Bacalhau à Brás (Cod fish with potatoes and eggs)

In honor of my Dad, I made his favorite recipe - Bacalhau à Brás, which he often cooked when I was growing up. Every bite brings me back to when I was a kid seated at the dinner table.

It’s such an easy recipe - cod mixed with onions, fries, and eggs, that’s it. If there is a recipe to make someone fall in love with cod, it has to be this one!

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Ingredients 

• 1 pound dried salt cod

• 1 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled, cut into matchstick-size strips

• 6 large eggs

• 1 large onion, thinly sliced

• Olive oil

• Oil for frying

• 1/2 bunch fresh parsley, chopped

• Salt & black pepper

Recipe

1. Soak the salted cod in water for 24/36 hours, changing the water 3 or 4 times – depending on the thickness of the cod

2. Heat oil in deep heavy bottom pot

3. When hot, add potatoes and fry until golden – you want the potatoes light golden not to crispy

4. Remove the potatoes from oil and drain on paper towels

5. Add the cod to a pot of boiling water. Simmer on low for about 7-10 minutes.

6. Remove the cod pieces with a skimmer and onto a plate. Remove the skin from the cod and shred it, making sure to discard all the bones

7. In a bowl, lightly beat the eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper, set aside

8. In a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil and onion, sauté for 5 minutes while stirring

9. Add the cod, mix and continue to cook for 5 minutes

10. Add half of the matchstick fries and mix

11. Add the eggs to the cod mixture and stir until the eggs are half-cooked

12. Add half of the matchstick chips, half of parsley and stir one last time

13. Remove immediately from heat to avoid overcooking the eggs

14. Serve and garnish with more parsley

Lemon Garlic Chili Chicken

This summer, I added a new addition to my garden, Hot Portugal Peppers! I had never seen them before and was so excited to try it. Hot Portugal chile peppers are considered one of the easiest chili peppers to grow, as they ripen quickly. These peppers are moderate to hot and have a SHU of 5,000-30,000. 

The SHU, which is the Scoville Heat Unit, measures the heat or spiciness in foods. This pepper is similar in heat to a serrano and jalapeno peppers, which can easily be substituted in this recipe. 

What I really love about this chicken is how similar the taste is to the BBQ chicken I eat in Portugal. Classic Portuguese BBQ chicken is lightly marinated at the end with flavored oil, like Piri or lemon, this marinade has both.

 Also, the marinade has garlic and paprika, a common flavor base for many Portuguese dishes. The two differences are white wine is used more often in the place of the lemon juice, and they use regular peppers as opposed to chili peppers. 

Notes:

• Remove the seeds from the peppers for less heat.

• Always remember to avoid touching your face and wash your hands after handling chili peppers.

• Substitute the Hot Portugal Peppers with Jalapeño, Cayenne or Serrano peppers.

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Ingredients 

• 6 - 8  bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs 

• 1-2 lemons cut into wedges, plus the juice and zest of a ½ lemon

• 3 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped

• 1 hot portugal pepper, (cayenne, serano, or jalapeno pepper), thinly sliced, reserve half ( remove the seeds for less heat)

• 2 tablespoons of paprika 

• Olive oil

• Salt and pepper

• ½ cup of parsley, roughly chopped

Recipe

1. Using a mortar and pestle, add the garlic and sprinkle with salt, mash the garlic until it becomes a paste. Add the paprika and half of sliced chili pepper, and mash again. Add the lemon juice and a few tablespoons of olive oil at a time until it creates a loose paste and all the ingredients are combined. Season to taste.

    *if you do not have a mortar or pestle, use a blender, add all the ingredients except the olive oil and blend. Pour in the oil a few tablespoons at a time, until you reach the desired texture. Season to taste.

2. In a baking sheet, place the chicken and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Add half the marinade onto the chicken, and with clean hands, rub the marinade into the chicken. Arrange half the lemon wedges around the chicken.

3. Arrange your oven rack to the middle and turn your broiler on to high. Place your chicken in the middle rack, and allow it to cook. Keep the door slightly opened and keep an eye on your chicken. 

