A Taste of Brazil

[bsolomon]

I'll see your recipe and raise you an entire 7 course meal for 8.  I coordinate a club that arranges dinner parties once a month.  Here is one of the best menus I have written.  The main course, Feijoada, contains various fresh, cured and (yes!) smoked meats, which you could, of course, make yourself.  Enjoy!

EVERGREEN NEWCOMERS CASUAL GOURMET

PRESENTS


"A Taste of Brasil"

Saturday, October 2, 2004
6:15 p.m.


For questions regarding this menu, contact:

Menu Planners:   Barry Solomon
(303) 670-0426


MENU

Cocktail:      Caipirinha (Sugarcane Brandy Cocktail)
Appetizer:   Bolinhos de Camarão (Shrimp Fritters)
Salad:      Molho à Campanha (Countryside Sauce/Salad)
Entrée:      Feijoada Completa (Black Beans with Mixed Meats and Accompaniments)
Side Dish:   Couve à Mineira (Sautéed Collard Greens)
Side Dish:   Arroz Brasileiro (Sautéed Rice)
Dessert:      Maracujá Mousse e Crème de Leite (Passion Fruit Mousee with Crème Anglaise)



MENU ASSIGNMENTS

Couple No. 1 (Host):   Caipirinha, Bolinhos de Camarão, Coffee and Tea
Couple No. 2:   Molho à Campanha, Arroz Brasileiro
Couple No. 3:   Feijoada Completa
Couple No. 4:   Couve à Mineira, Maracujá Mousse e Crème de Leite


HOST NOTES
This menu represents a traditional Brazilian meal, and Feijoada is the Brazilian national dish.  

Please remember, do not serve courses family or buffet style.  Cooks should serve food on plates in kitchen and bring plates to the dinner table.

IMPORTANT NOTES TO HOSTS AND GUESTS
Some of the recipes must be prepared several hours in advance.  Please carefully review your recipes to ensure you prepare them according to instructions.  

Suggested wines are Rosemont Estates Shiraz or Merlot.


CAIPIRINHA - COUPLE NO. 1

Serves 2 cocktails per person.

17 limes
2-3 cups light brown sugar
32 ounces Brazilian Cachaça (About 1 Liter – You can get this at Applejack.  It is pronounced kah-shah-shah. Pitú
is a popular brand.)
Crushed ice

Cut 16 limes into sixths, reserving the final lime for garnish.  In each of 8 large lowball glasses, place 6 lime wedges and 2-3 tablespoons of brown sugar.  Using a pestle, small wooden spoon, or ice cream scoop, mash the limes and sugar together to extract the juice.  To each glass, add 2 ounces Cachaça, fill with crushed ice, and stir well.  Thinly slice the remaining lime into at least 8 slices and garnish the rim of each glass with a lime slice.

Repeat with remaining ingredients to make a second round, if desired.


 BOLINHOS DE CAMARÃO - COUPLE NO. 1

Notes:  The fritters and the sauce both require time to stand.  Please start early enough to complete preparations before guests arrive.  Serves 3 fritters per person.

Fritters:

½  pound white bread, crusts removed
milk, enough to reduce bread to a mush (about ½ cup)
1 pound raw shrimp, cleaned and deveined
4 tbsp. butter
4 tbsp. onion, minced
¼ tsp. coriander powder
salt (approx. ¼ tsp.)
pepper (approx. ¼ tsp.)
2 tbsp. chopped parsley
4 eggs

bread crumbs
3 eggs
oil for frying

Crumble bread into small pieces in a mixing bowl and add just enough milk to make a mush.  Using a skillet, sauté shrimp in butter with onion, coriander, salt and pepper.  When shrimp is just barely cooked, remove from pan, allow to cool slightly, and pass mixture through a blender or food processor until coarsely minced.  Return the shrimp mixture to the skillet; mix in the bread mush, chopped parsley, and 4 lightly beaten eggs.  Cook over medium heat until the mixture has thickened enough to hold its shape.  Remove the mixture from the skillet, pour into a mixing bowl, adjust seasonings and allow to cool.

Shape into bite-size balls, approximately 1" in diameter, roll in bread crumbs, then in the remaining 3 slightly beaten egg, then in bread crumbs again.  Let stand one hour.  Just as guests begin arriving, fry in hot oil until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes.  Drain on paper towels and serve hot.

Chimichuri dipping sauce:

1 cup fresh parsley, minced
5 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. lemon juice
¾ tsp. salt
¼ - ½ tsp. red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp. black pepper

Combine all ingredients and mix well.  Allow sauce to sit for two hours for the flavors to mingle.  Adjust seasoning to taste.   Serve in a small bowl and allow guests to garnish their fritters with some sauce.


MOLHO À CAMPANHA – COUPLE NO.  2

4-6 medium tomatoes (mix red, orange, and yellow if available), cored, seeded and diced medium
1 red onion, diced medium
3-4 green onions (scallions)
1 red bell pepper, diced medium
1 yellow bell pepper, diced medium
1 green bell pepper, diced medium
¼ bunch cilantro, stems removed and finely chopped
¼ bunch parsley, stems removed and finely chopped
¾ cup olive oil
5 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 ½  tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. red pepper flakes.

