Fried Chicken Wings (Breaded)

Ingredients

• Chicken Wings (about 24)
• 2 Cups Butter Milk
• Red Devil Hot Sauce
• 2 cups Self Rising Flour
• Salt & Pepper
• Paprika 

Preparation

1. In a large bowl season all the chicken wings (split) with salt, pepper, and paprika then pour a good amount of the Red Devil hot sauce all over the wings.  Rub everything together with your hands and let it sit marinading for at least 30 minutes.
2. Pour the buttermilk in a separate bowl and the self rising flour in a different bowl. 
3. Preheat frying oil in a deep frying pan or a deep fryer at 375 degrees (Medium High)
4. Dip each wing in the buttermilk and then on the self rising flour.
5. Once the oil is hot enough fry the wings in batches.  Don't over crowd the pan.  I did it in two batches of 12 in a large pan with room around each wing.  Fry for about 12 to 14 minutes.
6. Remove the wings and let them rest so the oil drips on a rack or over paper towel.  This will help keep them crispy when you bite them! 
7. Serve with your favorite side.  I served mine with roasted garlic potatoes.

Experience

I have had a guest from Brazil over our house for a few weeks.  He loves the way Americans make fried chicken!  He kept asking to go to KFC lol.  I had never made fried chicken but was not about to take a guest to KFC!  I decided to try making my own fried chicken!  It paid off... My guest, Eduardo Gigo, loved it!  We ate tons of it! Don't be afraid of seasoning the chicken.  The buttermilk will soften the chicken and the taste somewhat so seasoning it heavily is not a problem.  Have fun making it and enjoy!!!  

Thank you for sharing :)

Quindim

Ingredients

• 2 cups of sugar
• 25 egg yokes (organic brown chicken eggs)
• 2 Tbsps unsalted butter
• 1 coconut

Preparation  yield 12

1. Open the fresh coconut using a hammer and a nail or an electric drill.  Let the coconut water come out before breaking it. Remove the hard shells and shave the coconut till it's all white
2. Shred the coconut pieces and place in a mixing bowl
3. Add the sugar and the butter to the shredded coconut
4. Using a thin strainer break each egg (one to four at a time depending on your strainer) and separate the yoke from the egg whites.  You can save the egg whites for an ommelette later or for a merengue pie. Carefully place the yoke on the strainer.  With a fork gently poke the skin tissue holding the yoke together to release the yellow content through the strainer and into a different bowl.  Repeat this step until all the eggs have been separated and all the yokes have been broken and strained.  (This process of straining the egg yoke is what keeps the "egg" taste away from the Quindim.  It requires patience but it is worth it)  NOTE:  Don't speed up the process by pressing the yoke through the strainer with a spoon.  Simply move everything around with a fork until only the tissue skin is left
5. Add the strained yoke into the coconut sugar bowl
6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
7. Mix all the ingredients together with a spoon
8. Butter a cupcake baking pan and then cover each cupcake space with sugar.  (This will allow each Quindim to reach a pretty color)
9. With a spoon fill each cup with the mixture pretty close to the top
10. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.  Keep checking for a golden brown color and do a toothpick test to see if it's coming out clean. 
11. Remove from the oven and let cool down for about 30 minutes and then place them in the refrigerator for about an hour.
12. Remove the Quindims from the cupcake pan using a knife around the edges.  Careful not to hurt them and change their shape
13. Place each Quindim upside down in a cupcake paper cup and sprinkle them with confectioner's sugar

