RECIPE - Fish Soup, Brazilian Beach Style (Caldinho de Peixe)

Brazilian beach-style soups, whether eaten on a hot summer's day on the beach, or at home on a cold and damp winter's day, are marvelous pick-me-ups and satisfy without filling. In Brazil, these soups are served in small cups, often plastic ones when they are bought from vendors at the beach, but they are only improved when they're served in small proper soup cups or bowls.

These soups (called caldinhos in Portuguese) are fortunately also very simple to make and don't involve a lot of time or effort. Whether January brings you chilly winter weather or the dog days of summer, you'll find that Brazilian beach-style ish soup really hits the spot.
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RECIPE - Fish Soup, Brazilian Beach Style (Caldinho de Peixe)
Makes 4 small cups or 2 bowls

1 medium-size fish steak (any type of white fish)
1 medium fish head (non-oily fish only), thoroughly cleaned and rinsed
2 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/2 medium green pepper, seeded, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled
handful fresh cilantro
1 cup (250 ml) coconut milk
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
additional chopped cilantro (garnish, optional)
croutons (garnish, optional)
chopped green onions, green part only (garnish, optional)
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In a food processor or blender combine the tomatoes (put in first), onion, green pepper, garlic and cilantro. Pulse to begin, then blend until you have a homogenous mixture. Reserve.

Cut the fish steak into large pieces. Combine the fish steak and fish head (whole) in a large saucepan and add 1 liter (1 quart) cold water. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat. Skim off any scum that rises to the surface. Add the blender mixture and cook, at a slow boil, until the mixture has reduced by approximately half. Remove from heat.

Take the fish head plus any skin or bones out of the soup and discard. Pour the remainder in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a clean saucepan, then stir in the coconut milk and olive oil. Heat thoroughly, but do not boil.

Serve in bowls or cups, and pass additional cilantro, croutons and/or green onions in small cups as individual garnishes.

RECIPE - Fish and Shrimp Ceviche with Starfruit (Ceviche de Peixe e camarão com carambola)

In Friday's post on carambola, aka starfruit, we mentioned that relegating that beautiful and delicious fruit to being nothing more than a mere garnish on a plate or glass is a culinary crime of the first order. Brazilian chefs are using the fruit more and more these days not just tart up a dramatic plate, but as an integral part of the flavor profile for a dish.

This recipe, which is one of the more inventive results with the current Brazilian craze for Peruvian cuisine, is a variation on the traditional Andean technique of marinading raw fish or seafood in lime juice to "cook" it. Ceviche has taken off in a big way in Brazil in the past few years and now shows up on menus in bars, botecos and five-star restaurants. This recipe comes from Brazilian food and wine magazine, Gula, and was created by chef Carol Caldas of Rio de Janeiro's Santa Satisfação restaurant.

Starfruits are commonly available in North American and European supermarkets, year round, so this recipe is easy to make at home almost anywhere. It makes a delicious first course, or main course for a light lunch.
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RECIPE - Fish and Shrimp Ceviche with Starfruit (Ceviche de Peixe e camarão com carambola)
Serves 2-4 (main course or first course)

1/2 lb. firm white-fleshed fish fillet
1/4 lb. raw peeled small or medium shrimp
1/2 small red onion, minced
1 small tomato, peeled, seeded and cubed
juice of 2 large limes
salt and pepper to taste
2 firm small starfruits (carambolas), sliced
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh cilantro, leaves only
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Cut the fish into small cubes, and halve the shrimps if large. Combine them in a medium mixing bowl, season with salt and pepper and mix in the lime juice. Let marinade, refrigerated, for half an hour. In a separate bowl, chill the sliced starfruit.

Remove the marinaded fish from the refrigerator, mix in the starfruit and cilantro and serve immediately, very cold.

On The Road - Belém (Pt. 10) - RECIPE - Pan-fried Filhote

We'll wrap up our series of "On the Road" posts about the city of Belém and its unique regional cuisine, based on the bounty of the world's largest river system, with this simple recipe for pan-fried filhote, one of the typical fresh-water fishes of the Amazon. The entire culinary culture of Belém, like the very life of the city itself, depends on the riches of the river and the rain forest that fills its basin. In Belém everything can be traced back, at some degree, to the waters that flow more than 4000 miles across the basin and to the plant and animal life that flourish there.

The Amazonian rain forest is the most bio-diverse ecosystem on our planet, and the food resources there, properly managed and controlled, could continue to nourish the bodies and souls of the regions inhabitants for millennia to come. Let us hope that we humans wisely shepherd this most unique of the world's natural resources.

This recipe is a typically regional way to cook filhote. The fish is only available in the region, however, but the recipe adapts wonderfully to all sorts of fresh-water and salt-water varieties of fish. Try it with catfish, with halibut or any other white-fleshed firm fish of your choice.
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RECIPE - Pan-fried Filhote
Serves 4

4 filhote steaks (or filets) about 1/2 lb (250 gr) each
2 limes
1 serrano or japapeno pepper
3 cloves garlic, crushed
salt to taste
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup water
1 Tbsp extravirgin olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
1/4 cup finely chopped green onion, green part only
additional olive oil for frying
lime wedges for garnish
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Prepare the fish: wash the fish in fresh running water and refresh it with the juice of one the two limes. In a ceramic dish combine the juice of the the other lime, the white wine, the 1/2 cup water, the whole chili pepper, the garlic , the olive oil and the chopped herbs. Soak the fish in this liquid for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Remove the fish from the soaking liquid. Dry thoroughly with paper towels. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium high heat. When hot, add a small amount of olive oil. When the oil is hot but not smoking add the fish and cook over high heat for a minute or two on each side, until the fish is nicely browned on both sides and just beginning to flake. Do not overcook.

Remove from heat, then serve the fish immediately, accompanied by wedges of fresh lime.

Recipe translated and adapted from Cozinha Regional Brasileira by Abril Editora.