Combine tomatoes, red onion, green onion, bell peppers, cilantro and parsley in a large mixing bowl.  Add oil, vinegar, salt, black and red pepper and stir to combine.  Let stand, covered in the refrigerator for two hours to allow flavors to develop.  Mix well and adjust seasonings.  Transfer to airtight container for travel to the host's house.  Serve on salad plates.


ARROZ BRASILIERO – COUPLE NO.  2

2 carrots, trimmed and peeled
2 tbsp. butter
1 ½ tbsp. olive oil
1 small yellow onion, peeled and chopped
¼ bunch cilantro, stems removed and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 ½ chicken-flavored bouillon cubes
3 cups converted rice, rinsed
salt

Grate carrots using the small holes of a box grater or fine grating blade of a food processor and set aside.  Bring 8 cups of water to a boil in a medium pot over high heat.

Meanwhile, heat butter and oil together in a large wide pot over medium heat until the butter melts.  Add carrots, onion, cilantro, garlic, and bouillon cubes and cook, stirring frequently and mashing the cubes with the back of a wooden spoon, until carrots and onion are soft, about 8-10 minutes.  Add rice and cook, stirring frequently to coat rice well, about 2 minutes.

Add enough boiling water to the pot to cover the rice by 1-2", and season with salt to taste (about 1 tsp. to start), and stir well.  Increase to high heat and boil, undisturbed, with no cover, until tunnels appear on the surface of the rice and the liquid has evaporated to about 1" below the surface of the rice, about 15 minutes.  Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and cook until rice is tender, about 15 minutes more.  Remove from heat and let rest undisturbed for 10 minutes.

Transfer the rice to a covered container for travel to the host's house.  Serve as a side dish to the Feijoada.


 FEIJOADA COMPLETA  – COUPLE NO. 3

Note:  This dish is a slowly simmered stew containing black beans.  This dish will need to be started by Friday evening in order to be ready for dinner Saturday.  This dish is similar to the concept of Jambalaya in that it is typically made with whatever leftover meats are available in the kitchen at the time.  As such, there is no one recipe for this dish, and Feijoada can vary significantly depending on region and season.  Please make sure you have a source available for the smoked pork chops and lingüiça sausage.  See "Important Notes to Hosts and Guests" for sources.

2 pounds black beans
1 pound salt pork (note:  available at Albertsons), sliced and cut into 1" pieces
1 large white onion, peeled, sliced in half and then quartered
5 cloves garlic, chopped

1 pound smoked pork chops (note:  available in the supermarket, usually under the Hormel brand name in the meat   cabinet.  Also available at Wally's Meats)
1 pound lingüiça sausage (note:  generally not available at any Evergreen supermarket.  Available at Wally's Meats.)
1 pound smoked kielbasa sausage (note:  generally available at any supermarket, pork or beef)
1 pound county-style pork ribs
3 tomatoes, cored and chopped

salt
pepper
red pepper flakes or Tabasco sauce
1 bunch cilantro, stems removed and chopped
2 oranges, sliced into ¼" thick rings

The night before:  Rinse black beans thoroughly, picking out any pebbles or foreign objects.  In a very large stockpot over medium-high heat, sauté the salt pork, onion and garlic until softened.  Add the black beans and enough water to cover by at least 2".  Bring to a low boil, cover, and simmer for 2-3 hours.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.   Store in refrigerator.  This can be done on Friday evening, or earlier in the week as needed.

During the day Saturday:  Begin by reheating the black beans over medium-high heat.  Remove the smoked pork chops from their bone (if any) and cut into strips approximately ½" x ½" x 2".  Throw the bones into the pot with the beans.  Cut the lingüiça in ½ to make 8 pieces.  Cut the kielbasa into 1" chunks.  Leave the country-style pork ribs as-is.  Once the beans are simmering again, add all the meat to the pot, stir gently and return to a simmer.  Cover and simmer for about 3 hours, stirring occasionally and skimming foam as it rises to the surface.  Add tomatoes, stir and simmer for about another hour or longer, until the beans are soft and the meat is very tender.

Remove the meat and any bones from the pot, leaving the beans and broth.  Using a stick blender, mash about ¼ of the beans.  This can also be done by removing ¼ of the beans from the pot and grinding them in a blender or food processor and then returning the mixture to the pot.   Bring to a boil and allow to thicken for about 15 minutes.  Test for flavor an add salt, pepper, and a little bit of red pepper flakes or Tabasco sauce to taste.  Return the meat to the pot, add the cilantro, and stir gently.  Allow the Feijoada to cool and transport to the host's house.

To serve:  Reheat Feijoada and rice.  Prepare collard greens.  Prepare plates with Feijoada, making sure everyone gets some of each type of meat along with the bean mixture.  Serve with rice on one side of the plate and collard greens on the other.  Garnish the plate with one or two orange slices.  Can be served with Tabasco sauce on the side for those who like the dish a little spicier.


