Azoresgal~Life on an Island

We just changed our clocks back an hour, the days are now shorter, and the nights a little cooler, so around here we are now in comfort food mode.  Enter this really simple and delicious one-pot meat sauce, Beef Ragu.   The ragu cooks low and slow, all the flavours marry, and the beef ends up fork tender. Making it perfect  for being served with your favourite pasta( I made fresh pappardelle ), or over creamy polenta. I don't think it's something you would make after rushing back from a long day at  work, but instead make it for a lazy weekend at home, it just ticks off all the boxes for comfort food! Beef Ragu Approximately 3 pounds (1.35kg) Beef brisket, or similar cut of meat (slow cooking) 5 Tbsp olive oil 2 small onions, finely diced 5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped 1 cup of celery, finely diced (4-5 stalks) 1 cup Carrot, finely diced (1-2 medium carrots) 2 cups (500ml) red wine, divided 3 cups (750ml) beef stock/broth 1 28oz (800g) can of ...

This delicious gravy will help you get dinner on the table in no time. Well alot quicker than a drive to your nearest Swedish furniture store, for me that's actually a plane ride away.   A simple one pan-sauce, it's rich, creamy and perfect  to serve with meatballs over cooked buttered noodles for a fabulous everyday family dinner. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1/4 cup heavy cream  salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional) Lingonberry jam, for serving (optional)  Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking, until smooth. Whisk in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a simmer. Add the cream and meatballs. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the gravy thickens, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper. Transfer to a serving di...

This is a fast and super easy way to get the flavor of hollandaise sauce. It’s a thick, rich sauce that  can be whipped up in a blink of an eye, with a few simple ingredients. Ohhh and it is delicious, and perfect for your  lazy sunday morning eggs benedict. However, I am firm believer that it’s not just for brunch this sauce, for  your lunch you could top some burgers with it, and for dinner on some steaks,  and lets not forget the perfect combo,asparagus! 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard 4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, or to taste 2 tablespoons melted butter  salt and cayenne pepper, to taste To make the mock hollandaise, whisk the mayonnaise, Dijon, and lemon juice. Melt the butter and stir in quickly. Season with a pinch of kosher salt and a generous amount of cayenne pepper. **please use good mayo, and fresh lemon juice, it will make all the difference in taste source  

 I hope you are all enjoying your summer so far! Ours is going really well, despite the lack of sunshine, we have plenty of humidity.... hurray humidity ..said no one ever! I am not gonna lie, as much as I love cooking, once the summertime hits, I seem to hit a road block. I just struggle with what to cook for my family. There is only so much BBQ one can eat, and grilling when its hot and muggy, is just not fun. My kids seem to being eating every 15 minutes these days, Lord bless them, but why are they always hungry ? We pretty much have an agreement, that breakfast and lunch they fend for themselves! Don´t you judge me, I am busy washing all the towels they use and leave hanging around, after going in the pool for 5 minutes, every hour, every day ! Yes we are going broke feeding them, and yes my house looks like I lost a game of Jumanji, but I would not have it any other way, love that we all get to be home together, well except for Mr.G, someone has to work around here! So on to...

Portuguese people have been enjoying fava beans ( broad beans ) for a very long time, way before Hannibal Lecter was having them with Chianti. There are many ways to prepare favas, stewed, baked, in salads, in soup, even fried as a chip. These favas escoadas ( broad beans that are drained ), are served as a petisico (snack ), usually alongside other petisicos, fried linguiça, fried morcela, boiled eggs, and washed down with a nice cold beer or wine. Like every other Portuguese recipe, there are a billion different ways of making these. The first part consists of boiling the fava beans, the second part is adding them to a sauce. The sauce is made up most commonly of onions, garlic, parsley, massa malagueta, olive oil and sometimes vinegar. These are all mixed together, and then added to the fava beans, the sauce is a raw one, not cooked, giving the dish a big bite! So here is where these are different, I like to cook the sauce, I just like how it mellows out the flavors, and  this w...

Another kitchen confession of mine, I was afraid to make hollandaise sauce, how about you?  Well fear no more, I am going to show you a quick and easy way to do it, using a kitchen blender! If the great Julia Child did it this way, then so can we! I promise you, your weekend brunch will never be the same again, I am addicted to this rich lemony sauce, and eggs benedict is something I look forward too now on Sunday mornings! 3 egg yolks 1/4 teaspoon salt Pinch black pepper ( I like cayenne) 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice 8 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces Directions: In a blender, combine the egg yolks, salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice. Set aside. In a small saucepan over medium-high, add the butter and heat until foaming. Blend the egg yolk mixture at top speed for 2 seconds then, with the blender running, remove the cover and pour in the hot butter in a thin stream of droplets. By the time two-thirds of the butter has been a...