On The Road - Belém (Pt. 9) - A Very Big Puppy - Filhote

Probably the biggest puppy we ever saw was a two-month-old St. Bernard - it had to have been at least 100 lbs (50 lbs) and it was still a long way from being fully grown. At least he was the biggest puppy we'd ever seen until Flavors of Brazil's recent road trip to Belém, situated near the mouth of the Amazon River system. There we saw a puppy that was about 6 feet long (2 meters), probably weighed over 600 lbs (500 kgs) and instead of being furry and fluffy and cute was wet, slimy and ugly as hell. But it was delicious!

You see, the word for puppy in Portuguese is filhote (filho means son). But in Belém the word isn't applied just to young canines, it is also the name of a very large member of the catfish family, one of the largest fresh-water fishes in the world. This creature's scientific name is Brachyplathystoma filamentosum, and it also bears the alternative name piraíba.

filhote en route to market

This fish exists only in the rivers of the Amazon rain forest. It lives in the deepest parts of the river system, which are very deep indeed, and when caught on a line it puts up a tremendous battle. Fishing for filhote is a favorite activity for sports fishermen from all around the world who come to the Amazon to fish.

filhote at the market

But filhote is caught primarily not because of its value as a sports fish, it's caught for its delicate and delicious flesh. Filhote is one of the favorite eating fish of the region, if not the absolute favorite. Filhote has a clean, clear taste with none of the "muddy" flavors that often mar the flavors of other members of the catfish family. The flesh is a bright white in color and when cooked properly it flakes but doesn't fall apart.

Because the taste of filhote is subtle, most Belenenses prefer to eat it quite simply - to let the taste of the fish shine through. The most common ways to serve this fish are pan-fried, grilled or roasted, lightly seasoned, and without rich sauces. We'll provide a recipe in the next post.

RECIPE - Ceará Fish Stew (Peixada Cearense)

In yesterday's post about peixada cearense, we mentioned that the dish, like many other traditional dishes in Brazil and elsewhere, has numerous recipes and an untold number of variations. But unlike, for example, moqueca de peixe from Bahia or something like Greek moussaka, peixada cearense was popularized by one particular restaurateur in Ceará's capital, Fortaleza, only fifty-plus years ago. Thus, the myriad of recipes for peixada cearense can be thought of as theme and variations. There is Alfredo, Rei dos Peixes' recipe (the theme) and everybody else's (the variations).

In studying classical piano, it doesn't make any sense to practice the variations until you know the theme. Same thing with peixada cearense. The recipe below is Alfredo's original - once mastered, it can be changed, amended, altered and varied as you see fit. But you should try it this way the first time, just so you know the original.

One thing that you might have to vary, even the first time through, is the kind of fish that you use. Alfredo uses fish that are caught locally - right outside the front door of his restaurant, in fact. Fish like dourado, garoupa and badejo. You should too - use only fish that are fresh in your own city's fish markets. Firm-fleshed white fish are best, particularly those that can be bought in the form of steaks. We're found that one of the best is halibut, but in others can be just as successfully substituted in making your own peixada.
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RECIPE - Ceará Fish Stew (Peixada Cearense)
Serves 4

2 lb (800 gr) fish steaks - any firm-fleshed white variety
1 small (1/2 medium) green cabbage, cut into chunks
2 large boiling potatoes, peeled and halved or quartered depending on size
2 tomatoes, seeded and halved
2 medium carrots, peeled and quartered
1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into large pieces
2 whole eggs, hardboiled and peeled
1 cup (250 ml) coconut milk
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
annatto oil (can substitute 1 Tbsp sweet paprika
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup chopped green onion, green parts only
salt and pepper to taste
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Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, carrot, and bell pepper and cook for about five minutes. Add the annatto oil or paprika, mix well, then add the tomato, cabbage and potato. Add water just to cover the ingredients, then cover the pan, reduce heat and cook just until the potatoes and carrots are almost cooked.

Add the fish steaks, salt and pepper to taste, and the coconut milk. Stir gently to mix. Cook for about five minutes, uncovered, or until the fish is cooked and just beginning to flake. Add the whole eggs, continue to cook just until they are heated through, then remove from heat.

Stir in the cilantro and green onion, pour into a deep serving bowl and serve accompanied by white rice.

Ceará's Iconic Dish (since 1958) - Peixada Cearense

Jangada at Mucuripe beach

Map from 1629 showing Ponta Mucuripe

At the eastern end of Fortaleza's 3 km seaside promenade known as Beira Mar is a fishing community called Mucuripe. Although it is now located in the middle of a touristic strip of hotels, restaurants and bars, the harbor at Mucuripe still shelters hundred of jangadas - the primitive rafts on which Brazilian fishermen have gone to sea for centuries. There is a thriving fish market located right on the beach, there's a small Catholic church, and there are two of Fortaleza's oldest and most well-known seafood restaurants.

The first seafood restaurant in Mucuripe was opened back in 1958, when Mucuripe was a separate village, by Alfredo Louzada de Souza. He named the restaurant after himself, and in later years added the nickname he earned from the fame of his most famous dish - Alfredo, O Rei da Peixada, or The King of Peixada. The restaurant is still flourishing today, as is the next door restaurant owned by Alfredo's son, Marquinho. It's called, naturally, Marquinhos Delícias Cearenses.

Together, father and son have created a dynasty of seafood restaurants in Mucuripe, and in the process have made their common signature dish, peixada, the most famous and sought-after dish in the state of Ceará. Tourists in the millions arrive in Fortaleza every year, and many of them arrive already have already decided that they want to try peixada during their visit. Almost every restaurant in the city that offers seafood has peixada on the menu, but for the original recipe in its original location, one has to go to Mucuripe.

Alfredo didn't invent peixada out of the clear blue sky. Fish stews and chowders are common dishes all along the coast of Brazil, with local variations in every region. But it was Alfredo who codified the ingredients for peixada cearense, and today his recipe is almost universally recognized as ur-peixada.
Afredo's peixada is centered around thick-cut fish steaks from any of a number of local species cooked in a broth with a good dose of coconut milk, augmented by pieces of cabbage, tomato, potato, green pepper and whole hard-boiled eggs. Obligatory accompaniments are plain white rice and fish pirão.

Peixada is a substantial dish and a meal in itself. And for many who eat it, whether in Ceará or far away, it's the one dish that carries with it the history and flavor of the once-upon-a-time seaside fishing village that was Mucuripe.

