Deer Hooves / Patas de Veado.

Do you know why almost all of our Portuguese sweets features egg yolks?

Many of the recipes for the nation’s favourite sweet treats originated in Portugal’s convents and monasteries.

Eggs, especially the yolks, are heavily featured in our Portuguese sweets.

Legend tells us that the nuns starched their laundry with egg whites and so, they had to come up with a use for all the excess yolks.

Egg yolks, along with plenty of sugar and, depending on the region, local produce will be incorporated into our sweets. Almonds, beans, cheese or chestnuts are just a few examples.

Don't get me wrong! I love our Portuguese sweets but... Lord!!!

Do they make you feel naughty after eating them? Trust me! They do but!!! nonetheless, they're absolutely delicious and amazing!!

The recipe I'm leaving you today is called "Patas de Veado" or Deer Hooves!

Its name has nothing to do with the deer itself but only because of it's shape and the way they are cut and decorated.

Although it might look intricate, it's not!

It's a simple "kind of" sponge roulade, filled and topped with a creamy egg yolk curd, rolled in shredded coconut and at the end, decorated with a fine line of ground cinnamon.

Though they're very simple to make, this was the first time I've ever made them, and! I had to make them twice! YES!! sometimes, the simplest things are the most challenging ones and this was the case...

I have very cherished childhood memories about these cakes so, they had to meet the standards of my memories.

Though I've never been a sweet tooth person, the only sweet treat I'd crave and eat with pleasure as a child, teenager or young adult, would be this one!

There's a tea room and Patisserie shop in the North of Portugal, Pastelaria Gomes in Vila Real, where they make "Patas de Veado" at such a high standard that, honestly! I've never liked any of the ones I've tried apart from the ones they make there!

If you ever visit Vila Real, in the North of Portugal, go to Pastelaria Gomes and try one of their Patas de Veado and also their "signature pies" which are called Covilhetes (a kind of a meat pie that is absolutely to die for).

The recipe I'm leaving you today is from Rita Nascimento book, "Uma Pastelaria em Casa".

Georgian Chicken Soup / Sopa de Galinha da Geórgia.

Georgia is a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the south by Turkey and Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan.

Georgian cuisine often marries western techniques with eastern flavours and to find out more about its uniqueness, you should read this amazing and very interesting article.

To create this chicken soup, Christopher Kimball was inspired by a traditional Georgian recipe called "Chikhirtma".

As we love (specially the kids) chicken soup here at home, this recipe was one of the first ones I've marked down to try from Christopher Kimball's "Milk Street - The New Home Cooking". The book of the month for the online #rainydaybitescookbookclub!

As soon as I started reading the recipe, a similar soup came up to my mind. The Greek Avgolemono soup. A soup that we loved a lot and that is also finished with eggs and lemon juice.

This Georgian soup I'm posting today is rich, full of flavour, creamy and so comforting for these cold days that, if you try it, I can assure you'll be making it over and over again.

Spanish Garlic Soup / Sopa de Alho Espanhola.

This month, Deborah chose Christopher Kimball's "Milk Street - The New Home Cooking" as the book of the month for the online #rainydaybitescookbookclub!

This cookbook features 125 recipes from all around the world where the focus is maximizing flavour using simple recipes where flavours are layered.

The recipes don't require long lists of ingredients, unusual appliances, or spending all day standing over the stove. The recipes are interesting, varied, and simple to make.

Kimball states that, "cooking and sharing food is central to the human condition" and he also dedicates this book "... to the notion that cooking is the universal language of the human spirit".

How inspiring are these sentences?

Last week, as the first recipe challenge of the month, we cooked this absolutely divine Cuban Style Pork Shoulder with Mojo Sauce, which was to die for and I'll post the recipe here, sometime soon.

I have lots of recipes marked down to be tried from the book but, this one (soup... you know I love soups right?), had to be the first one to be shared.

