Chicken Stuffed with Creamy Eggplant Parmigiana

This recipe is a little twist on my Chicken Stuffed with Eggplant Parmigiana and Herb Sauce recipe. Simply delicious!

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Chicken Stuffed with Eggplant Parmigiana and Herb Sauce

This creative dish is a mix of two classics with a few twists. Your dinner guests will love the presentation and love the food even more!

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Herbed Tikka Masala

I added a couple of twists to a very popular Indian dish. The result is a more mild, fresh, and cremier dish.

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Cheese Ravioli with Chicken and Wine Sauce

This sauce is really easy to make, and really fast too! The variations to this recipe are endless. The cheese ravioli can be substituted for penne or any other pasta.  Also, when using this sauce with ravioli, it can be served on small individual plates as a first course or tapas. 

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Chicken Marsala with Cream, Garlic and Herbs

I bring a fresh twist to classic italian dish by adding fresh herbs and cream. You have to try it!

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Chicken Legs with Beer

Simple to make, this recipe has a rustic look but some really great flavors!

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Salt Cod with Potatoes and Olives (Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá)

Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá is a very traditional dish from Portugal that Brazil decided to make its own – like all the other salt cod recipes ever invented in Portugal. 

The method of salting fish or meat, was widely used during the time when Brazil became Portugal’s colony. Therefore, the different recipes and ways to prepare the salt cod were fully embraced by the Brazilians. Wonder why? It’s very tasty and much easier to make than most people would think. 

This recipe is called Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá, but if you can’t pronounce that, simply call it Salt Cod with Potatoes and Olives. It is a simple dish that uses only a handful of ingredients. Just watch for timing: it can be prepared in advance, but the salt cod must be soaked for at least 24 hours before cooked. Using salt cod just takes a bit of planning. 

Another important thing: use high quality olive oil and olives. I feel like that, besides the salt cod, the stars in this dish are the olive oil and the olives. Good quality, pungent, rich varieties of olives will work best here. The slightly caramelized onions bring a touch of sweetness, and the potatoes will balance everything out and add sustenance to the dish. The eggs make for a pretty topping – and a delicious one – do not skip it!

A big prove that Brazilians have fully embraced salt cod dishes is that these recipes became an Easter tradition down there! On Easter Sunday, a large casserole or skillet is one of the most popular main courses served at the occasion. It has become that kind of special food that everyone looks forward to.

Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá is simple to prepare and full of flavor. I promise that salt cod is really easy to handle! Give it try and maybe you will also want to incorporate this new dish into your traditional repertoire - at Easter or at any time of the year!

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Shrimp with Catupiry (Camarão com Catupiry)

When I first moved to the US, I was very surprised to learn that most people - especially those who were cooking and talking about food on TV - did not think that the combination of shrimp (or shellfish in general) and cheese worked well together. I would think: “How in the world?! I bet these people have never been to Brazil!”.

One of my favorite combinations in Brazilian cuisine is shrimp and a creamy cheese called requeijão – which is our nuttier and creamier version of cream cheese.

There is a brand of requeijão named Catupiry – which has an extra luscious texture – that is amazing with shrimp. In fact, they go together so well that there is a dish named “Camarão com Catupiry”. Translating to English, it simply became “Shrimp with Catupiry”.

Several versions of this recipe are available - all of them have the creaminess and luxurious texture in common. Like most dishes from Brazil, white rice (I prefer jasmine) is the side of choice. To add a bit of crunch, shoe string potatoes are usually served on the side too - my husband rolls his eyes every time I add string shoe potatoes to a dish “Oh! This Brazilian thing”. Sorry, we like it. In fact, we love it!

My version is made in one single skillet that goes from stove top to oven. It has garlic, onions, and a bit of brandy for fun – and smoky sweetness. Béchamel sauce smoothers the shrimp before it is topped with Catupiry prior to broiling. It is simple to make.