FISH OF BRAZIL - Ray or Skate (Arraia)

There are at least 500 species of fish in the zoological superorder Batoidea, and the vast majority of them are edible, or at least certain parts of them are edible. This family of fish is commonly known as ray or skate in English and arraia (pronounced a-HIGH-a) in Portuguese, and is distinguished by its cartilaginous skeleton, flattened body and enlarged pectoral fins, commonly called "wings". The rays are close relatives of the sharks, and one of the oldest surviving families of fish.

Rays are an under-appeciated food fish in many parts of the world, although much use is made of them in Asian and African cultures. Sophisticated diners in Europe and North America know that skate is a wonderfully delicious fish, but the commercial market for the fish is not large. Some food historians posit the fact that some rays are poisonous (sting-rays) for reluctance of many in the USA and other parts of the world to eat ray, even though the venom of poisonous rays is restricted to the tail, which is not edible.

Uncooked skate wing

The part of the fish that is commonly considered edible is the large pectoral fin, the wing. In fish markets which sell ray or skate, it is often labeled skate wings. In the wings, the white, fibrous flesh lies between parallel rows of cartilage, and can easily be separated from the cartilage once the fish is cooked.

In some parts of the world, the wings are cooked and served whole and the flesh is separated from the cartilage by the diner. In Brazil, though, most recipes for arraia are soups or stews, and the fibrous flesh is separated and flaked during the cooking process, leaving the final dish without any cartilaginous bones to be removed.

Pastel de arraia

Arraia, flaked and seasoned, is also a favorite filling for the savory deep-fried pastries Brazilians call pastel. It also pops up on bar-snack menus in the form of a bolinho, a small round ball of arraia mixed with mashed potato or mashed manioc which is deep-fried and served hot. Because the flavor and texture of arraia in a bolinho closely resembles the popular bolinho de bacalhau, made with much more expensive salt cod, arraia is sometimes called "poor man's bacalhau."

RECIPE - Fried Fish Roe (Ovas de Peixe Fritas)

Fish roe, in other words - fish eggs, is considered a delicacy in many cultures in all parts of the world. The fame of Russian or Iranian caviar, and its astronomic price put sturgeon roe at the very top of the list of haut cuisine. Japanese sushi wouldn't be the same without the bright sparkly orange balls of flying fish roe (tobiko in Japanese) that dot the surface of many sushi rolls. Salmon roe has always been highly prized among the Amerindian tribes that lived, and live, along the coast of British Columbia and Alaska.

Brazilian food culture is not exempt from the appeal of fish roe. In coastal regions of Brazil, particularly along the lengthy coast of northeastern Brazil, one of the highlights of the local seafood bounty is fish roe. The roe from all the larger fish of these warm seas, robalo, badejo, pargo and more, is harvested and sold in fish markets right alongside filets, steaks, bones and heads. Nothing is wasted from the catch.

raw fish roe

Fortunately, unlike caviar, fish roe in northeastern Brazil isn't expensive. Because it is fragile and must be eaten shortly after the fish is landed, most of the roe is sold locally. Preserving fish roe for transport over distance requires either canning or salting and drying, both of which increase roe's price. But here in the northeast, roe is abundant, inexpensive and marvelously tasty.

The most common way to serve fish roe is to dust it gently with seasoned flour, then lightly fry it. Pure simplicity. The only seasonings are a bit of salt, plenty of fresh limes, and an optional sprinkling of chopped cilanto. The only trick to properly cooking fish roe is to make sure not to overcook it - a light touch is the right touch when it comes to roe in the frying pan.

This recipe can be used with any type of fish roe, as long as you can find it still in its membranous sac. It doesn't work for loose roe. Roe may not be displayed at your fishmongers, but if you ask, you might just find that there's some available. It's worth asking.
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RECIPE - Fried Fish Roe (Ovas de Peixe Fritas)
serves 2

12 oz (350 gr) fish roe, in its sac
juice of one lime
salt to taste
2 Tbsp all-purpose wheat flour
1 Tbsp neutral vegetable oil
lime wedges to garnish
chopped cilantro leaves to garnish
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Season the roe with salt and lime juice, then dust completely with the flour. Reserve for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the fish roe. Adjust the heat if the oil begins to smoke. Fry the roe for about 8 minutes on one side, then very gently turn the roe over and fry for another 5 minutes.

Remove the roe from the frying pan, place on a serving platter, sprinkle with the optional cilantro of desired and serve with lime wedges.

Brazil's Domestic Bacalhau Arrives on the Scene

Bacalhau, which is salted and semi-dried cod fish and which is known in English as salt cod, has roots in Brazilian food culture that go back to the arrival of the very first Europeans to arrive on these shores. Portuguese fishermen were fishing cod in the cold waters of the North Atlantic as early as the 15th century and most of their harvest was preserved by salting and drying the catch. Salt cod was carried on board Portuguese caravels on their early voyages of exploration and when Pedro Cabral made the first European landing in Brazil in 1500, his ship carried significant stocks of salt cod to feed his crew. Ever since that day Brazilians have been eating bacalhau and it has become an indispensible part of Brazilian cuisine.

Bacalhau is linked to holiday eating patterns in Brazil and is a feature of both Christmas and Easter feasts. At these times, when family memories tend to be the longest, Brazilians find comfort in eating bacalhau just the way that vovó (grandma) used to make it. But even when neither of the two large Christian holidays is near, Brazilians eat bacalhau for Sunday lunch, traditionally the biggest meal of the week, and for other daily meals and snacks.

Because cod is a cold-water fish and the waters in the oceans off Brazil's coasts are mostly warm water, up to now all of Brazil's bacalhau has had to be imported, 97% of the total coming from Norway. Each year, Brazil imports 30 thousand tons of the fish from Norway to meet its needs, making Brazil the largest cod-importing nation in the world. In 2010, Brazil spent 1.03 billion Norwegian kroners (about 175m USD) buying salt cold. That's a lot of money, and that's just the import price. By the time bacalhau arrives at the retail level, whether fish shop or super market, it has become a very expensive food. Average Brazilian retail price in 2011 was approximately R$90/kg, which works out to about USD$22.60/lb. But even with these high prices, which go higher every year, Brazilians do not seem to be willing to forego their bacalhau.

