Peasant Casserole Cuscuz Paulista Recipes

PEASANT CASSEROLE (CUSCUZ PAULISTA)

Steps:

• One of Brazil's oldest recipes. Whether it is in the big city of São Paulo, or out in the simplicity of the country nothing represents more the state of São Paulo than cuscuz. PART 1 Marinate for one hour medium shrimp and small shrimp with lemon juice, salt and pepper. PART 2 Heat oven to 300 degrees and place in the oven 1 pound white corn meal with bread crumbs and brown about 5 minutes, being careful not to burn. Stir 3 or 4 times so mixture will brown evenly. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with drops of boiling water (about 1 cup mixed with 1 teaspoon salt) and return to the oven for 2 minutes. Meal will form into kernels of irregular shape. Add 1/4 pound butter and mix well. Set aside. PART 3 Heat olive oil and crushed garlic. Brown chopped onion, green onion, diced green and red peppers. Add 2 cups of boiling water, 2 cubes of bouillon, package of frozen peas (reserving 1/2 cup for decorating), chopped green olives. Add shrimp and cook 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce, bay leaf, and dash of hot sauce. Cover and let simmer. The large whole shrimp should be removed to decorate. Add chopped boiled egg, and parsley. PART 4 On the bottom and sides of a tube pan greased with olive oil, arrange the following in a symmetrical design: large shrimp, sliced boiled eggs, sliced red pepper, cubed tomatoes, green olives, sliced heart of palm. Cover with a little of the corn meal mixture and continue to layer until all of the ingredients are used. Press down mixture with the back of a spoon. Let cool and unmold carefully. Serve with shrimp sauce: NOTE: Heat a heavy pan and add the rest of the ingredients. Let simmer until well done, put in a large gravy boat and serve with (or over) Cuscuz paulista.

PHEASANT CASSEROLE

Steps:

• If you buy hung pheasants you will have to dress them, I don't bother plucking the birds I just skin them and remove the wing tips and feet.
• In a large saucepan heat 1 tablespoon of oil toss in the onions,carrot, celery, bacon and sweat gently for about five mins, put the joints in the saucepan and cover with the stock.
• Bring to the boil, lower the heat and simmer for 2 hours.
• Remove from the heat and cool quickly, cover and leave in the fridge overnight
• When required, skim the fat from the surface and discard, remove the meat from the stock,
• Drain and discard the stock leaving the veg, put this in a clean casserole dish,
• Remove the meat from the bones and cut into cubes put on top of the veg,
• Make up the packet of Chasseur mix and pour into the dish.
• Cover and put in a preheated oven 180c for thirty to forty mins or until piping hot.
• Thicken if required with cornflour.
• Serve with creamy mashed potatoes.

PEASANT STYLE CRAB (CARANGUEJO DE CAIPIRA)

Steps:

• Marinate crab meat in lemon juice, salt and pepper and let sit for 30 minutes. Melt butter. Add onion, tomatoes, tomato purée, 2 drops of hot sauce, bay leaf, garlic clove. Add the crab meat and olive oil. Mix together and add 1 cup milk, and cornstarch. Should be medium thickness. Serve over Brazilian rice.

BAKED COD FISH PORTUGUESE STYLE (BACALHAU)

Steps:

• Arrange in an earthen baking dish the cod fish, layered with tomatoes, green peppers, potatoes, sliced onion, boiled eggs, green olives. Dribble over the top olive oil and a few drops of hot sauce. Last layer should be cod fish. Put it in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. When cod fish on top is browned, it should be ready to serve. Serve in the baking dish. NOTE: Bacalhau is actually dried cod fish, and when the Brazilians and Portugueses prepare the dish above, they use the salted dried cod fish and go to a lot of trouble soaking and preparing the fish described on the Seafood & Fish chapter. This "modern" version is much easier.

PEASANT SKILLET

Steps:

• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings in skillet. Add next five ingredients to drippings. Reduce heat to medium; cook, covered, stirring frequently, until vegetables are crisp-tender, 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cut sausage diagonally into 1/2-in. slices; place on top of vegetables. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Crumble bacon; sprinkle on top.

BAKED FISH (PESCADA AO FORNO)

Steps:

• Scale, clean and cut fish in slices. Marinate fish slices 2-3 hours in lemon juice, salt and pepper. In a grinder, grind up 2-3 onions. Arrange fish slices in a baking dish. Dot with butter and pour ground onion all around the edges of the fish. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Serve with whatever sauce you prefer. The Shrimp Sauce is a good choice.

SHRIMP SOUFFLé (SUFLê DE CAMARãO)

Steps:

• Heat frying pan and add 1 tablespoon cooking oil, butter, shrimp, chopped onion, garlic, oregano, and pepper. When the onion is transparent, add the shrimp, palmitos cut into small pieces and 1/4 cup milk. Let simmer on very low heat. Separate eggs and beat the yolks and white separately. Add to the yolks, 1/2 tablespoon salt, cilantro. Fold the yolks into the stiffly beaten egg whites. Fold about 1/ 3 of the egg mixture into the shrimp mixture and pour into a large heated frying pan with 2 tablespoons cooking oil. Spread it out, taking care to keep it all in one piece. Pour the rest of the egg mixture over the top and spread out. Remove the frying pan from the stove and place in a preheated 350 degrees oven until browned.