Farofa Brasileira (de farinha de Mandioca ou Milho ou meio a meio)

Farofa Brasileira (instead of farinha de milho uso farinha de mandioca)

- INGREDIENTES:

- 100 GRAMAS DE BACON PICADO EM CUBOS

- 1/2 CEBOLA PICADA EM CUBOS

- 4 DENTES DE ALHO PICADOS

- 2 COLHERES DE SOPA DE PIMENTÃO VERMELHO PICADO (se quiser)

- 2 COLHERES DE SOPA DE PIMENTÃO AMARELO PICADO (se quiser)

- 1 COLHER DE SOPA DE MANTEIGA

- 200 GRAMAS DE FARINHA DE MILHO FLOCADA

- SAL Á GOSTO

- PIMENTA DO REINO Á GOSTO

- 1 TOMATE PICADO SEM SEMENTES

- 1/2 XÍCARA DE CHÁ DE AZEITONAS PICADAS

- 1 LATA DE MILHO E ERVILHA

- 1/2 XÍCARA DE CHÁ DE UVAS PASSAS PRETAS

- 1/2 CENOURA RALADA

- CHEIRO VERDE PICADO Á GOSTO

- 100 GRAMAS DE NOZES PICADAS

Jacques Pepin's inspired "Christmas Ham" with Peach/Fruit Preserves and Basil Sauce (served with Brazilian Yuka Root Farofa and Japanese Garlic Rice)

 

This Original Recipe uses fresh peaches that are not easily found during Christmas season in USA, that is why I have replaced the fresh peaches for fresh pears and added preserved/dried peaches, pears, apples and apricots. 

I got the recipe from the book Jacques Pepin Celebrates but I recently found it online here: https://www.tfrecipes.com/jacques-pepin-baked-ham/ 

Time to prepare:

• 3 hours for ham in sous vide at 170-180F (or in pre-boiling water)  
• 30 min in oven at 350F
• 1 hour at 325F
• 30 min in oven after sprinkling sugar on top and decorating with rings of canned pineapples and plum in the middle 

Ingredients: 

- 1 fully cooked ham, 12-16 pounds. I use the spiraled ham or any other ham

Peach Mustard Glaze:

• 1/2 cup peach preserves
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp dried mostard
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 tsp ground allpice
• 2 tbsp confectioner's sugar
• 1 cup of water, for deglazing drippings from baked ham
• 3 cups demi-glace (Brown stock or meat bouillon )  

Peach sauce: 

• (Note: Recently I have been replacing the fresh fruit by dried peachs (and or nectaries) and pears
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 pounds large ripe peaches (around 10), each pitted (but not peeled), cut in 8 wedges
• 1/3 cup of sugar    
• 4 ounces of dried peaches, cut into 1/2 inch slices
• 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 4 cups combined demi-glace and deglazed ham drippings (or no drippings depening on time) 
• Some of the canned pineapple and or peach juice
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp potato starch dissolved in 1 tbsp water (for thickening)
• 1 cup of julienne basil leaves

Ham Cooking

• Put the ham on a stock pot and fill with cold water, bring to 170 to 180F (below the boil point; if boiled ham will crack) Cook for 3 hours  (I did a suis vide using the same packaging as the ham had before). Let it cool in cooking water.
• Remove ham from water, remove skin from ham (if any) and trim the surface of meat where it is brown and skin like around the shank bone. When skin has been removed, trim off all but a thin layer of white fat from the surface of the ham. 
• Run a point knife in a crisscross pattern on the fat on top of the ham, this will help the glaze to adhere to meat

For the peach mustard-glaze

• Mix preserves, pepper, mustard, balsamic vinegar and allspice. Spread this on top of the ham, place in roasting pan, and bake at 350-degree for 30 mins. Reduce heat to 325F and continue cooking for 1 hour. Sprinkle the sugar and cook for another 30 min until glazed
• Transfer the ham to a platter and set it up on a warm place while you make the peach sauce. Discard the accumulated fat on roasting pan and add 1 cup of water to the drippings in the pan, stirring to loosen and mix the solidified juices. Add the demi-glace and bring to boil. RESERVE FOR PEACH sauce

Peach Sauce

• Heat the butter in large skillet 4 tbsp of butter, when hot add peach wedges to each skillet, saute for 2-3 mins. Sprinkle sugar and cook 3-4 min longer. Add dried peach juliene and the apple cider vinegar, stir to mix. Strain the reserved demi-glace over the peaches, stil in the salt. If sauce is thinner than you would like add the potato starch and bring to a boil. At serving time stil in the basil julienne. 