Location of Maraã

In 2011, there were the first stirrings of what might be a dramatic shift in the market for salt cod in Brazil. In August, in the isolated village of Maraã in Brazil's gigantic Amazonian rain forest, Brazil's first factory of domestically-produced "bacalhau" opened. Located in an area of the forest which has been designated a Sustainable Development Reserve (RDS in Portuguese), and built with support from state and federal governments, a cooperative factory processes a fresh-water fish from the Amazon called pirarucu the very same way that bacalhau is produced from cod and with very similar results. The pirarucu is the world's largest fresh water fish, reaching up to 150 kg (over 300 lbs) and yielding up to 70 kg (over 140 lbs) of meat per fish. Fishing of Piracuru in the RDS is monitored and controlled for sustainability, and the Maraã cooperative only uses fish from the reserve to produce its "bacalhau da Amazônia". The product is marketed under that name to avoid confusion with true bacalhau, which must come from cod.

At the end of 2011, the first commercial production of "bacalhau da Amazônia" reached supermarkets in Manaus, the largest city in the Amazon basin, as well as other cities in the region just in time for the Christmas season. The retail price ranged between R$35 and R$50 per kilo, or about half of the price of Norwegian bacalhau. Customers liked the price, of course, and first reports are that they also liked the product, comparing it favorably to true bacalhau.

In December, 2011, representatives of Brazil's largest chain of supermarkets, Pão de Açúcar, visited the factory in Maraã in the hopes of creating a commercial partnership with the cooperative to market and sell "bacalhau da Amazônia" in other regions of Brazil.

In many ways, the potential for "bacalhau da Amazônia" is enormous. The world's largest fresh-water fish, farmed sustainably, used to supply the world's largest import market for salt cold - it all makes very good sense. Flavors of Brazil wonders if the Norwegians might be looking at this scheme with a nervous eye.

RECIPE - Fish in a Banana Leaf (Peixe na Folha de Bananeira)

In Brazil, where banana plants grow like weeds almost everywhere and where lots of people have a banana plant in their backyard or, if not, in their neighbor's, the large flat leaves of the plant are a perfect material for wrapping food that's going to be steamed or roasted.

The technique, and the culinary advantages, of using a banana leaf this way are basically the same as using a sheet of parchment paper as classic French cuisine does in their "en papilotte" dishes. By wrapping a banana leaf around a piece of fish or meat, or around a seasoned mixture of seafood or vegetables, none of the natural flavor of the food is lost during the cooking process. There's no evaporation and lost of consequent loss of flavor.

There are thousands of Brazilian recipes that call for the use of banana leaf as a wrapping. Many of the most traditional are for fish - the combination of fish and banana leaves is an old and traditional one in many parts of Brazil. But there are recipes for other proteins in banan leaves, as well as sweets, such as coconut puddings, and savory carbohydrates (click here to read about pamonha, Brazil's tamale).

Banana leaves are less easily obtained in non-tropical climates although they can sometimes be found frozen in Asian or Latin American markets in North America and Europe. You can substitute aluminum foil for the leaf in any recipe that calls for it and the result will be practically identical. However, you'll lose the visual appeal of a banana leaf. A plate with a small "present" enclosed in a banana leaf has a natural beauty that aluminum foil lacks. So if you can find banana leaves, frozen or not, for this recipe for fish or for any other recipe calling for them, go with nature's wrapping.
 
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RECIPE - Fish in a Banana Leaf (Peixe na Folha de Bananeira)
Serves 2

1 whole fish, scaled and cleaned, about 2 lbs (1 kg)
1 bunch cilantro
1 small hot chili pepper, dedo de moca, jalapeno, serrano or similar
salt and pepper to taste
juice of one lime.
2 banana leaves
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Cut the chili pepper in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds and veins (unless you prefer a spicy dish). Put the cilantro, the chili pepper and the lime juice in a blender or food processor and blend until you have a chunky puree. Do not overblend.

Wash the fish well inside and out. Dry with paper towels. Make two or three parallel cuts in the skin on each side of the fish, cutting into the flesh. Rub the cilantro puree into the fish, inside and out. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Spread out one banana leaf. Place the seasoned fish on the leaf, then cover with the second leaf. Using toothpicks to seal, fold over the edges of the two leaves and close the seams with toothpicks.

Place the package in a large roasting pan or lasagne pan. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the leaves are dry and beginning to brown. Remove from oven and let stand for five minutes before unwrapping the fish.

Serve immediately accompanied by white rice.

RECIPE - Spicy Peacock Bass (Tucunaré na Pimenta)

This recipe comes from Brazil's unbelievably massive Amazonian rain forest, where the fish known as tucunaré is a favorite with sports fishermen and with cooks of all sorts. Its flesh is white, firm and meaty and it's not strongly flavored. Nor is it full of bones, as many other fresh-water fish tend to be. Because tucunaré is a relatively large fish, somewhere between 1 and 3 feet in length it is suited to being filleted, being stuffed and baked whole, or being grilled or fried.

This recipe calls for tucunaré fillets. The fillets are fried and then served with a spicy sauce containing chunks of green bell peppers and cubed potatoes. Served with rice and a green salad, it makes a substantial meal.

You can, and probably will have to, substitute any other similar white-fleshed fish for the tucunaré. Unless you live in the Amazon, that is. Grouper and snapper make excellent substitutes - just make sure you don't try to substitute a fish that is too delicate, or which flakes too easily, such as sole or cod.
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RECIPE - Spicy Peacock Bass (Tucunaré na Pimenta)
Serves 2

2 white-fish fillets, tucunaré or similar, about 1/2 lb (200 gr) each
juice of 2 limes, fresh-squeezed
4 Tbsp white-wine vinegar
2 Tsp salt
1/2 cup all-purpose wheat flour
4 Tbsp neutral vegetable oil
4 Tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and quartered
2 medium boiling potatoes, peeled and cooked, quartered
1 small chili pepper, jalapeno or serrano or similar, seeded and finely minced
1 cup water
handful finely chopped cilantro
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Season the fish fillets with lime juice, vinegar and the salt. Let stand for three minutes, then pat dry with paper towel. Spread the flour out on a working surface and dredge the fillets in the flour, making sure they are completely covered. Reserve.