A soup that is super simple to make, calls for very humble ingredients and that is packed full of flavour.

According to the recipe book caption, this is an " 'end of month' recipe - the sort of meal to make quickly with whatever is on hand and when money is tight" and it is indeed!!

Lamb's Lettuce, roasted Red Pepper, Olives and Tuna Salad / Salada de Canónigos, Pimento Vermelho assado, Azeitonas e Atum.

I don't know if I have already told you but I don't like canned tuna. Actually, now I should say, I didn't like canned tuna...

Yes, I changed my mind and got converted to canned tuna by Manuela who offered me two cans of the fantastic Santa Catarina canned tuna from Azores.

Manuela said that after I tried that tuna I'd be converted and I really did because is an outstanding tuna and very high quality.

This salad was prepared for Marta and her "ingredient of the month" which is, as I wrote here, the peppers!

The suggestion is from Omar Allibhoy gorgeous book "Spanish Made Simple" and although simple to put together, it's very, very delicious.

Asparagus with poached Eggs / Espargos com Ovos esclafados.

This suggestion is a simple combination and a classic that works every time.

As a starter or a light lunch, it's always a winner.

The recipe is from Tessa Kiros beautiful book "Twelve".

A book full of delicious recipes from Tuscany and, like every and each of Tessa books, it's a glorious tribute to the region.

Congee with Chicken, Ginger and Poached Egg / Congee com Frango, Gengibre e Ovo Escalfado.

Congee is the Chinese name for rice porridge but it is also known as okayu in Japan, juk in Korea, and jok in Thailand. They all and each have their own unique variations but, it always begin with rice and a liquid (usually water) and sometimes, a little salt.

From this basic start, flavors and textures can be added after, such as kimchi and salted fish (Korea), or pork with fried garlic and scallions (Philippines).

Congee can even be sweetened with sugar and served with fruit, such as pears or apples.

Another variation is to make congee with chicken and ginger.

More than a bowl of good food for the body, Congee also nourishes the soul!!

This recipe is another delicious one from Shu Han Lee "Chicken and Rice" cook book.

It is my second recipe from this fabulous book and I cooked it for Marta and her ingredient of the month which is the RICE!

It is so, so delicious and comforting that you just want to eat the whole pot by yourself.

Micro Steamed Asparagus with Poached Egg and Walnut Vinaigrette / Espargos no microondas com Ovo Escalfado e Vinagrete de Noz.

"The Food Lab" by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt is the book Deborah chose for April's Rainydaybites Cook Book Club.

As you can guess by the name, The Food Lab is more than a recipe book. Its's a book about cooking through science, meaning, cooking techniques that should be adopted instead of others, depending on the ingredients, tips, tricks, explanations about how things happen and why, etc.

It is a very interesting book and I'm loving exploring it.

The first recipe that I tried was this one. Not just because I was very curious about the method used to cook the asparagus, but also because of the walnut vinaigrette that caught my attention straightaway.

I confess that I never cooked asparagus in the microwave and I have to say, this method really works!!

"Ovis Mollis" (Soft Eggs) and Tangerine Cookies / Biscoitos de Tangerina e "Ovos Moles".

Who would have thought of making cookies with hard boiled egg yolks?

I never heard of such a ting, until I bought Melissa Forti fabulous book, The Italian Baker!

This book is to die for! Italian classics with a twist and everything looks so amazing and delicious that I just want to bake everything from it and I love when a book makes me feel like that because, that means that is was worthy the money I spent on buying it!

This recipe is slightly adapted from the book, because I wanted to incorporate the tangerine in it.

Of course I wanted this recipe to be part of Marta's January table and part of her "ingredient of the month", which is precisely, the tangerine!

Saying that, I'm leaving you the original recipe, with my adaptations highlighted in between ().

Salmorejo.

Salmorejo is a Spanish dish from the region of Cordoba.

Similar to Gazpacho but thicker, It is served as a starter or first meal and must be chilled before eating.