Arroz de Coco e Moqueca de Peixe da Dada' da Bahia

 Receita de Aldaci dos Santos ou Dadá... - Veja mais aqui 

ARROZ DE COCO 

Ingredientes 

• 500 gramas de arroz 
• 1,5 litro de leite de coco 
• 200 gramas de coco ralado 
• 2 colheres de sopa de açúcar 
• 1 colher de chá de sal 

Modo de preparo Coloque todos os ingredientes numa panela e leve ao fogo médio. Quando o leite de coco estiver quase secando, desligue o fogo, tampe a panela e deixe descansar. Imagem: Cacio Murilo de Vasconcelos/Getty Images/iStockphoto 

MOQUECA DE PEIXE 

Ingredientes 

• 2 dentes de alho 
• 2 colher de sopa de sal 
• 1 xícara de cha de coentro picado 
• Suco de 2 limões 
• 4 colheres de sopa de azeite de oliva 
• 2 quilos de peixe vermelho em postas 
• 1 litro de água 
• 4 tomates 
• 2 cebolas 
• 1 pimentão de sua preferência ou 150 gramas de cada (vermelh... 
• 1 xícara de chá de cebolinha 
• 2 colheres de chá de salsa 
• 1,5 litro de leite de coco 
• 3 colheres de sopa de coco ralado 
• 2 colheres de sopa de azeite de dendê 

Modo de preparo No pilão, macere o alho, uma colher de sopa de sal e duas colheres de sopa do coentro até fazer uma pastinha. Junte o suco de um limão e uma colher de sopa de azeite de oliva. Misture e reserve. Coloque o peixe para marinar numa tigela com o suco do outro limão, a água e resto de sal. Se estiver calor, pode juntar pedras de gelo. Enquanto isso, corte a cebola em rodelas finas, pique a cebolinha e a salsa e corte o tomate e os pimentões em tirinhas. Reserve. 

Escorra a água do peixe e lave as postas rapidamente em água. Depois, tempere uma a uma com com a mistura do pilão e reserve. Numa tigela, misture a cebola, o tomate, os pimentões, a cebolinha e o restante do coentro. Divida em três partes. Use a primeira parte para forrar o fundo de uma panela grossa fora do fogo. Por cima, acomode o peixe temperado. Cubra com a segunda leva de temperos, regue com três colheres de sopa de azeite de oliva. Junte o leite de coco, o coco ralado e leve ao fogo. Deixe cozinhar por vinte minutos com a panela tampada ou até que o peixe fique no ponto. Por fim, coloque a decoração que desejar (coentro e legumes são boas opções) e o azeite de dendê. Retire do fogo e sirva com arroz..

Ret... - Veja mais em https://www.uol.com.br/nossa/noticias/redacao/2021/08/31/arroz-de-coco-e-moqueca-dada-querida-quituteira-baiana-ensina-a-fazer.htm?cmpid=copiaecola

Duck Breast with Salad and Cracklings

 This recipe was inspired by Jacques Pépin's "Duck Breast with Arugula Salad and Cracklings" from Recipes from Heart & Soul in the Kitchen Copyright © 2015 by Jacques Pépin also found here. 

Sautéed Duck Breast with Arugula Salad and Cracklings

Serves 4

Ingredients:
Cracklings

• 4 boneless duck breasts(about 6 ounces each)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Salad

• 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons toasted sesame or hazelnut oil
• 8 cups (loosely packed) arugula
• 1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts (see Note below)

Duck

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup dry red wine
• 2 tablespoons water

Instructions:

For the Cracklings

1. Remove the skin of the duck breasts by pulling it off and slicing between the skin and the meat with a sharp knife. Cover and refrigerate the breasts.
2. Cut the duck skin into 3/4-inch pieces.
3. Put the pieces of skin in a saucepan with the salt and 3 cups water, bring to a boil, and cook, uncovered, for 40 to 45 minutes, or until all the water is evaporated and the pieces of skin are sizzling in the rendered fat. Then continue frying the skin in the fat until it is brown and crispy, about 10 minutes.
4. Drain in a colander, reserving the fat for another use.
5. You need about 1 cup cracklings to serve with the duck; enjoy the rest with aperitifs.
6. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees.

