makanandcomida

These colorful graffiti paintings are all over a passage linking the Peixoto neighborhood in Copacabana with the surroundings:

and obviously Che cannot be missing

Saturday night we had another fabulous dinner with friends at Miam Miam restaurant (see post from March 30th) and there I got introduced to the cross over of brazilian caipirinha and japanese saque wine – a much smoother version of the brazilian national drink, either just with lime or mixed with any kind of fruits. Here is a kiwi version:

Recipe for chorizo, olive and dried tomatos muffins (18 small or 12 larger once)

• 100g chopped chorizo
• 50 g sundried tomatoes chopped
• 15 black olives, pitted and chopped
• 2 tbs chopped parsley
• 4 eggs
• 120ml olive oil
• 50ml white wine
• 450ml flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• salt and pepper

This week lots of cooking happened. I learned how to bake bagels – one of my and my daughters favorite breads – so no excuses for not putting that into practice on weekends. But not only did we bake bagels, we also whisked together a bacon and spinach egg strata, muffins, homemade sausages and ginger syrup for a lovely punch. No need to say brunch was a treat!

I should get myself more into baking bread as the quality and variety here in Rio are rather limited.

I finally found and bought this great stoneware traditional brazilian Moqueca pot:

Very rustic, suitable for the gas stove or oven and great to do any kind of one-pot wonders and serve it right from there. Love it!

Recipe for shiitake and beetroot risotto with prawns for 4

I love beetroot and the color it gives to risotto!

• 20g of dried shiitake mushrooms soaked in water reserving liquid or 150g of fresh shiitake
• 200g of diced beetroot
• 1 finely diced onion
• 2 pressed cloves of garlic
• 500 g of Arborio rice
• 1,5 litres of vegetable stock
• 200ml white wine
• 1 Tbs each fresh thyme and oregano
• 50g butter
• a good handful grated parmesan
• 1 dash of balsamic vinegar
• olive oil, salt and pepper
• 600 g of shelled and deveined prawns

Bring the stock to a boil. In a large pot fry the onions and garlic in some olive oil, add the beetroots and fry for a couple of minutes to allow them to slightly soften. Add the rice and the white wine and stir until the wine is evaporated. Add the thyme, oregano, shiitake and the soaking liquid and stir until evaporated. Now add about 100ml of the boiling stock while continue stirring until stock is absorbed. Repeat for the next 15-20 minutes until the rice is soft with all the liquid nearly absorbed. Remove from heat, add the butter and parmesan and stir well. Season with balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Fry the prawns in some olive oil for a couple of minutes on each side. Season with salt and pepper and serve on a bed of risotto garnished with some fresh herbs.

Coming back from the movies the other night we met Rogerio at the corner of our street – selling small antiques and nicknack from the top of his car. He parked the car conveniently in front of a bar, so that he could join in the bar crowd while waiting for customers. Truly Rio!

I just had to buy a small box and got a ring for free! nighttime bargaining at its best!

We just got back from what might be another top candidate for our most favorite restaurant in Rio – Brasserie Rosario in Rua do Rosario 34 in the Center of Rio, not far from the Cultural Institute of the Banco do Brasil. It is a french inspired bistro. You can chose from their vast selection of cheeses and antipasto, try their french fare or indulge like I did in Oysters with a glass of Chadonnay – what a perfect way to spent Saturday lunch.

For dessert there was this difficult choice of wonderful tarts, so my men took two:

Definitely coming back!

Recipe for salmon steaks with minted broad beans for 4

• 4 salmon steaks
• 600g of frozen broad beans
• 1 bunch of fresh mint chopped
• 2-3 spring onions finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic pressed
• 2 limes
• olive oil
• salt and pepper

Boil the frozen broad beans for about 5 minutes in boiling salted water, drain and mix with fresh mint, garlic, spring onions, juice of 1 lime, a dash of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Fry the salmon steaks in olive oil, season with salt and pepper and sone lime juice. Serve with the broad beans. Easy, healthy weekday dinner!

We finally used the free days over easter to walk around the 8km  Lagoa in Rio. Something we had meant to be doing for a long time and worth repeating as we came across a very good arab restaurant overlooking the water.

We tried some of their kebab which was absolutely delicious.

Right next to the restaurant the helicopters are taking off for the tour around Christ the Redeemer, Sugar Loaf or the whole of Rio and surroundings – depending on your budget!

Yesterday was time for another walk to the beach of Flamengo – and no way to finish this tour without stopping for our favorite coconut man Emir for a coconut water:

Easter lunch was a most relaxed affair with friends, lingering for hours over great food, wines, good conversations and loads of easter chocolates for not only the kids! Thanks Nelleke for having us!

Not forgetting the tradition of egg painting

The organization of the World Cup 2014 in Brazil seems to have the same scriptwriter as the ever famous brazilian telenovelas (soap operas).

There is hardly passing a day without a new twist, turn or scandal emerging. Especially the month of March has been so loaded with suspense you did not want to miss any  episode:

Episode 314: As preparations for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil have been showing large delays in the building of stadiums and infrastructure such as airports, hotels and local transport, the secretary-general of FIFA J. Valcke offended Brazilians in early March by saying local organisers needed “a kick in the …” to make sure deadlines and targets could be met. This led to the brazilian sports minister demanding resignation of Mr. Valcke and the freeze of planned FIFA visits to monitor the progress.

Episode 325: It would not be a good telenovela if the storms got followed by calmer waters through an emergency meeting between the FIFA president Blattner and the Brazilian president Dilma, assuring the Brazil will manage to meet all FIFA requests to host the World Cup. Now Valcke and the brazilian sports minister are talking to each other again!

Episode 331: FIFA has also become impatient about delays passing the World Cup bill which temporarily over-rides local laws which ban the sale of alcohol in stadiums and regulates discounted tickets for students and pensioners. This bill should have been passed years ago but finally last week got a step closer as it went through in the lower house of parliament and will go now to the senate and finally be signed of by the president – tbc

Episode 332: Last week FIFA put its entire Executive Committee onto its World Cup Organising Committee to assist with making sure the preparations for the 2014 event will go ahead as planned –  never happened before.

To be continued …..

Recipe for langoustine saffron pasta for 2

• 200 g spaghetti
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic pressed
• 1 red chili finely chopped
• 300 g shelled and deveined langoustines
• handful baby tomatoes halved
• 100ml cream
• dash of white wine
• 1tsp saffron threads diluted in some hot water
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• dill for garnish

Boil the pasta. Heat some oil in a pan and fry the onion, garlic and chile for a couple of minutes. Add the langoustines and fry for some minutes then remove them and reserve. Add the tomatoes, cream, white wine and saffron and simmer for some minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add the langoustines back into the sauce. Pour over the pasta and garnish with dill.