 COUVE À MINEIRA  – COUPLE NO. 4

½ pound bacon
2 cloves garlic
2 large bunches collard greens (note:  Albertsons usually has collard greens. Kale can be used as a substitute)
2 eggs
salt
white pepper

In a large skillet, fry bacon strips until crisp.  Remove bacon from skillet, and set aside to cool.  Retain the bacon grease and transfer into a small airtight container.  When the bacon is cool enough to handle, chop or crumble it into small pieces.  Place the bacon in a small airtight container, or plastic sandwich bag.

Slice garlic as thinly as possible and place in a small airtight container, or plastic sandwich bag.  Thoroughly rinse the collard greens and set out on countertop to dry.  Using a knife, remove the thickest part of the stalks, usually up to about ½ the length of the leaf.  Stack several leafs together and roll together lengthwise into a tight bundle.  Cut leaves into strips about ¾" wide.  Transfer into a container for transport to the host's house.

To complete the dish:  Approximately 10 minutes before the entrée will be served, put the bacon grease into a large skillet and reheat over medium-high heat.  Crack open the two eggs and fry them sunny-side up in the grease until the yolks are mostly set, then remove the eggs from the skillet and set aside.  Add the garlic to the skillet and sauté briefly.  Add the collard greens to the skillet (note:  the greens should be as dry as possible to prevent spattering).  Sauté the greens for a couple of minutes until softened.  Add crumbled bacon to the skillet and mix well into the greens.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Transfer the greens onto a serving platter and top with the fried eggs.  

Just before serving, use a serving fork and spoon to break up the eggs and mix them well into the greens.  Serve as a side dish to the Feijoada.


 MARACUJÁ MOUSSE E CRÈME DE LEITE  – COUPLE NO. 4

Note:  Passion fruit is difficult to get here on any kind of regular basis.  If you can find it, use fresh to substitute for the juice below.  Passion fruit juice is available at Albertson's in the center of the juice aisle with the organic juices.  Look for the Looza brand in a 1 liter bottle on the top shelf.

Maracujá Mousse:

14 oz. bottled passion fruit juice (or the juice from 8-10 passion fruits, skinned, crushed, and strained with 1 tbsp. sugar added)
14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk
1 pint heavy cream

In a large bowl, whisk together passion fruit juice and sweetened condensed milk until well combined.  In an electric mixer, beat heavy cream with whisk attachment at medium-high speed until it forms stiff peaks (about 2-4 minutes).  Pour 1/3 of whipped cream into passion fruit mixture and fold gently until combined.  Do not overmix.  Repeat twice more, each time using 1/3 of the original whipped cream and combine until no streaks remain.  Gently spoon mixture into 8 tall, parfait-style glasses filling no higher than within 1" from the top.  Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Cover glasses with Saran wrap, and transport to host's house.   Refrigerate again until ready to serve.

Crème de Leite:

2 cups whole milk
1 cup sugar
4 egg yolks (Separate eggs and keep the egg whites for something else if desired)

Dissolve sugar in milk.  Beat egg yolks slightly with a whisk and add to milk/sugar mixture.  Strain resulting mixture through a sieve into a saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring often with a wooden spoon until it starts to simmer (this means small bubbles form slowly and burst below the surface).  DO NOT boil – it will curdle and you will have scrambled eggs.  Remove from heat and refrigerate at least 1 hour in a small container.  Cover and transport to host's house.  Refrigerate again until ready to serve.

To serve:  Divide Crème de Leite evenly among the 8 parfait glasses, topping Maracujá Mousse with about ¾" of Crème.  Serve and follow with coffee and tea as desired.

[Chez Bubba]

Damn Barry![:p] It's too late, but do you do weddings?[:D]

Kirk

http://www.chezbubba.com
Ya think next time I check into a hotel & they ask "Smoking or Non?" they would mind?

[nsxbill]

Sounds like a lot of fun...Casual dress generic to country of origin for topic of meal or formal?

Bill

<i>There is room on earth for all God's creatures....on my plate next to the mashed potatoes.</i>

[bsolomon]

Chez, I don't do weddings, but I did cater (for free) my sister-in-law's rehearsal dinner.  Bacon-wrapped barbeque shrimp, ABT's, bruschetta platter, shish kabob, and basil chicken for 25 people.  that was enough to keep me out of the business for good.[:D]

Bill, the "Casual" part really pertains to the fact that this is a varient of a pot luck supper where everyone is responsible for at least one dish, so everyone works a little, and you get a multi-course gourmet meal out of it.  We don't really dress up or anything, although it is left up to the host to make the table look festive, especially for Christmas-season meals and such.

If you ever have a dinner party, I highly recommend this menu as a theme.  I guarantee you (and your guests) won't be disappointed.

[Oldman]

Wow.... I will have to adjust this for 3 people but looks greats!

http://rminor.com

[bsolomon]

Or, keep it as-is, and have a lot of really good leftovers...[:D]