Ropa Vieja

Sorry I haven't been posting here. We have been ordering delivery from restaurants in Hoboken ( Its greek to me, karma kafe) or I have been doing the recipes I posted here before. So, no new recipe to post this last 2 weeks. I made this recipe last year for the first time when I didn't have the blog yet. So, I made it today again and here's how I made:

Ingredients

· 1 pound skirt steak or flank steak

· 1 medium onions, coarsely chopped and separated into 2 parts

· 1 carrots, coarsely chopped

· 1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped

· 2 bay leaves

· 1 tablespoons olive oil

· 2 garlic cloves, minced

· 1 jalapenos, minced

· 1 green bell peppers, seeded and chopped

· 1/2 teaspoon salt

· 3 fresh plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped or 1/3 big cans chopped tomatoes

· 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley leaves

· 1 teaspoons dried oregano

· 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Directions

1. In a large stock pot, put in the meat, 1/2 chopped onions, carrot, celery and bay leaf. Cover with water by 2 inches. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

2. When meat is very tender, turn off heat and let meat cool in liquid for 20 min, remove from broth. Set aside. Discard vegetables and strain broth through a sieve. Return broth to heat, and boil to reduce by half, about 20 to 30 minutes. When meat is cool, cut off any fat and pull into shreds about 2 inches wide.

3. While broth is reducing, heat oil in a large skillet. Over medium heat, cook the remaining half of onions, the garlic, jalapenos, green peppers and 1/2 teaspoon salt until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon of salt.

4. Stir in 1 cup reduced broth and tomatoes. Cook for 10 minutes over medium heat. Stir in shredded meat, parsley, oregano, and cumin. Cook 10 minutes more.

Serve with white rice.

Colonial Chicken (Galinha Crioula)

This recipe is so good!!!!!
1- Colonial Chicken (Galinha Crioula)

ingredients:

1 lb chicken breast, cut into 8 pieces
2 medium onions, chopped in big pieces
1 8 ounce can diced tomatoes
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 red bell pepper, chopped in big pieces
1 cup long-grain rice
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cups chicken broth
salt to taste
black pepper to taste
1 cup grated parmesan cheese

directions:
1- Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a heavy-bottomed or cast iron frying pan over medium heat for 30 to 40 seconds. Add the chicken and brown on both sides. This will take about 15 min. Remove pieces to a clean plate and remove oil leaving 1 tbsp in pan.
2- Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add the onions and bell pepper, and saute for 2 min. Return the chicken to the pan.Turn the heat to medium-high, and add the tomatoes and the 2 cups of broth. Season with salt and pepper.
3- Once the pan comes to a boil, cover it leaving the lid slightly ajar, and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 20 min. After 20 min, add the rice, gently stirring it into the liquid. Turn the heat to medium-high and bring the liquid to a boil. Once it boils, cover the pan, reduce the heat to low, and cook for an additional 20 to 25 min. or until all the liquid is absorbed. Turn on the broiler. Remove the lid from the chicken and evenly sprinkle the grated cheese over the top. Place the chicken under the broiler for 1 min., or until cheese melts and turns golden brown.

Chicken Soup (canja de galinha)

Chicken Soup (Canja de Galinha)

ingredients

1 lb chicken breast, cut into 8 pieces
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp salt
1 medium onion
1 large carrot
1 bay leaf
black pepper to taste
8 cups water
1/2 cup long-grain rice
5 sprigs fresh mint

Directions:

1- wash the chicken pieces, pat them dry with a paper towel, and lay them in a large bowl. Add minced garlic and salt to the chicken pieces.Refrigerate for up to 2 hours to marinate.
2- Just before the chicken has finished marinating, prepare the rest of the ingredients. Wash and peel the carrot and set aside.
3- Remove the chicken form refrigerator. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan large enough to hold all the ingredients. A dutch oven or soup pot will work best. Once the oil is hot, brown the chicken pieces on both sides. Remove the browned pieces to a clean platter, drain the fat from the pot. Leave the browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot, they will add additional flavor to the soup. Return the chicken to the pot along with the onion, carrot, bay leaf, black pepper, and the water and bring it to a boil over high heat (15-20 min). Once it boils, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot leaving the lid slightly ajar, and cook for 1 1/2 hours, or until chicken is cooked through and tender. When chicken is done, remove chicken and carrot from broth and lay them in a plate to cool. Discard the onion.
4- Return the broth to a boil over high heat, then add rice, and salt to taste. As soon as the broth boils again, reduce heat to low and cook uncovered for 15 min. or until the rice is tender. In the meantime, slice the carrot and chicken into small cubes then, add them to the pan. Heat soup through for 5 min. Wash the mint, and tear the leaves in half. Serve the soup hot and garnish each bowl with a few of the mint leaves.

Brazilian Fish Stew

I made today another type of Brazilian fish stew. very good!

