresh chives or green onions, chopped

salt and pepper

 

Wash and rinse the potatoes, scrubbing the skins to remove any dirt.

Cut 8 squares of foil paper (about 10x10 inches each) to make 4 double-lined pockets.  In each pocket, put 1/4 of the potatoes, 4 olives, 1 teaspoon of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of chives or green onions). Season with salt and pepper (keep in mind olives are very salty ) and close tightly. Place pockets in a hot barbeque grill, cover and let it cook for about 20 minutes.

Be careful when opening the pockets, they will be hot and the potatoes steamy. Serve immediately.

Enjoy it!

 

** If you can't find tiny potatoes, use small new potatoes cut in half.

 

Sauteed Collard Greens with Panko and Raisins (Farofa de Couve)

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This is my take on a really popular Brazilian side dish called farofa (FAH-RO-FA) which is made with toasted manioc flour. I cannot find this type of flour here in the U.S. so I use panko instead. You can use regular bread crumbs if that's what you have at home. As a side dish, it this is really tasty, colourful and( unless you are Brazilian), certainly different.

The collard greens are sliced very thin which allows for a quick cooking time on the skillet, which means your collards remain, well...green. No overcooked greens here. Take a look at my caldo verde post to see how to prep the collards this way.

Sauteed collar greens with panko and raisins Recipe:

servers 4 as a side dish

You will need:

2 tablespoons of olive oil

2 tablespoons of butter

1/2 cup of chopped onion

1 garlic clove, chopped

1/2 cup of panko or bread crumbs

1/4 cup of raisins

1/2 teaspoon of salt

2 cups of collard greens, thinly sliced (see note below)

Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add butter and oil. When the butter is melted, add the onions and cook for about 5 minutes or until onions are clear and soft. Add the garlic, cook for about 30 seconds and add the panko and raisins. Stir the panko around the skillet so it will take in the golden colour from the butter. Season with salt and add the collards. Stir it around the skillet until cooked but still bright green, about 3 minutes. Do not feel tempted to cook the greens longer, or they will be overcooked.

Note:

To prepare the collard greens: wash and dry leaves. Remove the tough stems by cutting around them with a knife. Roll up the leaves and slice it thinly. Photos of this preparation can be found on this link.

Muesli

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For me breakfast food has to be quick and easy, something I can put together while the coffee is brewing and I am still half asleep, it takes me a little while to actually wake up.  Weekends are exceptions and I might be more inclined to spend time making a skillet pancake. But for everyday breakfast, a bowl of muesli and a cup of black coffee is just what I need.

Muesli (sometimes referred as mueslix) is a type of cold cereal, more like an uncooked oatmeal, if you will. There are many ways to make your own version of muesli at home. I like to keep it simple, using oats, wheat germ and yogurt. I make this mixture the night before and leave it in the fridge overnight. In the morning, all I have to do is add the nuts, fruits and thin the muesli with some sort of liquid, usually soy milk.

I normally put a lot of effort and thought on what foods I eat to make sure I am eating healthy, but the less decisions I  have to make before my cup of coffee in the morning, the better. This muesli ensures me a healthy breakfast every time and I can vary it by adding different nuts, fruits and dairy as I please.

Muesli Recipe:

makes 4 servings

This recipe is highly adaptable, use different nuts and fruits that fit your taste. I like to use pears when they are in season. Grapes are a wonderful addition too. The nuts I use are normally whatever I have on hand, usually Brazil nuts, almonds and walnuts. If you like almond milk, this is a perfect place to use it. You can make this recipe richer by using half and half or a mix of milk and cream. There is no added sugar on this recipe and I like it that way, but feel free to sweeten it up with sugar, honey or maple syrup.

makes 4 servings

You will need:

1 cup of plain yogurt

3/4 cup of oats (not quick cooking)

1/2 cup of wheat germ

1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

a pinch of nutmeg

about 1/2 cup of soy, almond or regular milk, plus more for serving

a handful of  sliced almonds

6 Brazil nuts, chopped

a handful of raisins

1/2 an apple, chopped

red and green seedless grapes, sliced

 

Mix the yogurt with the oats and wheat germ, cover and refrigerate overnight.

On the next day, thin out the oat mixture using your choice of milk until you get the consistency of thick oatmeal. Add the spices and stir well. Mix in your choice of nuts and fruits (dried and fresh). You can do this on individual bowls adjusting to each person's taste. Serve extra milk on the side.

Enjoy it!

