Brazilian Miniature Savory Pies (Empadinhas)

It’s been another crazy week, starting with me getting really sick and ending with my eldest suffering a fractured ankle. But, as they say, if you have time to whine then you have the time to do something about it.  So I decided to say Alhamdulillah and make some empadinhas!

I am truly thankful for my wonderful children, for my wonderful parents, husband, family, friends and you that come here to check my recipes.

Coquilles St. Jacques (Scallops in Creamy Sauce)

This is one of the dishes from my childhood. My mother had a friend who was a fabulous cook and every year our families traveled together and she would make this dish as an appetizer, served in a shell.

At home, I usually serve this as a main dish with a green salad and plain rice. So, I prefer to use large sea scallops. But if you are going to use the scallop shells, then you are better off using the smaller bay scallops. If you still want to serve as an appetizer in individual portions, serve in small ramekins which will hold the sea scallops very well.

Vatapá (Fish and Shrimp Stew)

One of the things on my “to eat” list when I went to Brazil was my aunt Marcia’s vatapá. Vatapá is a traditional dish from Bahia and can take two forms: a thicker paste that is served as a filling for acarajé (black-eyed pea fritters) or a more stew-like version that is served as a main dish, which is what my aunt makes.

My aunt’s version is a bit different than most recipes you will find in that it doesn’t include traditional ingredients such as peanuts and dried shrimp, which works perfect for my family since my boys are allergic to peanuts. I watched her make and tweaked the recipe slightly when making it at home. Here is my version of this amazing dish.

Salted Cod Fish Baked in Coconut Milk

The presence of bacalhau (salted cod fish) in Brazilian cuisine is a cooking legacy left by Portuguese colonization. This is the time of year when dishes with this fish are especially present at Brazilian tables.

Today’s dish is a recipe from my grandmother. This is very similar to Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá but the coconut milk gives it a tropical, Brazilian twist.

Shrimp Tacos

Eid al-Adha Mubarak! Hope you had a blessed and joyous one!

Now that the day has become shorter, I really feel like I don’t have enough time to get everything done. And with the kids being off school for a week, I really have to think of dishes that will save me time in the kitchen so that I have more time to spend with them.

Tunisian Tuna Pastry (Brik)

This Tunisian recipe comes from a fellow Brazilian food blogger, Fabricia. Fabricia is married to a Tunisian and lives in Canada with her husband and adorable daughter.

Creamy Shrimp Casserole with Hearts of Palm

Portuguese Salted Cod Fish (Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá)

As I mentioned in a previous post my family and I will be in Morocco for a few weeks. I will try as much as possible to post from here and hopefully get you some local recipes in time for Ramadan.

For now, here is a delicious Portuguese recipe also very popular in Brazil. Until recently I didn’t know I could find salted cod in the U.S. so I my craving for this dish went unrequited. But thanks to a new local fresh market that stocks this unique style of fish I've fallen in love with this dish all over again.

Baked Salmon with Carpers and Mushrooms

Omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon are believed to help lower triglycerides and increase HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol). Other studies also suggest that these fatty acids may help lower high blood pressure and improve mood. This recipe for baked salmon is great because it is simple and fast, totally appropriate for busy summer days.

Brazilian Fish Stew (Moqueca)

Now that summer is here in full swing, I can’t say enough about how important it is to find ways of making good food without spending hours in the kitchen. After all, the kids and I really just want to be outdoors enjoying these blissful days. Today after spending the day out and about, we came home to an almost empty fridge and pantry and no idea what to make for dinner. I opened the freezer and found some Frozen Tilapia Loins from Costco. Moqueca (Brazilian fish stew) immediately came to mind and sure enough in about half an hour dinner was served.