Heat the oil in a deep frying pan, and cook the fillets, one at a time, until the coating is nicely browned. Remove from the oil, drain on paper towels, and reserve, keeping warm.

In a large saucepan melt the butter and when it's hot add the garlic, onion, tomato, green pepper and potatoes. Saute for about 5 minutes, stirring from time to time, or until the tomato begins to break down. Stir to mix, then add the water and the cilantro. Bring to a boil and cook for a few more minutes until the sauce slightly reduces.

Put the reserved fillets on a deep serving platter. Top with the vegetables from the sauce, then pour the sauce over. Serve immediately.

Recipe translated and adapted from Cozinha Regional Brasileira by Abril Editora.

FISH OF BRAZIL - Tucunaré (Peacock Bass)

You can call the tucunaré, a Brazilian fish native to the fresh waters of the Amazon basin, a peacock bass if you wish, but according to Wikipedia, although the fish IS known in English as the peacock bass, it isn't a bass at all, rather it's a chiclid. Since the first humans to baptize the fish and give it a name were the native indian tribes of the Amazon, the fish's original name is clearly tucunaré, which means "friend of the trees" in Tupi-Guarani. Only at some later date was the fish given a name in English, and then it was given the wrong one, though admittedly the name peacock bass has a nicer ring to it than peacock chiclid, which sounds more like the name for a baby peacock.

Looking at a photo of a tucunaré it's easy to see where the peacock part of the English name comes from. It's not from the color, for the fish isn't blue or green. It's from a large eye-like circle on the tail of the fish which looks rather like the similar forms on a peacock tail.

In Brazil, the tucunaré is known in both the culinary and sports-fishing worlds. The fish is a predatory carnivorous hunter in its native waters, and a fierce fighter when caught on a hook. Sports fisherman travel miles up the tributaries of the Amazon to reach tucunaré fishing grounds, and there are luxurious fishing lodges in some remote backwaters of the region catering to wealthy fishing enthusiasts from all around the world. (Click here for one lodge's website).

Because of their value as a sport-fishing species, tucunaré have been introduced into other tropical waters in Brazil, in the Caribbean and in Florida. Because, they don't have their own predators in these new waters, however, and because of their agressive behavior, the introduction of tucunaré has sometimes resulted in the decimation of local species. And once they've killed off all the native species in new waters, tucunaré have been known to resort to cannibalism, reducing their own stock levels precipitiously.

Fortunately, tucunaré, fierce though they are, are not large enough to dine on humans, and in the human-tucunaré relationship, it's humans who are the predators. Tucunaré are very good eating fish, with firm white flesh and without many bones. They have been an important food source for millennia in the Amazon, and today are served not only in the simple riverside homes of native populations, but in sophisticated restaurants in the large cities of the rain forest, like Manaus or Belém, and further afield in places like Rio de Janeiro or Brasília. The flavor of  has been likened to that of grouper or snapper, and because  grows to somewhere between 1-3 feet (30 - 100 cm) in length, it can be cooked in any way suitable to either of those species.

In upcoming posts, Flavors of Brazil will feature recipes for tucunaré.

On the Road - Jericoacoara (Pt. 2)

One of the many pleasures of Jericoacoara is sitting at a table under the shade of a coconut palm at one of the town's many beachfront bar/restaurants, eating snacks, drinking ice cold beer, and watching  hundreds of windsurfers and kitesurfers skim the waves in front of you like a swarm of butterflies. Because of its privileged position facing into the prevailing easterly trade winds, which blow constantly, Jeri's beach is a prime destinations for windsurfers and kitesurfers from around the world. The conditions there are almost guaranteed to be perfect and in the cold Northern Hemisphere winter months, surf-starved surfers flock to the coast of Ceará and especially to Jericoacoara.

Last week, during Flavors of Brazil's exploration of Jericoacoara we spent a memorable Saturday afternoon sitting under the palms drinking "stupidly cold" Skol beer (as the Brazilians like to say, and eating an plate of piabinha. The word piabinha is the dimuitive form of the name of a  species of fish known in Brazil as piaba. Although the piaba grows to a significant size, it's liked best by Brazilians when it's still small. During the spawning season, massive schools of piaba can be found all along the Brazilian coast, and they are netted in large quantities (the fishery is still sustainable, however, and the species is not considered threatened).

piabinha

The Brazilian way to serve these tiny fish is whole - heads, tails and all. The best size is between 2 and 3 inches long, which means that each fish is only two or three bites. The piabinha  are cleaned, dipped in a breading of farinha, the ubiquitous manioc flour of Brazil, and quickly deep-fried in hot oil. Served hot from the fryer, a plate of salted, crunchy piabinha, accompanied by a wedge of lime and tartar sauce, crunchy and fresh-tasting without a hint of fishiness, makes just about the best food to combine with cold beer that we can imagine. The crunch, the salt, the acidity of the lime, and the tender piabinha flesh all combine to create the perfect bar snack. Serving them on a beach like Jericoacoara's is just icing on the cake.

RECIPE - Fish Moqueca (Moqueca de Peixe)

The bright orange palm oil dendê, featured in yesterday's post on Flavors of Brazil, is closely connected in most Brazilians' minds to the cooking styles of the northeastern Brazilian state of Bahia, where African cultural traditions have survived the longest and are the most vibrant of any place in Brazil.

One of the most characteristic cooking techniques in Bahia is called moqueca, and there are hundreds if not thousands of moquecas to be found in Bahia. One of Brazil's most authoritative dictionaries, Houaiss, defines a moqueca as:

a stew of fish, seafood, meat or eggs, made with coconut milk and  dendê oil plus seasonings (cilantro, onion, bell peppers, dried shrimps and chili peppers), cooked preferably in a clay casserole and served in the same dish. [Originally from northeastern Brazil, especially Bahia, but now considered characteristic of Brazilian cuisine in general, being found in various states of Brazil.]