This sauce served with your favorite pasta, makes a great simple weeknight meal, but it is also perfect for times when you need something fancy for company. It's so lovely, so quick and easy, seriously, the sauce cooks in less than 20 minutes. The important thing  is to use a good pasta/tomato sauce, it will give the sauce great flavor. My family absolutely loved it, I hope yours does too ! 6 tablespoons butter (1/3 cup) 1⁄3 cup unflavored vodka 1 jar of your favorite pasta/tomato sauce (3 cups) 1 cup heavy cream salt/pepper/chili flakes to taste In a medium saucepan, combine the butter and vodka. Cook over medium heat just until you can't smell the vodka, about 5 minutes. Add the pasta/tomato sauce and cream, stirring until combined, and cook until heated. Add salt and pepper to your liking, add chili flakes for some heat if you wish. Serve over  your favorite cooked pasta. Add grilled chopped chicken for a complete meal. source

This is so  fast and easy, I made it in under 10 minutes. Throw everything in a blender then cook for a few minutes on the stove until thickened. Seriously, you can make it, and within the hour use it as a dipping sauce for chicken fingers, egg rolls or drink it with a straw... .trust me it's that good !   3 large garlic cloves, peeled 2 red Jalapeño or Serrano peppers, (deseeded if you want less heat) ¼ cup white distilled vinegar ½ cup sugar ¾ cup water ½ tablespoon salt 1 tablespoon cornstarch 2 tablespoons water In the blender, purée together all the ingredients, except for the last two. Transfer the mixture to a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat to medium and simmer until the mixture thickens up a bit and the garlic-pepper bits begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Combine the cornstarch and water to make a slurry. Whisk in the cornstarch mixture and continue to simmer one more minute. The cornstarch will help the sau...

This was such a big hit when I made it for dinner ! Not a single cashew was left over ! It´s sweet and spicy and crunchy, every bite is delicious. I served it with some white rice, the perfect match. Next time I want to add some sugar peas for some extra crunch. I used only one pan to stir-fry everything, so there was little clean up. Plus it is such an easy recipe. And I always like easy. Don’t you? 1/2 cup chicken broth/ or water 3 tbsp oyster sauce 1 tbsp  brown sugar 1 tbsp  cornstarch 1 tbsp  white vinegar 4-5  boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in chunks 1/4 tsp  salt 1/4 tsp pepper 2 sweet red peppers, chopped 2 onions, chopped 1 tsp  chili flakes  ( or to taste ) 1 cup  roasted cashews 3 green onions, chopped  about 1/4 oil for frying Whisk together chicken broth or water, oyster sauce,  brown sugar, cornstarch and vinegar; set aside. In wok or frying pan, heat some oil over...

This cranberry ketchup is fantastic and festive too. The tangy, tart bite of the cranberries, and the sweetness of the onion and sugar, make it a winner ! It was really fast to make, less than 30 minutes ! I added extra spices, because I just can´t leave things alone. I will be serving this tonight with Tourtiere for our Christmas Eve dinner. I think they will compliment each other really well ! Hope you give it a try ! 1 2/3 cups fresh cranberries 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 cup chopped shallots ( onions would be ok ) 1/4 cup cider vinegar 1/4 cup water 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (*pinch of cayenne) *pinch of cinnamon, pinch of cloves (added by me) Preparation Combine cranberries, brown sugar, chopped shallots, cider vinegar, water, salt, and red pepper in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Cook 10 minutes or until thick, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes. Pour into a blender; pro...

This chicken was a hit at our house ! The kids loved it and so did Mr.G. It is super easy to make, and is delicious. The only thing I would change, would be to  make extra sauce, if you do, just bring it to a boil in a small pot on the stove. I really hope you give this a try ! Chicken: 4 chicken breasts salt and pepper 1 cup cornstarch 2 eggs, beaten 1/3 cup canola oil Rinse chicken, trim off fat or extras and then cut into 1 inch cubes. Season with salt and pepper. Dip chicken into cornstarch and coat all the way and then into eggs. Heat oil in large skillet. Cook chicken until browned. Place in a 9x13 baking dish. Next add the sauce. Sauce: 3/4 cups white sugar 4 Tablespoons ketchup 1/2 cup  vinegar 1 Tablespoon soy sauce 1 teaspoon garlic salt Whisk until smooth. Then pour evenly over chicken. Turn chicken so the sauce gets on both sides and then put in the oven at 180/350 degrees for 15 minutes. Turn chicken and then cook for 15 more minu...