It's accompanied with "las guarniciones" and, although the most common garnishes are serrano ham and crumbled hard boiled egg, there are some versions that are served with flaked tuna, chopped onion and/or chopped green pepper.

I confess that I made and tasted my first Salmorejo last week and now I'm almost addicted to it.

I made it twice, in less than two weeks and this second time, I made it with organic tomatoes that I picked from my friend B. garden and green house. Here, on my instagram account, you can see all the lovely organic vegetables that I picked from his garden this week.

This recipe is from our beloved Portuguese "pin up girl", Filipa Gomes and it's featured in a series of 6 recipe booklets that Filipa wrote, Maria Midões styled and photographed and that were recently distributed in Portugal with a well known and popular magazine.

Kind and gentle as she is, I have the booklets because Filipa sent them to me, which of course, was an honour.

While I was making the Salmorejo and being the tomato the main ingredient of this soup, I thought that it would be a shame not to make an effort to publish the recipe in time for Marta and her "ingredient of the month", which is precisely, the tomato.

Saying that, here it is the most delicious, easy and quick, chilled tomato soup... The Salmorejo!

Samphire, mushrooms and duck egg on toast / Tosta com salicornia, cogumelos e ovo de pato(a).

Whenever possible, I always try to publish a vegetarian suggestion on Mondays.

As you all know by now, none of us are vegetarians here at home but we like vegetarian meals whenever we fancy them.

Now that the samphire is back in season and I'm a truly assumed mushroom lover, when I saw this Rosie Birkett suggestion in the July issue of BBC Good Food magazine, I couldn't resist it and I can tell you that is truly divine.

I guess you can use good organic hen eggs if you don't want to use or don't like duck eggs but the creaminess that you get from the duck egg yolk is second to none and it really ties together the all combination.

ingredients (serves 2):

50g samphire, washed and trimmed of woody stalks

2 tbsp butter

150g mixed mushrooms, cleaned (I used a mix of Portobello, Oyster and Shiitake)

2 tbsp rapeseed oil (I used olive oil)

2 duck eggs

2 large slices sourdough (I used rye bread)

1 garlic clove, crushed

squeeze of lemon

method:

Blanch the samphire in boiling water for about 30 seconds, then drain.

Melt 1 tbsp of the butter in a frying pan.

Add the mushrooms and season.

Fry for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden crusted and reduced in size.

Heat the oil in another frying pan and fry the eggs gently for a couple of minutes.

Toast the bread until golden.

Transfer the bread to plates and keep warm.

Add the rest of the butter to the mushroom pan along with the garlic and cook for a further minute.

Toss in the samphire to warm through briefly. Season and add the lemon juice.

Top the bread with the eggs and scatter over the mushroom and samphire mixture.

Spoon over any butter from the pan and season the egg yolks.

Serve immediately.

__________________

Como já vos disse várias vezes, não somos vegetarianos, mas gostamos de refeições vegetarianas sempre que, a mim me apetece cozinhá-las e à família, apetece comê-las.

Sempre que possível e, especialmente à segunda-feira, gosto de publicar sugestões vegetarianas e hoje não é excepção.

Estando a salicornia de volta e no seu melhor e sendo eu uma amante, tanto da salicornia (podem encontrar várias sugestões com este ingrediente nos arquivos do blogue), como de cogumelos, claro que não consegui resistir a esta deliciosa sugestão da Rosie Birkett que vem na revista de Julho da revista BBC Good Food.

Costumo dizer que tudo o que seja servido em cima, ou entre fatias de pão, é comida dos Deuses e a corroborar esta minha teoria, fica esta sugestão que, mais uma vez, não decepcionou em nada.

A sugestão é feita com ovos de pato(a) mas caso não gostem ou não encontrem, acredito que com uns bons ovos de galinha caseiros, poderão obter bons resultados.