Since the etymology of the word moqueca traces it back to an African word mu'keka meaning "fish chowder" or "fish stew" it's probably true that the first moquecas used fish as their principal ingredient and that other variations followed. So to begin with the beginning, here's a recipe for fish moqueca that comes from Bahia.
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RECIPE - Fish Moqueca (Moqueca de Peixe)
Serves 4

2 lb (1 kg) snook, grouper, or other firm, non-flaking white fish, cut into steaks or large chunks
juice of 1 lemon
salt and black pepper to taste
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
4 medium tomatoes
1 medium green bell pepper
1 medium red bell pepper
1/4 cup firmly-packed chopped cilantro
3 Tbsp dendê oil (click here to read about purchasing and about substitutes)
2 cups coconut milk
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Season the fish with the lime juice, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Reserve, marinading, for 30 minutes.

In a blender or food processor, blend the tomatoes, the onion, peppers and the cilantro until you have a homogenous but still slightly chunky liquid.

In a large frying pan, head the dendê oil, then add the mixture from the blender and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the sauce is hot and bubbling. Add the fish, covering the pieces with the tomato mixture and cook for one or two minutes. Stir in the coconut milk, bring to a simmer and cook for about 25 minutes, or until the fish is completely cooked and the sauce has thickened.

Serve in a decorative bowl, preferably of unglazed earthenware, garnished with cilantro leaves, a few rings of onions and bell peppers if desired. Accompany with white rice and a good, preferably homestyle hot sauce.

Recipe translated and adapted from Cozinha Regional Brazileira by Abril Editora.

RECIPE - Skate or Ray Moqueca (Moqueca de Arraia)

One of the dishes that almost everybody who visits Jericoacoara wants to sample is a traditional fish dish called moqueca de arraia. Moquecas are traditional Brazilian fish dishes, whose history goes back to the time before the arrival of Europeans when natives made moquecas out of the bounty of Brazil's seas, rivers, lakes and lagoons. There are as many different recipes for moqueca as there are fish in the sea, but all of them consist of some sort of fish or seafood cooked and served in seasoned coconut milk. There are regional variations and variations in the fish or seafood used, but whatever the variation they're all moquecas and they're all very Brazilian.

Jericoacoara's signature moqueca is made from locally caught skate or ray, which are plentiful in local waters and which exist in both fresh-water and salt-water varieties. To make a moqueca the cartiligenous "wings" of the ray are pre-cooked by boiling and the meat is separated from the cartilege and shredded before being added to the recipe. Unlike the more famous African-influenced moquecas of Bahia, there is no palm oil (dendê oil) used and the shredded fish is served with only a little liquid. Traditional accompaniments to moqueca de arraia in Jericoacoara are white rice and pirão.
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RECIPE - Skate or Ray Moqueca (Moqueca de Arraia)
Serves 4

1 lb (500 gr) cooked and shredded skate or ray
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 green or red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
3/4 cup (200 ml) coconut milk
1 Tbsp annatto powder (sweet paprika can be substituted)
chopped green onion, green parts only, to taste
chopped cilantro, to taste
salt and pepper to taste
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In a large, non-stick frying pan heat the olive oil, then add the onion and garlic and fry for a few minutes, or until the onion is transparent but not browned. Then add the chopped bell pepper and tomato, plus the annatto or paprkia and continue to saute, until the tomato begins to break up. Add the shredded fish and the coconut milk, stirr well to blend completely and continue to cook until the fish is heated through - do not let the mixture boil. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.

Place in a deep serving bowl and sprinkle with the chopped green onion and cilantro. Serve immediately.

Recipe translated and adapted from Brasil Sabor.

RECIPE - Grilled Escalope of Namorado (Escalope de Namorado Grelhado)

Namorado (Brazil's "boyfriend" fish) can be successfully cooked in many different ways, and takes to a large number of different saucing treatments. Like sole, halibut and dorado, similar mild-flavored white-fleshed fish, the fact that the fish doesn't have an assertive flavor profile means that the sauce, with its own ingredients and flavor, can step forward into the limelight without seeming to upstage the fish.

A good example is this recipe for grilled namorado escalopes served in a intensely-flavored sauce of leeks, bacon and mushrooms with white wine, butter and cream. Of a distinctly classical French inspiration - obvious from the list of ingredients - this elegant dish would make a superb main course at an intimate dinner party, or even a dinner for two.

The original recipe, from the Brazilian TV network GNT, calls for namorado. As mentioned in yesterday's post on Flavors of Brazil this fish, called sandperch in English, isn't likely to be available at North American or European fishmongers. Please feel free to substitute any other white-fleshed fish of your choice.

Note: Escalope is the French word for a thick slice cut from a fillet of fish, weighing about 6 oz or 150 gr. You can ask your fishmonger to cut them for you, or cut them yourself from a while fillet, using a sharp knife. They should be cut from the thickest part of the fillet, and are usually about 3" wide more or less, depending on the thickness of the fillet.
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RECIPE - Grilled Escalope of Namorado (Escalope de Namorado Grelhado)
Serves 4

4 namorado escalopes, or other white-fleshed fish (see note above about escalopes)
3 medium sized leeks, white parts only, thinly-sliced
3/4 lb (375 gr) fresh button mushrooms, stemmed and quartered
1 cup (250 ml) dry white wine
4 oz (100 gr) slab bacon, about 1/4 inch thick, cut into small cubes
3 oz (80 gr) butter
a few sprigs fresh thyme
1 Tbsp finely chopped chives
salt and pepper to taste
1 small onion
2 cups (500 ml) light fish bouillon
6 oz (160 gr) butter, cut into small cubes, refrigerated
1/3 cup (80 ml) whipping cream
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Preheat oven to 350F (180C).

Cut the onion into quarters and combine with half of the white wine and half of the fish bouillon in a small sauce pan. Bring to the boil and cook rapidly to reduce the volume of liquid by 1/3. Remove from heat, discard the onion and reserve the liquid.

Heat a non-stick frying pan, drizzle a bit of olive oil. When the oil is hot briefly cook the fish escalopes on both sides, just until they begin to take color. Remove them from the heat and place in an oven-proof casserole dish. Top each escalope with a sprig of thyme. Pour half of the white wine and half of the fish bouillon around the fillets, but not over them.

