makanandcomida

Early morning walks along the beach of Copacabana are just a wonderful way to start your day. Not only the great natural beauty of the sun rising above the ocean

but as well funny sights such as this group of ladies doing their daily fitness routine at the beach:

or the weirdest collection of dogs being walked along Copacabana beach – but they have to wait for a next blog.

Roasted Pumpkin with Rocket Pesto served with grilled Steak (for 4)

• 1 medium sized pumpkin deseeded, halved and sliced into wedges
• 1 large bunch of rocket (ruccula)
• 50g of walnuts
• 50-100 g of grated parmesan
• olive oil
• 1 clove of pressed garlic
• salt and pepper
• 4 steaks around 200g each

Layer the pumpkin slices into an ovenproof dish, sprinkle with coarse sea salt and olive oil and roast in 200C oven for around 30 minutes or until pumpkin is soft. Alternatively you can put them on the grill. In a food processor mix the rocket leafs, walnuts, grated parmesan, garlic and add some 2-3tbs of olive oil. Season the pesto with salt and pepper.

Grill the steaks or fry them in a pan in olive oil, season with salt and freshly ground pepper and serve with the slices of pumpkin topped with the Rocket Pesto.

Yesterday Edna showed me how to make a proper moqueca de peixe.

This is one of the most typical brazilian dishes originating from Bahia in the north-east of the country and showing the strong African influence. The great taste and color comes from the dendê oil or red palm oil widely used in the cuisine of Bahia as well as in Western Africa. It is supposed to have a lot of health benefits and therefor can easily be found in organic or health stores outside Brazil.

First is was off to the market for me – remember Monday market day with the fish monger recommending the filets of sole fish, but you can use any other white firm fish and or prawns or other seafood.

For 4 you will need:

• 800 g of firm white fish filets cut into large pieces and or prawns, squid or mussels
• 2 large onions sliced into rings
• 1 each green, red and yellow pepper sliced into rings
• 3 cloves of garlic pressed
• 2-3 large tomatoes cut into rounds
• 3-4 spring onions chopped
• bunch of coriander chopped
• 1 red chili finely diced
• 200ml of coconut milk
• 100ml of fish stock
• 100ml tomato puree
• juice of 2 limes
• 3tbs dendê oil (red palm oil)
• salt, pepper

The cooking process itself is super easy. I used a Wok but you could use any large heavy pan or pot.

Layer half the onion rings, tomatoes, peppers, garlic, chili and fish pieces on top of each other than repeat with second layer. Top with spring onions and coriander and add the liquid ingredients – coconut milk, lime juice, fish stock, tomato puree and dendê oil. Season with salt and pepper, cover with lid, bring to the boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Ready!

Best served with rice. Bom proveito!

This weekend we had the chance to listen to the great string orchestra and choir composed of children aged 6-17 from the favelas of Dona Marta, Cidade de Deus and o Alemão. The children receive musical tutoring and instruments as part of a social program providing them not only with musical ability but as well securing wider social inclusion and positive outlook into the future. The project is among other supported by a large number of companies, the German General Consulate in Rio and the German School and has been running for the last two years. The musical skills acquired during that time are very impressive as well as the dedication and time invested by the children and the volunteers – 3 afternoons of 4 hour trainings every week!

Sunday night was an Asian affair – yes we do miss the Asian food and all have grown very fond of it in the 4 years spent in Malaysia. So it was dumplings for the kids:

no I cannot make them myself and are happy to have found a small Asian import in Botafogo selling all kinds of Asian foods and ingredients.

Thomas and myself took ourselves to a good japanese restaurant with a marvelous view of Pão de Açucar for serious sushi eating:

On our way to school we pass the entrance to the Comunidade Santa Marta, one of the first pacified favelas in Rio just up the hill behind Botafogo. Every Saturday the people of Santa Marta have the service of a market on wheels, a large bus that parks at the entrance of the favela, loaded with fresh fruits and vegetables. What a great idea – I used to frequent a library bus that would come once a week to our village when I was little, but a market bus clearly could make live easier for lots of people in remote areas!

Octopus salad (Salada de Polvo) for 4 as a starter

• 1 fresh octopus around 1kg cleaned
• 3-4 spring onions chopped
• 1 red and green pepper chopped
• 10 baby tomatoes chopped
• 1 red chili finely diced
• 1 clove of garlic pressed
• olive oil
• white wine vinegar
• fresh lime or lemon
• salt, pepper and fresh coriander

Boil the whole octopus in water for 30-40 minutes. Drain and cut into 1cm pieces. Mix with spring onions, peppers, chili, garlic and tomatoes. Add 2tbs of olive oil and white wine vinegar, season with salt and pepper and allow to marinate in the fridge for 2-3 hours. Serve with drizzle of fresh lime or lemon juice, loads of fresh coriander and some fresh crusty bread.