4. Once your chicken is getting golden brown, flip the chicken and cook on the other side. 

5. 10 minutes before it's done, carefully take the tray out, turn the chicken skin side up, and allow it to brown for a couple more minutes. Once done, remove from the oven and brush the remaining marinade on the chicken. Plate the chicken and garnish with parsley, lemon zest, the remaining chili pepper slices and lemon wedges, if desired. 

Enjoy !

Fish Tacos

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Ingredients 

Fish

• 1 lb. cod filets or any firm white-fleshed fish

• ½ teaspoon cumin

• ½ teaspoon chili powder

• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

• Salt and Pepper

• ¼ cup of cilantro roughly chopped, for garnish

• ½ lime, wedged, for garnish

Lime Cilantro Crema 

• 1 ripe avocado

• A handful of cilantro, stem and leaves

• Juice of ½ of a lime

• ¼ sour cream, (or greek yogurt)

• ¼ cup light mayo 

• 2-3 dashes of your favorite hot sauce ( I used Cholula) 

• Salt

• 2- 3 tablespoons of water

Chipotle Crema

• ¼ cup mayo

• ¼ sour cream, (or greek yogurt)

• ¼ cup light mayo 

• Juice and zest of 1 lime

• 1 chipotle in adobo

• 2- 3 tablespoons of water

• Salt

Cilantro Lime Slaw 

• ¼ cup of light mayo

• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

• ½ lime , zested and juiced

• 1  cup green and, or red cabbage, shredded

Recipe

Crema

1. Make both or one of the crema of your choice. In a food processor add all the ingredients from the crema and pulse it until smooth. If the crema is too thick, add more water, a tablespoon at a time, until it reaches desired thickness

2. Pour into a separate bowl, cover and refrigerate until serving. 

Cilantro Lime Slaw

1. In a medium sized bowl, add the shredded cabbage, cilantro, lime zest, juice and mayo, toss it until combined.

2. Cover and refrigerate the slaw until needed.

Fish

1. Combine all the seasonings in a small bowl.

2. Season the fish liberally with salt, then sprinkle the seasoning mixture all over and rub it into the fish.

3. Lightly oil a grill pan, and cook the fish 4-5 minutes on each side, or until the fish is opaque and completely cooked through. Using a fork, flake the fish into large chunks.

4. Char the tortillas over an open flame on the burner or in a dry skillet.  If you're charing over an open flame,  use low heat and keep an eye on it as they will charr quickly. 

5. Assemble tacos. Begin with the fish, add a handful of the slaw and drizzle the crema. Finish with a wedge of lime and chopped cilantro.

Huevos Rancheros

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Ingredients 

• 4 corn tortillas

• 2 eggs, fried

• 1 (15 oz.) can of beans of your choice

• 1 1/2  cup of Salsa

• ½ avocado, sliced

• Salt and pepper

• ¼ cup of cilantro leaves, garnish

• Hot sauce * optional 

• Cotija cheese, for garnish *optional 

Restaurant Style Salsa

• 3-4 ripe roma tomatoes

• 1 can whole or crushed tomatoes

• 1 jalapeno, (stem + seeds removed, for less heat)

• 1 onion, quartered 

• 5 cloves of garlic

• 1 bunch of cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

• Juice of ½ lime

• Salt

Recipe

Restaurant Style Salsa

1. In a heavy bottom large skillet, place the tomatoes, jalapeno, onion, and garlic cloves. Allow the ingredients to cook on high heat without turning,  until vegetables are charred. Turn and repeat on the other side, until the ingredients are completely charred.

2. Once charred, place the ingredients on a plate and allow them to cool completely

3. Add the charred ingredients to a food processor. Add the can of tomatoes, cilantro leaves, lime juice and salt. Puree until just combined. Do not over blend. Season to taste.

Assemble

1. In a medium sized saucepan add beans, salsa and salt. Stir mixture and bring to a simmer. Cook until most of the liquid has absorbed.

2. Char the tortillas over an open flame on the burner or in a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Keep warm.  If you're charing over an open flame,  use low heat and keep an eye on it as  they will charr quickly. 

3. Fry the two eggs, and set aside. 

4. To assemble, add 2 tortillas to each plate, divide the bean mixture and the fried eggs and avocado. Garnish with additional salsa, cilantro, cotija cheese and hot sauce if desired.