 

Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry with Peanuts

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Stir-fries are easy to make, cook fast and are a great way to get lots of vegetables into your meals. I like to make my stir-fry as simple as possible when it comes to sauces. I normally just use soy sauce along with rice wine vinegar and sometimes I add a little broth like chicken or vegetable. I try to stay away from the bottled sauces as they tend to have too much sugar and artificial ingredients in it.  This is another one-pot meal, so use the largest skillet you have available if cooking for lots of people. I love to use peanuts here, they add crunchiness and go well with the Asian theme. I make this dish often when broccoli is on sale and it becomes a fairly inexpensive meal that is also healthy.

 

 

 

Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry Recipe:

serves 2

 

You will need:

 

1 skinless, boneless chicken breast

1 tablespoon of canola oil

2 scallions, sliced and white and green parts separated

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 bunch of broccoli, cut into florets

1 large carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks

1 teaspoon of rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon of soy sauce

a handful of roasted peanuts

salt and pepper

 

Using a paper towel, dry the chicken breast and cut into bite size pieces, about 1 inch squares. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add scallion (white parts) and garlic and cook quickly for about 30 seconds, be careful not to bur the garlic, adjust heat if necessary. Add chicken pieces to the skillet and cook, turning often until all sides have browned, about 5 minutes. Add broccoli and carrots to skillet and stir. Add vinegar and soy sauce and scrape down the bottom of the pan to remove any brown bits. If you wish you can add a little amount of water or broth to create more sauce.Continue cooking the dish until vegetables are cook but still firm and chicken is cooked trough, about 5 minutes more. Top with peanuts and the green parts of the scallion.

Serve hot accompanied by your favourite kind of rice.

Minty Pineapple Fried Rice

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This is a tropical fried rice, not your usual Asian style fried rice. There is no soy sauce or any of the bottled Asian sauces usually used in fried rice recipes such as oyster and stir-fry sauces. Instead, this lighter, healthier version uses coconut oil, fresh ginger, garlic and mint to flavour the dish. The vegetables are whatever you want them to be, I used carrots as well as some baked tofu. Frozen peas would make a nice addition too and if you are not vegetarian I would add some crab meat, shrimps or pork, they all go nicely together with the pineapple. Added bonus for this recipe for being a one pot meal, on this case a wok. As with any fried rice recipe, this dish is a perfect opportunity to clean up your fridge and use up leftovers.

I didn't have any macadamia nuts on hand, but I bet it would taste great here, besides adding a crunch to the texture too. If you decide to use it, just add them at the end.

 

One note on coconut oil: extra-virgin coconut oil is a healthy alternative to hydrogenated oils. It contains healthy fats, no cholesterol and it tastes great.  Here in this dish, the use of coconut oil also contributes to it's tropical theme.

 

Minty Pineapple Fried Rice Recipe:

serves 1

This recipe is for one, using only half of a pineapple. Multiply all the ingredients accordingly to make more portions, or use the leftover pineapple and mint to make some delicious juice.

 

You will need:

 

1 whole pineapple or 1/2 cup of fresh pineapple chunks (see note bellow)

1/2 tablespoon of coconut oil (or, if not available, substitute canola oil)

1/2 teaspoon of fresh ginger, finely chopped (or more to taste)

1 large garlic clove, finely chopped

1 carrot, peeled and chopped

1 piece of baked tofu, cubed (about 1 cup total)

1/2 cup of day old brown rice

1 tablespoon of fresh, chopped mint

 

Using a wok or a very large skillet, heat coconut oil over medium high heat. Add ginger and garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Add carrots and (any other vegetables you might use), tofu and rice and stir it around the hot wok until heated through, about 3 minutes. Add pineapple and stir for another 2 minutes. Add mint and sir well. Fill pineapple half with the fried rice, if using and serve immediately.

 

Note:

If using the pineapple as serving dish, cut the entire pineapple in the middle lenghwise, including the crown. Carefully cut off the inside of the fruit, leaving about a 1/2 inch border. Use a sharp knife to do that, a grapefruit spoon can be helpful as well. Chop the fruit removed from the pineapple and set aside.

If you are not making the pineapple dish, just use 1/2 cup of fresh pineapple, chopped.

 

 

To make this dish non-vegetarian:

Add shrimp, pork cubes or crab meat to the garlic and ginger and cook it through before proceeding with the recipe. Or add them already cooked along with the vegetables.