Contudo, e caso encontrem os ovos de pato, aconselho-vos a experimentar com estes ovos, pois a cremosidade das gemas de ovos de pato é extraordinária. Absolutamente fenomenal. Acreditem!

ingredientes (para 2 pessoas):

50g salicornia, lavada e talos mais grossos descartados

2 colheres sopa de manteiga

150g mistura de cogumelos, limpos (eu usei Portobello, Oyster e Shiitake)

2 colheres sopa de azeite ou óleo de canola

2 ovos de pato(a)

2 fatias grandes de sourdough ou pão tipo alentejano (eu usei um bom pão de centeio)

1 dente de alho, esmagado

umas gotas de limão

preparação:

Escaldar a salicornia em água a ferver por 30 segundos. Escorrer e reservar.

Numa frigideira larga, derreter 1 colher de sopa da manteiga.

Adicioanr os cogumelos e temperar com sal e pimenta preta a gosto.

Fritar os cogumelos por 8 a 10 minutos, ou até estes estarem caramelizados e terem reduzido de tamanho.

Numa frigideira à parte, aquecer o azeite e estrelar os ovos.

Entretanto, torrar as fatias de pão e colocá-las em pratos, mantendo-as quentes.

Adicionar o resto da manteiga aos cogumelos, juntamente com o alho e fritar por mais 1 minuto.

Adicionar a salicornia e envolver tudo muito bem, por forma a aquecer ligeiramente a salicornia, juntamente com os cogumelos.

Rectificar de sal e pimenta e adicionar umas gotas de sumo de limão.

Para servir, colocar os ovos em cima das fatias de pão e polvilhar com a mistura dos cogumelos e salicornia.

Regar com a manteiga que tenha ficado no fundo da frigideira e polvilhar as gemas de ovo com flor de sal.

Servir imediatamente.

Recipe / Receita: BBC Good Food magazine - July 2016.

The breakfast bowl / Uma taça de pequeno almoço.

In their book "Good + Simple", The Hemsley sisters call this suggestion "The breakfast bowl".

As you already know, breakfast food, for me, means lunch food and this bowl of goodness made such a delicious lunch that I'm sure I'll be making it lots of times (actually, I already did).

As Marta invited us to cook with spinach this month, I invite Marta to take this bowl of pleasure to her table.

Although the spinach are not the star ingredient in this suggestion, they surely play an important role in the whole combination.

Sausage, kale and potato bake / Gratinado de salsicha fresca, couve kale e batata.

Perfect Plates in 5 ingredients is the title of John Whaite new book and, as you can guess by the title, is a fabulous book, full of recipes using only 5 ingredients.

As all the recipes look delightful and easy to make, specially when in a hurry, I have lots of recipes marked down to try but for now, my first choice was this delicious bake from the "morning" section.

As I wrote somewhere before, I love breakfast food for lunch or dinner and always, each time I'm flicking through a new book, the "breakfast" or "morning" chapters, are always my favourite ones.

ingredients (serves 4 to 6):

500g sausages, meat squeezed and casing discarded

150g kale, finely chopped and thicker stalks discarded

400g floury potatoes, peeled and coarsely grated

250g strong Cheddar cheese or Emmental, grated

9 large eggs

sea salt flakes and freshly cracked black pepper

olive oil, for frying

method:

Preheat the oven to 200ºC.

Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a frying pan over a medium high heat.

Add the sausage meat and chopped kale and fry until the meat is cooked and slightly browned.

Transfer to a mixing bowl.

Place the grated potatoes onto a clean, dry tea towel and sprinkle with 1 tsp of sea salt. Tightly squeeze the potatoes to remove every last drop of moisture.

Add the potatoes to the frying pan with another teaspoon of oil and stir fry until soft.

Add the cooked potatoes to the bowl with the kale and meat.

Add the cheese and season with 1 tsp of grated black pepper and a little more salt. Toss everything together.

Beat the eggs in another bowl, then add them to the potato mixture and stir everything together.