1- Fish Stew

Ingredients:
1lb boneless white fish fillets no skin
salt to taste
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 ripe plum tomatoes,chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 limes (take the juice out of them -about 1/3 cup)
8 to 10 sprigs cilantro
3 to 4 green onions
2 1/2 extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup clam juice

Directions:
1- Rinse the fish fillets then pat dry.Cut it in 3 pieces.Lay the fish pieces in a bowl, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and refrigerate them while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
2- Remove fish from refrigerator. Heat 2 tbsp. of the oil in a frying pan for 30-40seconds over medium heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking add the garlic and saute for 1 min. Add 1 cup each of the chopped tomatoes and chopped onions. Saute for 2 to 3 min. Lay the pieces of fish on top of the onions and tomatoes in a single layer. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon over fish. Pour the lime juice over the fish, then spoon the remaining tomatoes and onions to form and even layer over the top. Sprinkle the cilantro over the tomatoes, add the green onions, and then pour the remaining 1 1/2 tbsp of oil evenly over the fish. Add the clam juice. Don't stir the ingredients. Cover the pan, reduce heat to low, and cook for 10 to 15 min or until the fish is cooked through and tender.
3- Serve the stew hot with rice.

ravioli with homemade tomato sauce / Brazilian Fish Stew / lettuce goat cheese olives salad

We ate brazilian fish stew yesterday for dinner!we finished the ravioli yesterday for lunch. Today we ate salad.
1- Brazilian Fish Stew( moqueca de peixe):

1lb skinless white fish fillets
1 clove of garlic peeled
1 jalapeno
4 tbsp fresh cilantro
salt to taste (about 1/2 tsp)
pepper to taste
juice of 1 large lemon
1 14.5oz can diced tomatoes
1 medium onion chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup coconut milk

directions:

1.Rinse fish under cool running water and pat dry. Cut into roughly 2 inch square pieces and place in a large mixing bowl or baking dish.
2. In a food processor or blender, combine garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, salt, black pepper, lemon juice, a half of the tomatoes and onion. Process until smooth.
3. Poor the tomato mixture over the fish. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
4. Heat olive oil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add fish, processed tomato mixture, remaining tomato and onion, and half the coconut milk.
5. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and add remaining coconut milk. Cover and simmer 10 to 15 minutes, or until fish is cooked through. Serve hot with rice.

2- Lettuce goat cheese olives salad

few grape tomatoes , cut in half
few black olives
goat cheese ( I finished with what I had at home at the time)
few shredded swiss cheese
1/3 of spanish onion , cut in circles

dressing:

2 tbsp. olive oil
2tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp mustard

tomato sauce/ cinnamon doughnuts (bolinhos de chuva)

Yesterday we ate Ravioli (bought ready from sobsey) with tomato sauce (ready also). So, there are still some ravioli left. But, today I made the tomato sauce! I also went to post office to mail an international package and after that I went to the library to return the DVDs and pick up 2 books about brazilian cooking I have ordered before. I made this cinnamon doughnut from one of the books!my grandma used to make those. They taste just like hers!

Tomato sauce with Basil (my recipe)

1 can whole tomatoes
4 garlic cloves (chopped)
2 tablespoon ollive oil
7 basil leaves
fresh black pepper to taste
red flake pepper to taste

directions:

heat olive oil in small pan, add chopped garlic, cook for about 1-2 min or until light brown. Add tomato can (everything). Then, kind of break it in small pieces with a big spoon. Then, add black pepper, red flakes pepper (if desired) and basil and let it simmer for 15min.

2- cinnamon doughnuts (bolinhos de chuva)
2 large eggs
1/2 cup plus 3 tbsp. sugar
pinch salt
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup milk, warmed slightly to room temperature
vegetable oil for frying
3 tbsp. cinnamon

directions:
1- in a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt. Mix well. While stirring, slowly add flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and milk.
2- pour 2 to 3 inches of oil into a deep skillet or stockpot. heat to 350 F, or until a drop of water flicked into the pan jumps out.
3- carefully drop several spoonfuls (teaspoon) of batter into the oil. Each piece of batter will make a bite-sized doughnut. Fry 3 to 4 min. or until evenly light browned on all sides.Use a slotted spoon to remove doughnuts from oil and drain on paper towels.
4- combne cinnamon and remaining sugar(3 tbsp.) in a small bowl. When cool enough to handle, roll each doughnut in cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat and serve warm.

Macaroni Salad

Yesterday I made this salad. It's very good. I changed a little the recipe. Don't add too many olives if you don't like too salty food. I stayed home all day yesterday. I just went out to walk the dog. I watched some videos, slept (because Kailua woke us up in the middle of the night again to go out!) . So, the day yesterday wasn't good as I was all sleepy from not sleeping well at night.

1-Macaroni Salad

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. MACARONI
• 1 stalk CELERY
• 2 HARD BOILED EGGS
• 1 GREEN ONIONS
• 7 BLACK OLIVES
  
• MAYONNAISE (amount depends on your preference)
• GARLIC POWDER (to taste)
• no SALT (to taste)
• PEPPER (to taste) (optional)

Directions:

1. Boil MACARONI for about 12 minutes
2. Drain MACARONI
3. Rinse MACARONI with cold water
4. Add CELERY, chopped very fine
5. Add HARD BOILED EGGS, chopped
6. Add BLACK OLIVEs
7. * MAYONNAISE (to taste)
8. Some GREEN ONION, chopped