For the Salad

• Mix together the garlic, salt, pepper, vinegar, and both oils in a large bowl and set aside.

For the Duck

1. Pack the Duck brests with skin on a zip lock or proper vacuum pack and have heat it on sous vide machine at 135F for 2 hours. This will make the breast soft and on the right cooking point.
2. Heat the butter in a skillet until it is foaming. Sprinkle the duck breasts with the salt and pepper, add to the pan, and sauté over high heat to sear it outside . Transfer the duck to a plate and set in the oven to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, deglaze the pan with the wine and water, mixing for a few minutes to melt and incorporate the solidified juices. Remove from the heat.

To Assemble

1. Reheat the cracklings in the microwave oven for about 45 seconds.
2. Toss the arugula with the dressing in the bowl and divide the salad among four plates. Place a duck breast on top of the salad on each plate and pour the deglazed juices on top. Sprinkle with the toasted nuts and cracklings and serve.

Note: To toast the hazelnuts, scatter them on a baking sheet and toast in a 400-degree oven for 10 minutes. Rub off the skins after toasting.

Instructions:

- Sous vides duck breast at 135-140F for 1-

Steamed and Roasted Thanks Giving Turkey with Deconstructed Rice Stuffing (updated on Nov. 2023)

 If turkey is fresh or already thaw you can go to brining, if not read below: 

Thawing the Turkey

Note: Refrigerator Thawing

When thawing a turkey in the refrigerator: Plan ahead: allow approximately 24 hours for each 4 to 5 pounds in a refrigerator set at 40 °F or below. Place the turkey in a container to prevent the juices from dripping on other foods.

Brining the Turkey (Recommended): 

Ingredients for Brine (I have used in 2020/21)

• 8 cups apple cider vinegar (around 2 bottles)
• ~1 1/2 gallon water
• 1 1/4 cups Kosher salt (or 5% in weight)
• Garlic powder (but I think actual garlic cloves would be better)
• 6-10 bay leaves
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme (inside turkey)
• 2 tea sp fresh peppercorns
• 2 tea spoons mustard powder (mustard seeds may be better)
• dry parsley (used fresh in 2021) 

1 night before preparation date: Heat as little water as needed to dissolve the salt and add all spices in a boil. Let it cool down. When the brine is cold remove neck (you will use it for stuffing and gravy), liver, heart and gizzard from turkey and then insert turkey in brine/cooking bag, put that bag on another bag and pour all the brine into the first bag, close it tight and then close the second plastic bag. Put turkey on cooler box and cover with ice/ice packs. If you keep the cooler box in the garage the ice should last for 24+ hours. Brine for less than 24 hours! (vinegar is going to make the turkey soft! but I did it for 36 hours and it was ok)

Rice Stuffing replacement:

• 3-4 rice cups
• 2 bell peppers (Yellow and Red if possible) cut in small pieces
• Turkey neck and gizzard, boiled with salt for 1-2 hours
• 1 Onion
• 1 Garlic clove or paste
• black pepper etc. 
• Instructions: After neck and gizzard is boiled and cold, remove as much meat from neck and slice the gizzard in small pieces. Most of the neck meat goes to rice/stuffing, gizzard and rest of neck meat used in gravy (sorry, not recipe!)  Fry onions, garlic and meat in olive oil, add bell pepper (close to end), add rice, and cover with hot water used to boil the neck. Add salt and more water as needed. Cook in low heat fire. Note: liver and heart are fried in butter, garlic, salt and pepper and is eaten by cook and his supporting family members). 
• For graving or sauce you can check how Mr. Pepin makes his here: https://youtu.be/HPWEMZwxKjo 

Cooking the Turkey : 

• at least 4 hours before serving;
• Stat boling turkey neck and gizzard on a pan with boiling water and salt, so you have time to make it really soft and also for it to cool down, so you can remove the meat to use in your rice and graving
• remove turkey from brine bag, make cuts around legs (to expose small bones during cooking), use some toothpicks to hold the wings to the body or use the wing twist techniche  (so they do not fall apart) and steam the turkey for 45 min-1 hour. I then let it cool down
• When cool I insert the turkey on turkey rack and put both inside on cooking bag
• Start cooking turkey 2 hours before serving at 325F
• Remove turkey from bag and cover it with the glaze (apple cider + tabasco) and cook it prior to bringing to the table.