Tip into a pie dish and bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until golden brown and set.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

__________________

Perfect Plates in 5 ingredients é o título do novo livro do John Whaite.

Como podem deduzir pelo título, é um livro recheado de receitas lindas, apetitosas e, todas elas, usando apenas 5 ingredientes.

Embora o livro tenha um capítulo dedicado ao "slow cooking", quase todas as receitas neste livro são magníficas, fáceis e rápidas de fazer, especialmente para aqueles dias em que o tempo é curto.

Como já escrevi algures, não sou de grandes pequenos almoços, mas adoro comida de pequeno almoço ao almoço ou ao jantar e como tal, os capítulos dos livros que sempre me cativam mais e de imediato, são os capítulos de "pequeno almoço".

Esta receita, a primeira testada, de entre muitas marcadas, saiu precisamente do capítulo da comida das "manhãs" e foi muito apreciada aqui em casa, mas ao jantar.

ingredientes (para 4 a 6 pessoas):

500g salsichas frescas de boa qualidade, carne espremida e pele (exterior) descartada(o)

150g couve kale, picada finamente e talos mais grossos descartados

400g batatas, descascadas e raladas grosseiramente

250g queijo Cheddar maduro ou queijo Emmental, ralado

9 ovos grandes (L)

flocos de sal e pimenta preta moída na altura

azeite, para fritar

preparação:

Aquecer o forno a 200ºC.

Numa frigideira sobre lume médio a alto, aquecer uma colher de chá de azeite.

Adicionar a carne das salsichas e a couve e fritar, mexendo, até a carne estar macia e corada.

Transferir a mistura para uma taça.

Entretanto, colocar as batatas raladas num pano de cozinha limpo, adicionar uma colher de chá de sal e espremer bem o pano, a fim de eliminar todo o líquido proveniente das batatas.

Aquecer mais 1 colher de chá de azeite na frigideira, adicionar as batatas raladas e bem espremidas e fritar, mexendo, até estas estarem macias.

Transferir as batatas para a taça onde colocou a couve e as salsichas.

Adicionar o queijo ralado, pimenta e sal a gosto e misturar tudo muito bem.

Bater os ovos numa taça à parte e de seguida, adicioná-los à mistura anterior, envolvendo tudo muito bem.

Colocar a mistura num tabuleiro ou recipiente refractário e levar ao forno por 40 a 50 minutos, ou até estar douradinho e firme ao toque.

Retirar do forno e, antes de servir, deixar arrefecer por 10 minutos.

Recipe / Receita:

Avgolemono soup.

Rick Stein's new cook book, where he features the most delightful recipes discovered while he traveled from Venice to Istanbul is one of the most beautiful books I bought lately.

Rick starts his journey in Venice and takes us on a fabulous culinary trip to Croatia, Albania, Greece and Turkey where his focus goes to the fantastic city of Istanbul.

Both, the series about his fabulous journey (that I am watching now on TV) and the book, are an absolute delight!!

Avgolemono is the Greek for "eggs and lemon".

The mixture can be used as a sauce in different Greek dishes but is also the name of this famous chicken soup.

The soup starts with a chicken broth that at the end is thickened with a mixture of eggs and lemon juice.

It is one or even The BEST chicken soup I ever had!!

ingredients (serves 4):

8 eggs

1,5l chicken stock

1 tsp salt

1 chicken breast (about 170g), skinless

100g orzo pasta

3 tbsp lemon juice

30g butter

small handful parsley, chopped

cayenne pepper

method:

Poach 4 of the eggs in simmering water for 3 to 4 minutes, then remove to a bowl of cold water to arrest the cooking. Refresh in hot water just before serving.

Heat the stock to a gentle simmer, add the salt and then poach the chicken breast for 20 minutes. Remove from the stock and allow to cool.

Bring the stock to the boil. Add the orzo pasta then reduce to a simmer and cook for 7 minutes.