Yes I had been in Brazil before, some 20 years back, and yes I knew cachaça, the brazilian distilled sugar cane liquor, was very popular. What I did not know is that there are around 30.000 different cachaça producers in Brazil. This does explain the speciality shops found just selling this type of liquor as the one we stumbled upon when visiting the charming colonial town of Paraty, 3 hours south of Rio:

As we do live in Caipirinha heaven what could be better than sipping one of this marvelous drinks for a sundowner at one of Rio’s beach hangouts on a Friday late afternoon. My favorite spot currently for drinks and food is the Bar Astor in Ipanema but I keep trying.

This does not mean you cannot make those wonderful and easy to make cocktails at home, put some brazilian music on and enjoy. Here comes the classic version with a twist and my favorite one, the Maracuja or Passion Fruit one:

Classic Caipirinha with a twist:

• 2 juicy limes, cut into half wedges
• 1 tsp white sugar
• 50ml of cachaça
• crushed or cubed ice
• some mint leaves

In the serving class crush the lime, sugar and some mint leaves with a pestle or wooden spoon to dissolve the lime juices in the sugar. Top with cachaça and crushed or cubed ice and garnish with more mint leaves and a slice of lime.

Maracuja Caipirinha

• Pulp and juice of 1-2 ripe passion fruits (you can take the canned once available in most supermarkets but check on added sugar)
• 1tsp of white sugar
• 50ml of cachaça
• crushed or cubed ice

Mix everything together and enjoy!!!

Tip: get some larger/wider straws for this version as it will be avoiding getting the passion fruit pulp stuck!

72 cows are currently gracing the streets of Rio de Janeiro in the art event Cowparade Brasil. This event first started in 1999 in Chicago and has since then been taken to 55 cities around the world. The life sized cows made of fibre glass, are designed and painted by local artist and on display until the 20th of december all over town. Afterwards they will be sold and proceeds will go to charitable organizations.

Walking the streets of Leblon and Ipanema yesterday, I came about 3 of the cows, that in their colorful design and different artistic realizations very much reminded me of the Berlin Bear sculptures on display in my home town.

Clockwork orange cow

USB stick cow

Love Rio cow

You can see all cows on display in Rio following this link:

http://www.cowparade.com.br/rio/galeria.php

But now to eating beef!

Recipe for superfast Sauerkraut with beef filet (for 4):

• 400g beef filet sliced into fine stripes
• 200g mushrooms sliced
• 2 shallots finely diced
• 700g canned choucroute/sauerkraut
• 500ml beef stock
• oil, salt, pepper, paprika
• cornichons
• sour cream

Fry the mushrooms and shallots in some oil or butter. Add the sliced beef filet and fry for 1 minute. Season with salt pepper and paprika. Add the choucroute and beef stock and bring to the boil. Remove from heat and allow to stand for 3 minutes.

Garnish with diced cornichons and fresh parsley and serve with a dollop of sour cream and fresh crusty bread or mashed potatoes.

German harty food goes modern and light!

I had a great cooking experience yesterday evening – learning how to take the already delicious Palm Hearts to new heights. I love Palm Hearts even just the way they are preserved and straight out the can and prepare them in a salad with tomato, avocado, sliced onions, a vinaigrette dressing and toped with fresh coriander.

But Brazil is one of the largest producers of Palm Hearts, besides Costa Rica, so we are lucky not only to get the canned varieties but as well the fresh stuff. Please make sure to by the sustainable once to avoid cutting underaged trees and poor working conditions!

We worked both with fresh and preserved Palm Hearts in our cooking class yesterday.

Oven roasted fresh Palm Hearts with herbed butter (for 2)

• 300-400 g of fresh Palm Hearts, you can use canned nice large once
• 100g salted butter
• 1 garlic clove pressed
• handfull of fresh herbs very finely chopped
• capers
• ciabatta or other bread sliced
• olive oil, salt and pepper

Wrap the Palm Hearts in tin foil and roast in 200C oven for about 40-50 minutes (tinned once just drain). In a saucepan melt the butter, add the garlic, capers and the fresh herbs and over low heat allow to come together. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the bread with some olive oil and roast in the oven for some minutes. When the Palm Hearts are ready, remove, cut into wedges, drizzle with the herb butter and garnish with the toasted bread (the tinned once you can heat slowly in the butter) and some more fresh herbs. Great starter:

Palm Heart Cannelloni – a recipe that allow for lots of variations:

For two we used:

• 4 large canned Palm Hearts
• 4 sliced of mozzarella cheese
• 4 slices of ham
• 2 tbs of butter
• 2tbs flour
• 1 small finely diced onion
• 400ml milk and/or cream
• salt, pepper, nutmeg

Melt the butter in a saucepan and slowly fry the onion until soft. Add the flour, mixing very well, slowly add the milk while stirring very well to avoid any lumps. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and simmer until nice and creamy.

