Fishermen's Stew Of Graciosa

This recipe adapted from Ana Patuleia Ortins' Portuguese Homestyle Cooking (Interlink 2003) is one of the first recipes I fell in love with as a new cookbook reviewer. I still remember the moment the brick-red seasoning paste dissolved into the stew and its aroma filled the house. It is an ample recipe, so sometimes I halve the amount of fish. When I do, I still use the full measure of the seasonings, as I find them irresistible. I can never find the pickled Portuguese chili peppers, but they are there principally for their heat, and the author has said they can be used interchangeably with other dried, fresh or liquid capsicums.

EnlargeT. Susan Chang for NPR

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Stew

4 pounds any thick cuts of white fish (halibut, hake, pollock or cod), cut into 1-inch-thick steaks or thick serving-sized fillets

1 quart water or enough to barely cover the fish

3 sprigs parsley

2 medium onions, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)

3 bay leaves

1 1/2 tablespoons coarse salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

In the bottom of an 8-quart pot, layer the fish and pour in enough cold water to barely cover it. Add the parsley, onions, bay leaves, salt and olive oil.

Cover tightly, place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently until the fish is opaque, about 20 minutes.

Seasoning Paste

7 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

2 teaspoons coarse salt

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seed or 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder

1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

2 pickled chili peppers, each about 1 inch long, finely chopped (optional)

1 teaspoon ground safflower* or paprika

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup wine vinegar

Using a large mortar and pestle, mash the garlic with the salt, forming a paste.

Mash in the cumin, parsley, chili peppers and safflower. Stir in the tomato paste, sugar and nutmeg. Drizzle in the olive oil followed by the vinegar. (If you do not have a mortar and pestle or yours is not large enough, make the paste in a medium bowl using the back of a spoon or a fork.) Stir to blend the ingredients well.

With a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked fish to a serving dish. Cover and keep warm. Whisk the seasoning paste into the fish broth, making sure it is well dispersed. Simmer about 5 minutes over medium-low heat. Ladle some of the seasoned broth over the fish and serve remaining broth on the side. Or place generous pieces of fish in individual soup plates and spoon the broth over it. Serve with plenty of bread to dip in the broth.

*Portuguese ground safflower can be found in Latino markets and some supermarkets.

From npr.org

Coconut Fish Stew With Basil And Lemongrass

This vibrant stew adapted from In the Kitchen with a Good Appetite by Melissa Clark (Hyperion 2010) has a longish list of ingredients but comes together in a flash, like so many of Clark's recipes. Because I had gotten a whole fish the day I made it, I had a leftover fish frame to simmer in the chicken stock for extra flavor — an extra step, but worth it. Do you need to use whole head-on shrimp? Absolutely not. But it's a great way to freak out your kids.

EnlargeT. Susan Chang for NPR

Makes 4 servings

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 shallots, thinly sliced

1 small garlic clove, minced

2 1/2 cups chicken stock

1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk

1 lemongrass stalk, finely chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, if desired, and thinly sliced

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

Finely grated zest of 1 lime

3/4 pound seafood, such as snapper or other firm fish (cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks), peeled shrimp and/or scallops, or a combination

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Freshly squeezed lime juice to taste

Cooked rice, for serving (optional — I particularly like sticky rice)

Heat the oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring, until the shallots are softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the stock, coconut milk, lemongrass, jalapeno pepper, vinegar, fish sauce, sugar, salt and lime zest. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir in the seafood and herbs. Cook 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and serve with rice, if desired. (Note: Without rice, it's more of a soup than a stew.)

From npr.org.

Einfaldasta bananapæ í heimi

4-5 bananar

50-100 gr brasilíuhnetur

100 gr smjör

1 egg

100 gr haframjöl
100 gr heilhveiti
100 gr hrásykur
1-2 tsk kanill

Bananarnir skornir í bita og settir í smurt eldfast mót.
Það er betra að þeir séu frekar þroskaðir.

Brasilíhneturnar skornar í bita og settar þar yfir.
Mega vera hvernig hnetur sem er – má líka alveg sleppa þeim.
Pekanhnetur eða valhnetur passa líka vel.

“Deigið”:

Smjörið brætt.
Þurrefnunum blandað saman.
Smjörinu bætt útí þurrefnin og síðan er egginu bætt við.

Sett yfir bananana ( bara svona “fjálslega” – algjör óþarfi að vanda sig of mikið!)
og síðan inn í ofn við 180-190 gráður þar til gullið.