When the chicken breast is cool enough to handle,  cut it into strips and set aside.

Whisk the remaining 4 eggs with die lemon juice in a bowl.

Pour half the hot stock over the egg and lemon mixture, whisking all the time, then put the egg, lemon and stock back into the pan.

Return to the heat and stir till the eggs thicken (at about 70 to 80ºC). Don't cook any further.

Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter and parsley.

Add the chicken strips to the soup and ladle into individual bowls.

Top with a reheated poached egg and sprinkle with a pinch of cayenne pepper.

__________________

Há livros e livros. Uns fantásticos, outros mais ou menos e outros absolutas desgraças e desperdício de dinheiro.

Este último livro do Rick Stein, one ele nos leva numa maravilhosa aventura culinária que começa em Veneza, passando pela Croácia, Albânia, Grécia e Turquia, onde dá destaque à fabulosa cidade de Istambul, é dos livros mais lindos que comprei nos últimos tempos.

Cada página é um deleite e uma verdadeira romaria de aromas, combinações e sabores.

As histórias que acompanham cada prato e cada viagem, são apaixonantes e eu, que estou a acompanhar a série televisiva ao mesmo tempo que vou explorando o livro, confesso que estou completamente fascinada com a culinária destas regiões.

Já fiz várias receitas do livro, mas começo por vos deixar esta, que fez as delícias de todos cá em casa.

Avgolemono é a palavra grega para a combinação de ovos e limão. Esta combinação é muito utilizada como molho em vários pratos gregos, mas é também o nome desta sopa que não é mais que uma canja de galinha enriquecida com esta fabulosa mistura de ovos e sumo de limão.

Para os amantes de canja de galinha, experimentem esta receita e vão ver que a simples canja de galinha nunca mais será a mesma!!

ingredientes (para 4 pessoas):

8 ovos

1,5l de caldo de galinha

1 colher chá de sal

1 peito de frango (com cerca de 170g), sem pele

100g orzo ou pevide

3 colheres sopa de sumo de limão

30g manteiga

um punhado pequeno de salsa, picada

pimenta de Caiena, para polvilhar

preparação:

Comece por escalfar 4 dos ovos por 3 ou 4 minutos, em água a ferver.

Arrefecer os ovos em água fria a fim de parar a cozedura e reservá-los. Os ovos podem ser re-aquecidos em água quente na hora de servir a sopa.

Aquecer o caldo de galinha numa panela.

Quando o caldo levantar fervura, baixar um bocadinho o lume, adicionar o sal e o peito de frango e cozer por cerca de 20 minutos.

Retirar o frango da panela e reservá-lo.

Levantar o lume e quando o caldo voltar a ferver, adicionar a massa.

Baixar o lume e cozer a massa por cerca de 7 minutos.

Entretanto, desfiar o peito de frango.

Numa taça, bater os 4 ovos restantes com o sumo do limão.

Adicionar umas conchas do caldo quente à mistura dos ovos, mexendo sempre com a vara de arames, para que os ovos não cozam.

Deitar a mistura de volta na panela e cozinhar sobre lume brando, mexendo sempre, até atingir uma temperatura de 70 a 80ºC (altura em que os ovos estarão cozidos).

Atenção para não deixar a mistura subir mais que a temperatura recomendada.

Retirar a panela do lume, e adicionar a manteiga e a salsa picada, mexendo tudo muito bem.

Adicionar o frango desfiado e dividir a sopa por 4 pratos.

Colocar um ovo escalfado e aquecido em cima de cada prato de sopa e polvilhar com uma pitada de pimenta de Caiena.

Recipe / Receita:

Nutella brownies / Brownies de Nutella.

First recipe from the "Diva" Nigella Lawson new cookbook, a recipe chosen by my kids of course, and a treat for the Nutella lovers.

I love Nigella Lawson style of cooking and enjoying food and she was one of the cooks/chefs "responsible" for my obsession and passion for food and cooking.