I will add more pictures when I find them but here are some. 

Turkey in the front and Risotto in the back

Dinner Table

Turkey after I opened the cooking back

Turkey after steaming on the rack (before the cooking bag)

Turkey fryer to steam the bird!

Inside this cooking bag, you can safely brine the thawed bird.

Organic Turkey 

Lingua com molho de vinho e uva passa

Receita do programa 'Língua da sogra': Rodrigo Hilbert e Teca fazem receita de língua de boi

Ingredientes

• 1 língua
• 3 cebolas
• 1 colher (sopa) de manteiga
• 150g de uva-passa
• Vinho tinto
• 150g de amêndoas
• 1 xícara de farinha de trigo
• Sal, pimenta-do-reino e louro a gosto
• Cheiro-verde

Modo de Preparo - Língua de boi

• Depois de lavar bem a língua, coloque-a numa panela de pressão com água, louro e pimenta-do-reino a gosto, por 40 minutos a uma hora.
• Em seguida, lave a língua novamente com água gelada, retire a pele e fatie.
• Reserve a água em que a língua foi fervida.
• Numa panela, refogue a cebola e o alho em óleo, e coloque a língua fatiada.
• Tempere com sal a gosto.
• Em seguida, leve a língua para uma travessa e reserve.

Modo de Preparo - Molho de uva-passa e amêndoas

• Coloque as uvas-passas numa tigela com vinho tinto e deixe descansar o máximo de tempo possível.
• De preferência, por 24 horas.
• Em outra panela, com fogo baixo, derreta a manteiga e adicione as amêndoas picadas, para refogá-las.
• Acrescente as passas com o caldo de vinho tinto e a água da língua que foi reservada da panela de pressão.
• Reserve.
• Numa frigideira, coloque manteiga e a farinha de trigo até torrar e fazer pequenos flocos.
• Na sequência, adicione a farinha de trigo torrada no molho, com cuidado, para engrossá-lo.
• Coloque o molho em cima da língua, na travessa e enfeite com cheiro-verde.

Marie's Sugar Cookies

 from "Best Ever Sugar Cookie Recipe" By Gemma Stafford 

that can be found here: https://www.biggerbolderbaking.com/easy-sugar-cookie-recipe/

Marie made half of the recipe below and ended up with 18 cookies. She left the dough resting overnight in the refrigerator and used 2 layers of plastic wrap to open the dough flat. She covered the bottom wrap with a little bit of flour so they come out easily. Cookies were crunchy and Riko has loved them. She covered with melted chocolate for decoration. 

I suggest very light decorations since the cookies tasted great even plane!

Ingredients: 
- 3/4 cups (6oz/170g) butter, cubes and cold
- 1 cups (8oz/225g) sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups (12oz/340g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt

- 2 eggs*

Instructions

- In a food processor add in the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Stir a little with a spatula

- Add in the cold butter and blitz for seconds JUST until the mix looks like big bread crumbs

- Whisk together the eggs and vanilla extract. Pour into the food processor and pulse for a few seconds until the dough comes together. Take care not to over mix. If your mix seems dry you can add a tiny bit more egg or milk.  (This dough can also be made by hand by rubbing in the butter into the flour)

- Chill the dough for a minimum of 2-3 hours. Preferably chill overnight. Also it can be frozen at this stage for up to 8 weeks. 

- Once chilled, roll out some of the dough on a well floured surface to about 1/4-1/8 inch thick. 

- Cut out your desired shapes and transfer them to a baking tray lined with parchment. (this is a soft dough so work fast).

- Bake at 325°F (160°C) for 18-20 minutes or until a light golden brown. Set aside to cool.

- Decorate with royal icing if you wish and store in an airtight container for up to 7 days.