Af matarbloggi http://sigurveigkaradottir.wordpress.com/2011/11/22/einfaldasta-bananapae-i-heimi/

Sítrónuís

250 gr rjómaostur

án bragðefna

120 gr (2/3 bollar) sykur

rifið hýði og safi af tveimur sítrónum

2 eggjarauður

3 dl þeyttur rjómi

Hrærið rjómaostinn mjúkan með sykrinum. Hrærið safa, hýði og rauðum saman við. (bætið við sykri ef þetta er of súrt). Bætið að lokum þeytta rjómanum saman við.

Raðið ísmótunum á bakka hellið hrærunni í mótin og frystið.

Úr Sælkeraklúbbi Sigrúnar

Sörur

Sörur frá Ástríði Guðmundsdóttur

40 – 50 stk.

200 g möndlur

3 1/4 dl flórsykur, sigtaður

3 eggjahvítur

Smjörkrem:

3/4 dl sykur

3/4 dl vatn

3 eggjarauður

150 g smjör, helst ósaltað, lint

1 msk kakóduft

1 tsk skyndikaffiduft

250 g hjúpsúkkulaði, dökkt ( Ópal hjúpsúkkulaði er best )

Ofninn hitaður í 180 C gráður. Möndlurnar fínmalaðar í matvinnsluvél eða blandara og flórsykrinum hrært saman við. Eggjahvíturnar stífþeyttar og síðan er möndlublöndunni hrært gætilega saman við með sleikju. Sett með teskeið á pappírsklæddar bökunarplötur og kökurnar bakaðar í 12-15 mínútur og látnar kólna.

Sykur og vatn sett í pott, hitað að suðu og hrært þar til sykurinn er uppleystur en síðan soðið áfram þar til lögurinn hefur þykknað ögn en er ekkert farinn að breyta lit, eða í 8 til 10 mínútur. Eggjarauðurnar þeyttar mjög vel og síðan er heitum sykurleginum þeytt saman við í mjórri bunu. Fara þarf varlega svo hann slettist ekki um allt og er best að hella honum ekki beint á þeytarana. Látið kólna nokkuð og síðan er linu smjörinu þeytt saman við og að lokum kakódufti og kaffi, ef það er notað. Kælt vel. Súkkulaðið brætt í vatnsbaði eða örbylgjuofni og síðan er köldu kreminu smurt nokkuð þykkt á botninn á marenskökunum og þeim síðan dýft í súkkulaðið ( á að vera um 40 C gráður), þannig að kremhliðin sé þakin súkkulaði. Kökurnar er best að geyma í kæli eða í frysti.

Þessar smákökur, sem eiginlega eru hálfgert konfekt, eru kenndar við hina frægu frönsku leikkonu, Sarah Bernhardt, og munu hafa orðið til í Danmörku snemma á 20. öld, raunar upphaflega sem terta en ekki smákökur. Þær eru alkunnar í Danmörku og hér á landi en ofsagt er að þær séu heimsþekktar, eins og stundum er fullyrt.

Roasted Lemon Cilantro Chicken

Cilantro, lemon and garlic infuse the meat with flavor while it roasts. The paste may be doubled, reserving half to serve as an accompaniment to the chicken. Requires some advance preparation.

Lynda Balslev

Makes 4 to 5 servings

2 large garlic cloves

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro sprigs

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 teaspoons sea salt, divided

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1/4 teaspoon saffron threads

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 whole 3- to 4-pound chicken

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the paste, combine garlic, cilantro, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons salt, lemon zest and saffron in a mortar with pestle or bowl of a food processor. Smash or grind to a paste. Stir or pulse in 2 tablespoons olive oil.

Gently slide your fingers between the breast meat and skin and rub the paste all over the meat, carefully reaching the upper thighs without tearing the skin. Rub additional paste inside the cavity. Brush the outside of the skin with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Place on tray or platter, breast-side up and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 6 hours. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before roasting.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place chicken, breast-side up, in a roasting pan. Roast for 20 minutes. Carefully turn chicken over with tongs. Roast another 20 minutes. Turn chicken over once more, breast-side up. Continue roasting 20 minutes.

Check to see if chicken is done by carefully cutting skin between breast and thigh. If meat is pink, return to oven for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Chicken is cooked when meat is no longer pink, and clear juices run from the thigh when pierced with a knife. Remove from oven, cover loosely with foil and let rest 15 minutes before carving.

From New York Times