Put the casserole dish in the preheated oven and cook for 10 minutes. Remove and reserve, keeping warm.

Melt 3 oz (80 gr) butter in a medium frying pan with a cover. Add the sliced leeks. Season with salt and pepper and a few thyme leaves. Toss well to coat the leeks with butter, then cover the pan and cook over medium-low heat until the leeks are softened. In another small frying pan, fry the bacon cubes until crispy, then add the mushroom quarters and cook until the mushrooms give up their juice.

Add the bacon and mushrooms to the softened leeks, then stir in the chopped chives. Cover and reserve.

Reheat the reduced wine/bouillon mixture. Stir in the cream and continue to heat just to the boiling point. Whisk in the cubes of cold butter, stirring vigorously and making sure each is melted before adding another. Season with salt and pepper.

Assemble the dish: In a deep dinner plate place one quarter of the leek, bacon and mushroom mixture. Top with an escalope of fish. Divide the sauce among the four plates, pouring over all in the plate. Serve immediately.

FISH OF BRAZIL - Namorado (The Boyfriend Fish)

One of the most common deep-water fish in Brazil,  a fish called the namorado inhabits the waters off the entire 7500 miles of Brazilian coast from the border with French Guiana to the border with Uruguay. According to Babylon's Portuguese-English online dictionary the name namorado can be translated into English as "boyfriend, lover, sweetheart, sweetie, or honey". Whichever translation you choose, the fish bears a distinctly amorous moniker.

Namorado (the fish)

Namorado (Madonna's Brazilian ex-boyfriend)

We here at Flavors of Brazil have no idea why this fish, known in English by the relatively pedestrian-sounding name of sandperch, should have such a poetic name in Portuguese. In fact, we're a little nervous about making guesses, particularly about lonesome fishermen out at sea. Nonethless, namorado it is and it's a very popular eating fish in Brazil. The commercial namorado fishery is one of Brazil's largest, with the species accounting for just over 18% of Brazil's long-line catch. According to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the namorado fishery is sustainable at current levels, and the IUCN ranks the namorado fishery among those "of least concern."

The namorado's habitat is the sandy bottom of tropicals seas for there it can find its main sources of food, small crustaceans and fish. The namorado lives at great depths, normally around 500 feet (150 meters) but at times up to 1000 feet (300 meters). In these waters the fish can grow up to a length of 3 feet (1 meter) and weigh up to 30 lbs (15 kgs). This "boyfriend" is a well-built fellow, indeed.

In fish markets and supermarkets namorado is usually sold already filleted, with fillets being cut into smaller serving-size pieces. It can also be purchased as steaks. The flesh is light pink in color and the flavor is mild. Namorado can be oven-baked, pan-fried or deep fried, or cut into cubes and cooked in stews or soups. It can be used in almost any dish that calls for grouper, snapper halibut or dourado.

Because the fish is relatively abundant, it's among the least expensive of the white-fleshed fish, comparably priced to snapper or grouper. Because it's a sustainable fish as well, buying namorado in Brazil is a smart consumer's perfect option, economically, ecologically and gastronomically.

RECIPE - Leão Veloso Soup (Sopa Leão Veloso)

Rio de Janeiro's venerable downtown restaurant Rio Minho is home to one of Brazil's most famous "homage" recipes, Seafood Stew Antônio Houaiss, named in honor of of Brazil's most important lexicographer. (The recipe can be found here). But that dish isn't the only one served at Rio Minho which honors a famous Brazilian of the past. Rio Minho is also home to a Brazilian take on the French classic bouillabaisse, created by and named in honor of Leão Veloso.

Pedro Leão Veloso was a Brazilian politician and diplomat who served his country as Minister of Exterior Relations during the period 1944-1946. (Interestingly, his predecessor in that post, Osvaldo Aranha also has given his name to a famous Brazilian dish - details can be found here). In addition to having the soup bear his name, Sr. Veloso was also the creator of the dish. He had developed a passion for bouillabaisse when visiting its birthplace Marseille, France, and decided to create a Brazilian version of it upon his return to Brazil. His soup contained locally-available fish and seafood and substitutes annatto paste or oil (urucum) for bouillabaisse's traditional saffron. According to Rio Minho's chef Ramon Isaac Tielas Domingues, who has been in the restaurant's kitchen for thirty years, over time the restaurant has chosen to add sweet paprika to color and flavor the soup rather than annatto, but other than that, the recipe served to today is entirely Sr. Veloso's.

The recipe calls for a large quantity of a variety of fish and shellfish (just like bouillabaisse). It does make enough soup for a large crowd however, 10 persons, and is filling enough to serve as a main-course dish. Serve with plenty of crusty French bread and a leafy green salad.

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RECIPE - Leão Veloso Soup (Sopa Leão Veloso)
Serves 10

1 lb (500 gr) medium shrimp, unpeeled
2 lbs (1 kb) clams or mussels
1 large white fish, whole, including head (grouper, snapper) - about 3 lbs (1.g kg)
4 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1 Tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
1 Tbsp sweet paprika
salt to taste
2 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup Italian parsley, finely chopped
1 whole chili pepper (malagueta, jalapeno, serrano)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb (500 gr) crab meat, picked over
1 lb (500 gr) lobster meat, coarsely chopped
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Wash the shrimp and scrub the clams well to remove all sand. If using mussels, debeard them. Separate the fish head from the body - cut the body into steaks and chop the head into several large pieces. Reserve.

Place the pieces of fish head in a large stockpot, then add 2 quarts (2 liters) cold water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, skimming off foam and scum. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for one hour. Strain the liquid through a cheesecloth-lined sieve, pressing hard on the fish to increase the flavor of the stock.

Return the stock to a clean stockpot, bring to a slow boil, then add the shrimp. Cook for 5 minutes or until the shrimp takes on a pink color. Remove the shrimp with a slotted spoon, let cool, then peel and reserve them. Reserve the stock in the pot.

Next add the clams or mussels to the stockpot and cook for a few minutes, or until they open. Remove the shellfish with a slotted spoon, discarding any unopened ones. Remove the meat from the shells and reserve.