Simply Nigella is Nigella's new cookbook and like all her books, packed full of fabulous and inspiring recipes.

The recipes in this book are more in the "light and healthy mood" lets say, but, saying that, still very colourful and very appetising to make me go to the kitchen to try them.

These brownies are so easy to make and so delicious that you'll find yourself making them more often than you would like to...

ingredients (makes 16 squares):

4 large eggs

pinch fine sea salt

250ml Nutella

1/2 tsp icing sugar

method:

Preheat the oven to 180ºC and line the base and sides of a 20cm square tin with baking paper.

Using a freestanding mixer, beat the eggs with the salt for 5 minutes, or until they are pale and have more than doubled in size.

Put the Nutella into a jug and microwave for 1 minute at 750 watt or until warm and slightly runny.

Stir the Nutella, then pour it in a continuous thin stream onto the eggs, whisking all the time, until the Nutella is fully combined with the eggs.

Pour the mixture into your prepared tin and bake for 17 to 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Leave to cool completely in the tin and once cool, cut into 16 squares and dust with icing sugar.

__________________

Deixo-vos hoje a primeira receita (escolhida pelas crianças da casa, claro...) testada e aprovada do novo livro da "Diva" Nigella Lawson.

Uma cozinheira que amo de paixão e que foi uma das responsáveis por esta minha paixão pela cozinha e pela culinária.

Simply Nigella é o nome do livro. Um livro um pouco diferente dos habituais livros da Nigella, já que é um bocadinho mais orientado para a cozinha mais saudável, mas não menos deliciosa e inspiradora.

Estes brownies são facílimos de fazer, levam ingredientes que geralmente temos sempre por casa e são tão bons que, caso os testem, difícil será não os repetir vezes sem conta...

ingredientes (para 16 quadrados):

4 ovos grandes (L)

uma pitada de sal fino

250ml Nutella

1/2 colher chá de açúcar em pó

preparação:

Aquecer o forno a 180ºC e forrar com papel vegetal uma forma quadrada com cerca de 20cm.

Na taça da batedeira eléctrica, colocar os ovos e o sal e bater durante 5 minutos, ou até os ovos estarem com uma cor pálida e terem quase triplicado de volume.

Entretanto, aquecer a Nutella por 1 minuto no microondas (potência máxima), ou até esta estar quante e com uma consistência macia.

Batendo sempre, adicionar a Nutella aos ovos, em fio contínuo e consistente, até ambos estarem completamente incorporados.

Deitar a mistura na forma e levar ao forno por 17 a 20 minutos, ou até que um palito inserido no meio saia completamente limpo (atenção para não deixar cozer demais).

Deixar o brownie arrefecer completamente dentro da forma e, depois de frio, cortar em quadrados e polvilhar com o açúcar em pó.

Recipe / Receita:

Pad Thai.

Pad Thai is a very loved street food dish from Thailand.

I have to admit that I've always been very curious about this famous dish and now, having (again) a sneak peek at this fabulously gorgeous book, I "noticed" the recipe for this Pad Thai and I decided to make it straightaway.

That's one of the delights of going through books that, apparently, are forgotten in your book shelves...

You always find something new and to fall in love with...!

It was the first time I made or tasted Pad Thai and I have to tell you that it is a real treat!! Here at home, we all LOVED IT, including the kids!!

ingredients (serves 4):

300g wide dried rice noodles

200g pork fillet

150g peeled raw prawns

150g bean sprouts

4 spring onions

3 garlic cloves

3 to 4 tbsp vegetable oil

2 to 3 tbsp fish sauce

1 to 2 tsp grated palm sugar

1 tsp chilli flakes

2 tbsp lime juice

2 eggs

100g toasted peanuts, chopped

chopped fresh coriander leaves, to serve

Thai sweet chilli sauce (optional), to serve

method:

Soak he noodles according to the packet instructions. Drain and set aside.