Experience

A friend of mine asked me if I had ever made Quindim.  I had not only not made it I didn't even remember what they tasted like!  I saw it as a challenge.  I spent the next few days researching different methods and philosophies concerning this traditional Brazilian dessert.  Many have taken shortcuts and turned it into an everyday custard made on a blender in 2 minutes.  I decided I wanted to make it how it is intended to be made.  Slowly and with top notch fresh ingredients.  The recipe I used is a combination of a few recipes I have found online.  A town in Brazil called Sao Joao de Almeida is famous for its Quindim and they also keep it fresh and original.  I loved it that I was able to make such a pretty and tasty dessert!  It is not too sweet due to the fresh coconut as opposed to the sweetened coconut in the bag and it is also very light.  It uses a lot of eggs but there is zero egg taste in it.  In regards to presentation I received the most wows out of all my recipes when I posted it on facebook.  Everyone who tried it loved it!  Definitely make them and treat it special.  It takes time to strain the yokes properly.  If this step is done incorrectly you will get a Quindim that tastes like your ommeletes.  That's definitely NOT what you want!  Enjoy making them for your friends and family... they are guaranteed to love them!  I want some more right now... :)

Thank you for sharing :)

Bobo De Camarao (Shrimp in Creamy Cassava)

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs of fresh shrimp cleaned and with no shells (I used about 17 jumbo and 20 medium but it's better with larger shrimp)
• 1 large can of organic chopped tomato
• 1 large red onion (chopped)
• 6 garlic cloves (chopped)
• 1 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil 
• 2 lbs of yuca/Cassava (frozen or fresh)
• 1 cup of coconut milk (some cans are 14oz)
• 1 cup of heavy cream
• Shrimp stock (two cups of water and all the shrimp shells and heads boiled)
• Cilantro 2 big handfuls
• Hot sauce
• Red Pepper flakes
• Salt & Pepper
• Palm Oil OPTIONAL (I did not use it but it's commonly used in Brazil when cooking this dish)

Preparation yield 4-5 servings

1. Place yuca in pressure cooker and fill up with water until the yuca is covered (about 2/3 of the way) and add a good amount of salt to the water.  Once the pressure cooker starts letting out steam cook it for 5 to 7 minutes.  Remove and drain.
2. While pressure cooker is going heat the olive oil in a large tall frying pan.
3. Add the onions and the garlic
4. Once the onions become translucent add the shrimp and cook until they become somewhat pink (Do not overcook) and remove them to a separate plate
5. Add the tomatoes, the shrimp stock, half the cilantro, salt and pepper, hot sauce (to taste), and red pepper flakes to the onions and garlic. Let it cook down for about 4 minutes
6. Meanwhile place the drained yuca in a large bowl and add the coconut milk.  Using a hand mixer mash it all together.  If you don't have a hand mixer use a manual masher.  You want it nice and smooth but it's ok if it's a little chuncky
7. Add the yuca coconut mash to the tomato sauce in parts. Mix well each time and check the consistency. A good consistency is probably somewhere between a creamy soup and mashed potatoes. 
8. Add the heavy cream and mix well
9. Add the separated shrimp to the pan and mix well but carefully not to damage your shrimp
10. Add the rest of the cilantro
11. OPTIONAL add 2 tbsps of palm oil/paste
12. Heat for a couple more minutes and serve with white rice

Experience

I've been wanting to make bobo de camarao for a while now and Friday was the perfect day.  I got a great discount on fresh jumbo shrimp because it was Good Friday.  Definitely use fresh shrimp.  The taste is much stronger!  I chose not to use fresh yuca because frankly I haven't noticed a big difference between that and the frozen Goya one.  I used organic tomatoes for a stronger taste too.  One of the main ingredients in this Brazilian dish is palm oil (oleo de dende in Portuguese).  I thought about using it but once I researched about it I found out it's probably the most unhealthy oil there is!  It's completely saturated fat!  If you do want to use it you can find it in Brazilian shops, Caribbean shops, and African shops.  Use 2 tbsp in the last step before adding the cilantro.  This is one of my favorite dishes to eat!  You can make it without a pressure cooker but it will take about 30 to 40 minutes to cook the yuca in boiling water.  The consistency I like is somewhere between a creamy soup and mashed potatoes.  Adding the yuca to the sauce in parts will allow you to control the consistency you want. Try making it and let me know how it turns out! If you have questions don't hesitate to ask! Remember to always season your food! 