In a large heavy-duty frying pan, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil then fry the fish steaks, in batches if necessary. Cook until the fish just begins to flake. Drain the fish on paper towels, allow to cool slightly then flake the meat, discarding bones and skin. Reserve.

In the same frying pan, combine the chopped tomatoes, the garlic, the cilantro, the onion and the parsley and cook for about 10 minutes over medium heat, or until the onion and garlic have softened and the tomato becomes a pulp. Add salt to taste and the paprika and cook for one more minute.

Heat the stock in the pot, then add the tomato/garlic mixture. Cook over very low heat, at a slow simmer for 40 minutes. Add the reserved shrimps, shellfish and flaked fish, then the crab meat and lobster. Cook for 10 minutes then serve immediately in deep soup plates.

RECIPE - Seafood Stew Antonio Houaiss (Peixada à Antônio Houaiss)

Antônio Houaiss, member of the Brazilian Academy of Letters, was a twentieth-century lexicographer, author and publisher in Rio de Janeiro. His most enduring monument is the Portuguese-language dictionary that he edited from 1985 to 1999 and published posthumously in 2001 entitled Dicionário Houaiss da Língua Portuguesa, usually just referred to in Brazil as the Houaiss.

But the dictionary is not Sr. Houaiss' only memorial. As discussed in yesterday's post on Flavors of Brazil noted persons in Brazil and elsewhere are often memorialized by dishes created in their honor, and in Brazil a rich and luxurious seafood stew has been given Sr. Houaiss' name.

Along with many other intellectuals and literary figures in Rio in the second half of the twentieth century, Antônio Houaiss often chose to dine at midday in a downtown restaurant called Rio Minho. There, his favorite dish was apparently a saffron-scented seafood stew containing fish, shrimps, the strange lobster-like crustacean called cavaquinha, and boiled potatoes. Eventually, he became so associated with the dish that the restaurant decided to add his name to the dish to honor his many literary achievements (and his gastronomic good taste).

Rio Minho restaurant, one of Rio's oldest restaurants, having opened in 1884, is still packed at lunchtime with authors, editors and literary agents, and it's still serving many of them Antônio Houaiss' favorite dish.

Since cavaquinha isn't easily found in fish markets outside Brazil, you can very successfully substitute lobster tail in this elegant (and quite expensive) dish.
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RECIPE - Seafood Stew Antonio Houaiss (Peixada à Antônio Houaiss)
Serves 2

6 small boiling potatoes (or 3 medium-large, halved), peeled
2 extra-large prawns, peeled but with tails left on
1 cavaquinha (or lobster tail)
1/4 cup neutral vegetable oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup dry white wine (original recipe calls for Chardonnay)
1 Tbsp saffron
1 grouper or halibut steak
2 Tbsp Italian parsley, finely chopped
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Bring one quart (1 liter) salted water to the boil in a large saucepan. Add the peeled potatoes and cook until just tender. Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon, refresh them in cold water and reserve. In the same water cook the shrimps and cavaquina or lobster for 5 minutes. Reserve the seafood.

In a small frying pan heat half of the vegetable oil, then add the minced garlic and saute for a minute or so. Do not let the garlic brown. Add the wine and the saffron. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for two or three minutes, then remove from heat and reserve.

In a large frying pan, heat the remaining oil, then fry the fish steak until it is tender and just beginning to flake. Remove from the pan, drain on paper towel and reserve.

Place the fried fish in a small oven-proof gratin dish or deep serving dish. Place the lobster tail on top of the fish and one shrimp at each end of the lobster. Surround with the boiled potatoes, then pour the wine/saffron mixture over all. Place the dish under a pre-heated broiler for a few minutes, or until all the seafood is hot and the liquid is bubbling. Remove from the heat, sprinkle the potatoes with the parsley and serve immediate in the gratin or serving dish.

RECIPE - Fish Soup from Ceará (Sopa de Peixe Cearense)

A jangada at sea

There's something deeply satisfying about an uncomplicated, non-tarted-up, rich fish soup. Aromatic, packed with the flavors of the sea, and elemental, it appeals to our most basic appetites. Almost every culture that lives from the sea has just such a soup - Mediterranean France's soupe aux poisson, Norwegian fiskesuppe, Thai bo taek and many more are all variations on a universal theme.

The fishermen of Brazil's north and north-eastern coasts, called jangadeiros from the name of the simple rafts they sail on (jangadas), have been making just such a soup for centuries. They make it, amazingly, at sea while on board their jangadas, and they make it when they return home. The same soup is also made in portside restaurants, located in the market where the jangadeiros sell their catch within hours of landing. And its made in Brazilians homes and apartments to anchor a family meal.

What gives this soup is Brazilian twist is the presence of coconut milk and the combination of chopped green onions and cilantro called cheiro verde (green aroma). The recipe calls for Brazilian-style fish stock, which can be made by following the instructions in the previous post on Flavors of Brazil. Even allowing for time to make the stock, this soup is quick and easy to prepare and is sure to appeal to anyone who loves fish and seafood.
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RECIPE - Fish Soup from Ceará (Sopa de Peixe Cearense)
Serves 4

1/2 lb (250 gr)  boneless fish fillets from any white fish variety (halibut, cod, snapper, sole, etc)
4 cups (1 liter) Brazilian fish stock
1 medium boiling potato, peeled and cubed
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 Tbsp cilanto, finely chopped
4 Tbsp green onion, green part only, finely chopped
1/3 cup (100 ml) coconut milk
salt and pepper to taste
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In a large saucepan combine the fish, the fish stock, the potato, onion, cilantro and green onion. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook at a low boil until the fish and potatoes are very tender, about 20-25 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Using a wooden spoon, mash the fish and potato cubes against the side of the saucepan until you have a rough puree. Do not over-mash, there should be some consistency to the soup. Season for salt and pepper.

Return to the heat and bring just to a boil. Remove heat, stir in the coconut milk and divide among four deep soup plates. Sprinkle additional chopped cilantro over to garnish if desired. Serve with thick slices of peasant bread.

Recipe translated and adapted from Cozinha Regional Brasileira by Abril Editora.