Roll the Palm Hearts into a slice of cheese and ham each, place in an ovenproof dish and top with the white sauce and some freshly grated parmesan. Bake in 200C oven for about 15-20 minutes and it looks like this:

I will try this recipe with Parma ham and a variation of cheeses such as gorgonzola or brie. But it makes a great hearty starter served with some fresh bread to scoop up the nice sauce. Enjoy!

From the yesterday market I also managed to get hold of these wonderful figs:

not the dried stuff that we were able to get our hands on in Malaysia, but large, fresh and succulent once that I love and that work extremely well in this lovely

Fig salad

• 4-6 ripe figs cut into quarters or smaller
• large bunch of rocket leaves
• 20 baby tomatoes halved
• 50g of capers
• 150g of parma ham
• lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper for the dressing

Mix all the ingredients together and drizzle with the dressing and you will end up with this:

The salad works well with any grilled meat and fish but I served it with

Oven roasted herbed salmon for 4

• 800g of salmon filet, skin off
• 500g of boiled baby potatoes skin on, halved
• handful of pitted black olives, halved
• handful of baby tomatoes, halved
• bunch of fresh coriander, basil and or dill
• juice from 2-3 limes and lime wedges for roasting
• dash of white wine
• olive oil, salt and pepper

In a large ovenproof dish place the salmon on a drizzle of olive oil to prevent from sticking. Arrange the potatoes, tomatoes and olives around the fish. Garnish with the torn up fresh herbs, a drizzle of olive oil and white wine, lime juice and season with salt and pepper. Arrange some slices of lime on top of the salmon and cover the dish in foil. Roast in 200C preheated oven covered for about 20 minutes and an additional 5 minutes uncovered. Easy to prepare some hours ahead and leave in the fridge until ready to roast.

Tonight I’m off for a cooking course on palm hearts (palmitos) another of my, but especially my kids favorites. So more on this tomorrow!

The week starts just the way I like it, with a visit to the small neighborhood market in Rua Vicente de Sousa in Botafogo.  After having been now a regular for the last months, I usually start the round with drinking a fresh Agua de Coco, a coconut water.

The great thing about all the local fresh markets to be found in every quarter of the city on different days of the week is that they all not only sell fresh fruits and vegetables but have fish stalls selling an abundance of the very best and freshest catch of the day ranging from large whole fishes to all kinds of cleaned seafoods (mariscos).

So Mondays usually is the day to prepare a dish with fresh fish or seafood. As today the temperature is finally climbing up towards 30 degrees and it seems that summer is well on its way I’m preparing Ceviche, marinated raw fish originally from Peru but great anywhere where you can get your hands on very fresh fish or seafood.

Ceviche as a starter for 4 persons

• 400g of very fresh firm fish – I like to use sole (linguado), salmon (salmao, monkfish (tamboril) prawns (camarao) octopus (polvo) and squid (lulas) or any combination of those cut in small cubes.
• 1 red onion finely diced
• 1 clove of garlic pressed
• 1-2 finely dice red chili
• 2-3 spring onions finely diced
• 1 red and green pepper finely diced
• handfull of small red tomatoes finely diced
• juice of at least 4 limes, around 80-100ml
• salt, pepper and bunch of fresh coriander for garnish

Forget Starbucks, this is the real coffee to go, served by a coffee walker:

Recipe for Caldo Verde, the soup originating from Portugal – super easy and yummy (for 4):

• 1 kg of potatoes peeled and diced
• 2 onions diced
• 3 cloves of garlic diced
• 1.5 l of chicken stock
• 250g chourico diced or sliced
• 500g kale, sliced very finely
• olive oil, salt, pepper and fresh coriander

Fry the onion and garlic in some olive oil, add the chicken stock and the potatoes and simmer until potatoes are soft. Puree the mixture until smooth, add shredded kale and chourico and simmer for another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, serve with a drizzle of olive oil and some fresh coriander leaves.