 

 

 

Skillet Pancake with Strawberry

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I simply cannot make  good pancakes on the griddle.  My past attempts on pancakes have been disastrous, I either burn them, or brake them, or both. And the house is covered with smoke and burnt  smell, not pretty... I personally don't care for pancakes very much, but Andrew does, and so I make this every once in a while, normally on the weekends. This is also known as Dutch Baby Pancake. The batter is blended, transferred to an oven-proof skillet and baked in the oven. Almost impossible to mess up, and certainly less messy than making regular pancakes on the stove. The batter puffs up a lot, but it falls down as soon as it's removed from the oven, so it is important to be ready to eat it when it's finished baking.

To make it more interesting, I like to add fruits to the pancake. Here I chose sliced strawberries which were added to the batter in the skillet. I also added a list of possible variations for this same recipe, so try out a few. For toppings, I normally just use good Canadian maple syrup, but powdered sugar and lemon juice are popular options as well.

 

Skillet Pancake with Strawberry Recipe:

makes one 8 inch skillet

 

You will need:

 

3 large eggs

3/4 cup whole milk

1/2 cup of flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1/4 cup of sugar

2 tablespoons of unsalted butter

1 cup of strawberries, sliced

 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Mix all ingredients except for butter and strawberries in a blender. Make sure the flour is incorporated, scraping down the sides of the blender if necessary.

Melt the butter in a oven-proof skillet (I like using cast iron). Add the batter and the sliced strawberries. Transfer skillet to hot oven and bake until puffed and golden, 20-25 minutes.

Serve immediately with maple syrup.

 

Variations:

Cinnamon: add 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon to the batter. Skip strawberries.

Apple: slice 1/2 an apple and cook it on the melted butter until lightly golden. You may add a pinch of cinnamon to it. Skip strawberries.

Blueberry: use 1/2 cup of blueberries instead of strawberries.

Banana: add 1 sliced banana to the melted butter and cook it until golden, but still firm. You may add a pinch of cinnamon to it. Skip strawberries.

Chocolate chip: add 1/2 cup of your favourite chocolate chip to the batter in the skillet.  Skip strawberries.

Chocolate: add 1 tablespoon of cocoa to the batter.

Plain: skip strawberries and top baked pancake with a squeeze of lemon juice and powdered sugar.

 

 

White Beans with Rosemary (Feijão Branco com Alecrim)

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Beans have a lot going for them. They are nutritious, inexpensive and easy to make ,but somehow they are not very popular here in the U.S. They are slowly getting more popularity these days as people look for ways to shorten their grocery bills without compromising on nutrition. If cooking beans from scratch sounds daunting, think about this: if you can make pot roasts, then making beans isn't much different. It's actually easier.

I grew up eating beans as they are a staple of Brazilian cooking, and for that I am so very grateful. Black beans are probably the most common type of beans found on Brazilian's tables, but today I am sharing a recipe for white beans. I call them aromatic beans because they are cooked along with fresh rosemary, cloves and plenty of onions and garlic. It smells and tastes wonderful.

This is a vegetarian recipe, but you can add some meat to it if you like. Maybe a piece bacon ,pork or beef or a combinations. This recipe makes a lot of beans and I like to freeze leftovers on freezer bags in individual portions. I like eating these beans with some brown rice alongside and salad. It can be a side dish for meats and it's also delicious by itself with a chunk of good country bread.

Just add water and walk away...It's that simple.

White Beans with Rosemary Recipe:

serves 6 - 8

You will need:

1 lb white beans, any type you like

3 large onions, peeled

6 whole cloves

3 garlic cloves, chopped

3 carrots, peeled and sliced

2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

2 tablespoons of fresh rosemary, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Preparing the beans:

Pick the beans and remove any pebbles, broken beans and any visible dirt. Rinse well under running water and place it in a large bowl. Top it with water by 2 inches and let it soak overnight (6 - 8 hours).

Cooking the beans:

Press the cloves into one of the onions until they stick and chop the remaining two onions. Place the beans with water enough to cover them (you can use the same soaking water as long as the beans were well rinsed in advance), add all the onions, garlic, carrots, tomatoes and rosemary. Add salt and pepper to taste (I usually start with 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and increase it if necessary). Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer it until beans are tender, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Time will depend on the quality of the beans and how young (or old) they are. Old beans take longer to cook.

If you like a thicker sauce, scoop out some beans (about one ladle full) and mash them with a fork. Return it to the pot and cook it for a while longer until desired consistency is achieved.

Enjoy it!