Thank you for sharing :)

Esfiha

Ingredients (Dough)

• 4 Cups of All Purpose Flour
• 2  1/4oz envelopes of Fleischmann's Active Dry East
• 1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 Egg
• 1 Egg Yoke for egg wash
• 1 tsp of Salt
• 1 Tbsp of Sugar
• 1 Cup of Warm Milk

Ingredients (Filling)

• 1 lb of Lean Ground Beef (I used 93% lean)
• 1 Medium Onion Chopped
• 1 Roma Tomato Chopped
• 3 Garlic Cloves Finely Chopped
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper
• Cheese Cloth

Preparation (Dough - Filling - Dough - Assembly)

1. Add 2 cups of flour, salt, and sugar to a large bowl and combine
2. Heat the milk in the microwave
3. Add the dry yeast to the milk and mix with a spoon until dissolved
4. Pour the milk and yeast into the large bowl with the flour and mix all the ingredients together with a spoon until everything is combined.  The dough will look wet and messy but just clean off the spoon and let it sit covered with a towel while you prepare the filling.  The dough should double in size in the meantime
5. For the filling drizzle the olive oil on a hot frying pan and add the chopped onions and garlic
6. Once the onions become translucent add the ground beef and the chopped tomatoes
7. Season with salt and pepper and let it cook on high heat mixing to make sure there are no raw parts adding more olive oil if necessary
8. The meat will give off some juice so once it's cooked layer some cheese cloth (about 20") over a baking sheet and add all of the cooked meat on top of it
9. Bring the four corners of the cheese cloth together on top of the meat (like tying a Hershey Kiss) and with your hands squeeze as much juice out of the meat as you can.  This will keep the meat tasty but not so juicy as to leak out of the dough while baking
10. Set the meat aside until dough pieces are ready
11. Remove the towel covering the dough and add two more cups of flour, 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil, and one egg 
12. Mix everything together by hand until the dough takes shape and no longer sticks to the bowl or your hand
13. Form a dough ball (much like a pizza dough) and let it sit for a couple of minutes
14. Cut the dough into equal parts cutting it in half each time (16 little parts total)
15. Spread one of the small parts with your fingers forming a laid down triangle
16. Add a little more than a tbsp of the filling (use your judgment) to the center of the triangle
17. Bring one corner over the filling and straight in between the other corners
18. Fold the two other corners to the center over the filling creating a closed triangle
19. Preheat the oven to 375
20. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray
21. Beat the egg yoke and brush it over each "Esfiha" to create that nice golden baked look
22. Bake for about 20 minutes checking to make sure they are not burning on the bottom.  They are done when they become golden brown
23. If not serving right away keep them covered with a damp cloth or in a steamy condition.  This will keep them nice and soft
24. Serve with hot sauce, ketchup, or your favorite condiment

Experience

This was a lot of fun to make and to eat of course!  I definitely recommend it with hot sauce! Esfihas are really popular in Brazil.  They are of Middle Eastern origin but are as Brazilian as soccer. Especially in Sao Paulo.  If you are walking around in the city and want a snack chances are you can find esfiha in luncheonettes and bakeries.  They make a perfect weekend afternoon snack for the family!  If you want to make them ahead of time you can but you should bake them and then put them in the fridge.  Just sprinkle them with water when reheating in the oven. I took some over to my worship team at church and everyone loved them! You can definitely play around with the filling.  I also made some with ham and cheese but instead of a triangle shape I rolled them up differently just to tell them apart.  Other filling options are chicken, lamb, corn, or any veggies you might. Beef is my favorite but next time I'm using lamb! I would've also added some green olives to mine if I had any in the fridge. There's always next time lol  Make this!!! You'll love it! Let me know how it turns out!