As I mentioned, in Brazil we eat “Shrimp with Catupiry” over rice and shoe string potatoes, but I can see this recipe being served with slices of crusty bread (like a dip), or even mixed with elbow pasta for a Brazilian version of mac n’ cheese.

If you think that shrimp and cheese don’t go well together, give this recipe a shot. I bet that you will change your mind.

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Crab and Coconut Brazilian "Risotto" with Mango Salsa ("Risoto" de Carangueijo e Coco com Salsa de Manga)

I knew it was very risky to feature the word risotto as part of this recipe’s title… Even more so having the word Brazilian next to it! I understand that Italians are very proud and protective of this centennial method of cooking rice – as they should be. So, before I start getting yelled at by my Italian friends I think I owe an explanation, right?

First, there is not such a thing as Brazilian risotto (that’s why I put the word risotto under parenthesis). Risotto is the Italian method of cooking certain varieties of high-starch rice in a broth until a creamy consistency develops. A traditional risotto recipe usually contains butter and/or olive oil, onions, wine and broth (vegetable, chicken, beef, or fish). Italians say that risotto is a white canvas that serves as the base to other ingredients to add flavors and textures to the dish.

That said, I was curious about trying to apply some Brazilian flavors to the traditional risotto method. Luckily, my creation was a hit!

So, to create my Crab and Coconut Brazilian “Risotto” I used non-traditional ingredients for the method, although they were all from the same “family”. For example, I used coconut oil to replace butter or olive oil, cachaça in lieu of wine, and a mixture of coconut milk and broth instead of just broth. The result was just as creamy, with the same all dente texture, and a slight unexpected flavor that was begging for the addition of some tropical ingredients. That base was my Brazilian white canvas.

Everything else came together very naturally: loads of scrumptious crab meat, nutty toasted coconut, tangy lime zest and a touch of sweet-spicy mango salsa. I hope you enjoy just as much as I did. Buon Appetito! Bom Apetite! Just give it shot.

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Brazilian Cuscuz (Cuscuz Paulista)

My Goodness! How much have I missed working on my recipes and, especially, sharing them?! Life with two boys – one being a two-year-old that is not yet at school - and our move to Tampa, “forced” me to take a step back on my cooking activities.

Well, one thing is for sure: I HAVE NO REGRETS!

In fact, spending the last year focusing on the needs of the boys and helping our family to adjust into our new hometown have been a great experience. I feel incredibly grateful to have being able to do that.
That said, I am ready to push the restart button and go back to the kitchen!

I believe that a great come back calls for a super traditional dish – for that reason, I am sharing with you a recipe for Brazilian Cuscuz (Cuscuz Paulista).

I know what some might be thinking: “I had no idea that Brazilians had a couscous recipe!”. Yes, we do! And the version I am sharing here is delicious and it is spelled Cuscuz.
Couscous has its origins in the Northern part of Africa – mainly Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco. The geographic proximity to Portugal made the recipe make its ways into the Portuguese table – and in the 1500’s it was a very popular dish (not anymore these days).

When the Portuguese arrived in Brazil, they found out the indigenous people had a very similar dish. But instead of using semolina flour, the natives used maize flour and/or yuca flour to prepare it.
So the Portuguese incorporated some of the ingredients that they were using already - such as seafood, green olives, and eggs - into this new found flour mixture. Boom! The Brazilian Cuscuz was born.

The version I am sharing here was inspired by the traditional recipe found on the book “Viagem Gastronomica Atraves do Brasil”, by Caloca Fernandes. I made some adaptations on the method and ingredients. I also added a spicy sauce to serve on the side to suit the American palate ;)

This specific version is very popular in the state of São Paulo – that’s why it’s called Cuscuz Paulista. There are different versions around Brazil, especially on the Northern and Northeastern parts of the country. Those versions are more basic, with less ingredients; and often served as side dishes.

This gorgeous and delicious version I am presenting is definitely the center of attention at the dinner table! Enjoy!

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