This easy mushroom sauce is excellent with steak or roast beef. Try and get the mushrooms nice and caramelized, it will give the sauce a great color. Even better is if you use the same pan where you fried your steaks. All those great little bits left behind, will allso give your sauce flavor and color. Fresh mushrooms are great here, but don't hesitate to use canned. 1 cup sliced mushrooms, (or more) 1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon olive oil splash of Worcestershire sauce 1/2 cup dry red wine 1 cup beef broth** 1 teaspoon cornstarch 3 tablespoons cold water salt and pepper, to taste Sauté mushrooms in butter and oil for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally; add a splash of Worcestershire sauce ,add red wine and simmer for a few minutes. Add beef broth and simmer to reduce a bit, about 5 minutes. Combine cornstarch and cold water and whisk until smooth. Stir into the mushrooms until well blended. Season to taste and simmer for about 1 minute, until thickened. I...

Last weekend our family went to a baptism for the youngest cousin in the family. Following the ceremony we were  invited to lunch. Amongst many wonderful dishes served at the venue, were these lovely little apples. These delicate ruby gems, were not too sweet, and had a fantastic syrup, the perfect pairing to the pork loin. They were poached in red currant syrup, this syrup is very common here in Portugal. There are many brands, and they are used for all sorts of beverages, very similar to grenadine. I have never been drawn to fruit poached in wine, it just has never appealed to me, so these beauties inspired me to go home and give them a try. I must say.... mine could give the catering company a run for their money ! They were amazing. 4 medium apples ,Pink Lady, Golden Delicious, or Braeburn apples,(peeled, cored,cut in half) 500 ml water 200 ml red currant syrup ( xarope de groselha) 150 grams sugar 2-3 anise star 4-5 cloves Combine water, red currant syrup...

Nacho Cheese Sauce....seriously your not in the kitchen yet ?? This is so yummy, easy, inexpensive and much healthier than anyhing you buy in a jar. After you make this a couple of times, trust me you will , you can adjust the flavors to your liking, add some cumin, or diced jalapenos etc. Make it as hot or as mild as you like ! 1 cup grated  cheddar cheese ( try and use block cheese, it will melt better) 1 tablespoon corn starch 1 can evaporated milk 2 teaspoons hot sauce ( Franks,tabasco,piripiri) or more.. Toss cheese and cornstarch, in a bowl, mix well. Add to a medium saucepan, with  1 cup evaporated milk and hot sauce. Cook over low heat, stirring with whisk until melted, bubbly, and thickened (about 5 minutes). Mixture will look thin and grainy at first, but keep stirring , it will thicken and come together after heating. Thin to desired consistency by adding more evaporated milk. Serve with tortilla chips. *** you can mess around with t...

Homemade pesto is oh so easy to make ! It adds so much flavor to dishes, add it to cooked pasta, serve with grilled chicken or spread on sandwiches, or as the base for a pizza. See so many ways to use it up ! The only tiny down-side is it lasts about a week in the fridge, so make it and use it up. I warn you pine nuts are expensive, if you like you can use walnuts or almonds. Please, please use good parmesan, and the garlic is optional. 4 cups packed fresh basil leaves 4 cloves garlic 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1  cup olive oil 1/2 cup pine nuts salt to taste Combine basil, garlic, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, and nuts in the bowl of a food processor. Blend to a smooth paste. Pour into a jar, add a layer of olive oil on top, and store in the fridge.

 Making homemade salad dressings is so easy, we almost always have the ingredients in the kitchen to make them. Which means, it's not a bummer if the grocery store doesn't have the bottle of dressing you like...uhhhm if you happen to live on an island like me. Alright even if you can easliy buy it..why not just try it out..its really quite nice to know exactly what is going into the dressing ! Catalina Dressing 1/4 cup ketchup 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup red wine vinegar 1/4 cup onion, chopped (or 1/2 teaspoon onion powder) 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1/4 teaspoon worcestershire sauce 1/2 cup canola oil salt and pepper, to taste Place first 6 ingredients in a food processor or blender (or use a handheld blender) and process until smooth. Add the oil in a steady stream with the machine running until the mixture comes together. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately. Store in the refrigerator for up to one week.