Thank you for sharing :)

Eggplant Rolletini

Ingredients
Eggplant

• 2 large eggplants
• 2 cups mozzarella
• Italian bread crumbs
• All Purpose flour
• 4 eggs
• Salt & Pepper

Sauce

• 64oz Crushed Tomatoes (2 32oz cans)
• 1 medium onion
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup fresh chopped basil 
• 1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• Italian herb blend
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg

Filling

• 2 cups Ricotta Cheese
• 2 Cups Mozzarella Cheese
• 1 Cup Parmesan Cheese
• 1/4 Cup fresh chopped basil
• 4 cups of spinach
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup scallions

Preparation

1. Slice the eggplants length wise about 1/4" thick and lay each large piece (about 4 or 5 per eggplant long enough to roll - Save the other pieces for an eggplant bake) on paper towel
2. Sprinkle some salt over each eggplant slice and let them sit until a dark juice is released on top.  This is to remove any bitter taste in the eggplant. About 20 minutes
3. Combine the onion and the garlic in a food processor and finely chop them together
4. Lightly cover a medium sauce pan with some extra virgin olive oil
5. On medium heat insert the onion and garlic mix into the pan and let it sweat for a few minutes
6. Chop all of the parsley and basil. Set about 1/4 of a cup of the basil aside for the filling
7. Add 64oz of crushed tomato to the onion and garlic along with the chopped parsley, basil,  nutmeg, and Italian herbs. Mix all the ingredients, lower the heat, and let simmer for at least 30 minutes covered checking and stirring periodically
8. Meanwhile, prepare a plate or bowl with all purpose flour (use plenty so you don't run out), a plate or bowl with 4 beaten eggs, and a plate or bowl with Italian bread crumbs
9. In a different pan wilt down the spinach with some olive oil (about 2 minutes).  Chop the spinach when you remove it from the pan
10. In a different bowl combine with your hands ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, 2 eggs, basil, scallions, and chopped wilted spinach. Set aside
11. Take each eggplant slice and run it through tap water to remove the salt and the dark bitter liquid that was released.  Pat dry each slice with paper towel and set them by your breading station
12. Heat a large frying pan with vegetable or peanut oil while you are breading the eggplant slices
13. Follow the Dry Wet Dry rule.  Cover the eggplant slices with the all purpose flour.  Dip the floured slices into the beaten eggs and then cover it with the Italian herbs in the other bowl. Set each slice aside for frying
14. Fry the breaded eggplant slices about 2 minutes on each side.  Make sure it's golden brown and not burned on either side.  Set the fried slices aside over a paper towel
15. Grab 2 Tbls of the cheese filling and gently spread it over the slices being careful not to break the eggplant
16. Roll each slice from one long end to the other and place the rolled slices in a casserole
17. Preheat the oven to 400
18. Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper accordingly. Chances are the bread crumbs will have salt already and the Parmesan cheese is already salty so be careful not to over salt
19. With a ladle pour some of the sauce over each stuffed rolled eggplant. I was generous! 
20. Spread the remaining mozzarella cheese over the top and place it in the oven for about 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted
21. Serve over pasta using more of the sauce you prepared or by itself
22. I still had half of my sauce left over for other dishes so save it in the refrigerator.

Experience
This was my wife's favorite thing I have cooked so far!  It's also one of her favorite dishes.  We were the only ones eating so I was able to make 6 servings out of 2 large eggplants.  I froze another tray and we ate it two days later!  Perfect!  If you are not into cooking this can seem like it's too much work but I enjoy spending time in the kitchen being creative.  Especially on a Friday night we decided to stay in instead of going out.  It keeps me busy and we still get to enjoy a top quality meal!  Serve it with a chardonnay and your family
and guests will love you forever!  lol Sometimes we go all out for guests and visitors but we do the ordinary for our family.  I say, every now and then, spend the time preparing a special meal because your family deserves it!

Thank you for sharing :)