Cut the pork into very thin slices, peel the prawns, trim the bean sprouts, slice the spring onions on the diagonal and finely chop the garlic.

Gently heat the oil in a wok.

Quickly stir fry the garlic, then add the pork and stir fry for a few more minutes until the meat is nicely browned.

Add the prawns, spring onions, fish sauce, sugar, chilli and lime juice, and stir fry for another 1 minute.

Crack the eggs into the wok and stir until they start to cook.

Add the bean sprouts and noodles and stir fry a bit more.

Serve straight away, scattered with the peanuts, coriander and the Thai sweet chilli if using.

Note: I served my Pad Thai in these gorgeous bowls that, 2 days ago, were just cheap, plain white bowls from IKEA.

Following Adrianna Adarme "The year of Cozy" book instructions, I marbled my own bowls and now, they are full of life and colour.

This book is gorgeous and packed full of delicious food recipes and gorgeous craft and decoration ideas.

__________________

Pad Thai é um prato muito típico e amado na Tailândia e que é, maioritariamente, servido e considerado como "street food".

Confesso que já andava curiosa com este prato há bastante tempo, especialmente por tanto o ver ser confeccionado no Masterchef Austrália.

Nunca o tendo experimentado, provado ou confeccionado, andava eu de volta deste livro lindo que estava "esquecido" nas minhas prateleiras, quando dei de caras com esta receita de Pad Thai. Pensei logo para comigo, "pois nem é cedo nem é tarde, é já!".

Só vos posso dizer que todos cá em casa, incluindo os miúdos, ADORÁMOS!!!

Estes são alguns dos deleites de, de vez em quando, fazer incursões por livros que já fazem parte da "mobília da casa" há anos e que são lindos de morrer :))!

ingredientes (para 4 pessoas):

300g massa de arroz larga

200g lombelo de porco

150g camarões descascados

150g rebentos de soja

4 spring onions

3 dentes de alho

3 a 4 colheres sopa de óleo vegetal

2 a 3 colheres sopa de fish sauce

1 a 2 colheres chá de açúcar de cana ralado (eu usei demerara)

1 colher chá de flocos de malagueta

2 colheres sopa de sumo de lima

2 ovos

100g amendoins torrados, picados

folhas de coentros, picados, para servir

sweet chilli sauce tailandês, para servir (opcional)

preparação:

Demolhar a massa de arroz em água a ferver, de acordo com as instruções do pacote. Escorrer e reservar.

Cortar o lombelo de porco em fatias muito fininhas.

Descascar os camarões.

Arranjar os rebentos de soja, cortar as spring onions em rodelas diagonais e picar o alho muito picadinho.

Sobre lume médio a baixo, aquecer o óleo na wok.

Aumentar o lume e saltear o alho. Adicionar a carne de porco e fritar, mexendo sempre, até a carne estar bem selada e douradinha.

Adicionar os camarões, as spring onions, a fish sauce, o açúcar, os flocos de malagueta e o sumo da lima e, mexendo sempre, fritar por mais 1 minuto.

Adicionar os ovos e, mexendo sempre, fritar até estes começarem a estar cozinhados.

Adicionar os rebentos de soja e os noodles e fritar por mais uns segundos, envolvendo tudo muito bem.

Servir de imediato, polvilhado com os amendoins tostados e picados, os coentros e, caso usem, o sweet chilli sauce.

Nota: Eu servi o meu Pad Thai nestas tigelas lindas que, até há dois dias atrás, eram só umas daquelas tigelas brancas e baratas do IKEA!

Seguindo o passo a passo do livro lindo da Adrianna Adarme "The Year of Cozy", as minhas tigelas estão agora coloridas e cheias de vida.

Um livro lindo, que, para além de receitas fantásticas, tem também algumas ideias para craft e decoração!

Pad Thai recipe / Receita do Pad Thai: