The Unveiled Portuguese Taste: Classic Portuguese and Mediterranean Cuisines with Contemporary Influence

By Fernando Rio

I was born in Lisbon, Portugal on April 5, 1951. The tradition of Portuguese cooking is in my blood. Ever since I can remember, my favorite spot in the house has always been the kitchen. Growing up, my grandparents on my mothers side (along with several aunts and uncles) all had personal chefs who taught them their culinary expertise. In fact, one of my aunts Tia Madon, who was originally from Belgium, was very knowledgeable in the art of cooking and wrote a culinary book from which some of my recipes are based.
As a little boy, I remember visiting my uncle Fernandos farm "Quinta da Amieira" in the Ribatejo province of Portugal. I would wake up early in the morning to the sound of horseshoes clicking on cobblestone roads. I would get up to find the cook churning butter, using cream from the cows that were milked that morning. Rustic bread was baked in an outdoor clay oven, and we would spread the fresh butter on warm slices of bread for breakfast. Really, is there anything better than this? I can still remember the smell and taste of it like it was yesterday. One particular day on the farm, I was running around playing in the kitchen (where else?), when I accidentally grabbed a red-hot iron rod from between the fire logs in the wood oven. That same iron rod, which burned my hands, would later be used to caramelize the sugar atop the crme brles we enjoyed for dessert.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Mar 30, 2011
• ISBN: 9781477161722

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Copyright © 2011 by Fernando Rio. 89582-RIO1

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Table of Contents

Entradas 

Ovos à Portuguesa 

Foie-gras 

Sapateira Recheada 

Salada de Atum à Portuguesa 

Ostras Rockefeller 

Melao com Presunto 

Mexilhoes Vinagrete 

Pulpa a Feria 

Ceviche de Marisco Molho Rosa

e Turmeric  

Sopas 

Creme de Gambas 

Consommé 

Sopa Aveludada 

Sopa Alentejana 

Sopa de Grao com Espinafres 

Gazpacho  

Sopa de Cebola Gratinada 

Sopa de Agriao e Rutabaga 

Salmorejo 

Mussels and Halibut Soup 

Caldo Verde 

Pratos 

Coelho Frito,Trouxa de Puré de Grao, Batata doce Caramelizada 

Carne de Suino

à Alentejana 

Bacalhau Em Brandada 

Bacalhau àZé do Pipo 

Caldeirada Francesa de Marisco 

Arroz de Pato no Forno 

Chilean Bass and Shrimp Menieure 

Empanada Gallega de Bacalao 

Costeletas de Borrego Grelhadas, Marinadas em Mel e Pimentos Pasilla  

Coelho à Caçadora 

Costeleta de Vitela ao Molho Madeira,Porcini e Limao 

Ovos à la Tripe 

Paella a la Valenciana 

Encrusted Turbo Fillet or Halibut

on a Bed of Broccoli Rabe 

Pastelao de Lebre 

Pato à L’orange 

Batatas e Tomates Recheados 

Bife deEspadarte com espinafres, batatas novas e molho béarnaise  

Salmonetes Setubalense 

Perdizes estufadas

com Salami 

Lulas Recheadas àMediterraneo 

Codornizes à Caçador Recheadas 

Açorda de Marisco 

Comfit de Canard 

Galinha Saint-Moritz  

Pasteis de Bacalhau 

Tortilla 

Lagosta Suada em Tartelette 

Tournedos Rossini 

Crab Cake, Garden Potatoes,

Cauliflower au Gratin 

Octopus Risotto 

Molhos 

Molho Bordelaise 

BBQ Sauce 

Pesto de Coentros 

Demi-Glace 

Molho Branco ou Béchamel 

Beurre Blanc 

Mayonnaise and Aioli 

Molho Holandês e Béarnaise 

Molho Mousseline 

Crème Fraiche 

Caldos e Aspic 

Caldo De Carne 

Caldo De Peixe 

Caldo De Gambas 

Caldo De Galinha 

Caldo de Vegetais 

Aspic de Caldo de Peixe 

Sobremesas 

Sopa Dourada 

Pudim Molotov 

Profiteroles 

Flourless Chocolate

Ganache Cake 

Pao de lóChocolate Ganache Creme Pasteleiro Glacé de Mocka 

Mousse de Chocolate Amargo 

Tarte de Morangos e Natas 

INTRODUCTION

I was born in Lisbon, Portugal on April 5, 1951. The tradition of Portuguese cooking runs in my blood. Ever since I can remember, my favorite spot in the house has always been the kitchen. Growing up, my grandparents on my mother’s side (along with several aunts and uncles) all had personal chefs who taught them their culinary expertise. In fact, one of my Aunts Tia Madon, who was originally from Belgium, was very knowledgeable in the art of cooking and wrote a culinary book from which some of my recipes are based.

As a little boy, I remember visiting my Uncle Fernando’s farm Quinta da Amieira in the Ribatejo province of Portugal. I would wake up early in the morning to the sound of horseshoes clicking on cobblestone roads. I would get up to find the cook, Zita, churning butter using cream from the cows that were milked that morning. Rustic bread was baked in an outdoor clay oven, and we would spread the fresh butter on warm slices of bread for breakfast. Really, is there anything better than this? I can still remember the smell and taste of it like it was yesterday. One particular day on the farm, I was running around playing in the kitchen (where else?), when I accidentally grabbed a red-hot iron rod from between the fire logs in the wood oven. That same iron rod, which burned my hands, would later be used to caramelize the sugar atop the crème brûlées we enjoyed for dessert.

My parents also had a very knowledgeable cook in our house, Estela, who throughout the years incidentally established my passion for cooking. I would observe her cooking style and learned her techniques and before I knew it, my culinary skill sets were developing concurrently with my passion for food.

Later as an adolescent, I remember going to my grandparent’s house for Christmas Eve along with my family. Authentic Portuguese and classic French cuisine were served at the dinner table. The presentation was exuberant. It consisted of aspic, game, mousselines, and inevitably, delicious profiteroles. It was such a treat to dine there and I was always anxious to see what would be on the menu!

Since my family always ate so well, a sort of friendly competition developed as to whose chef would cook the better meal whenever we got together. The meals were always fresh, delicious, and well-executed. It was a memorable time in my childhood and it has stayed with and inspired me throughout my culinary career.

This book is a collectanea of my cooking knowledge combined with my personal style and execution. The goal of this book is for you to gain an appreciation for cooking and to have fun with it. These are not quick and easy recipes, but rather recipes which require some time and dedication. However, the end result will reflect your efforts.

Cooking is an art, and like all arts, it takes talent, inspiration, concentration and time. Cooking well can be very simple or complicated depending on the recipe, but either way, using the freshest ingredients possible is the key to success. Organic, local, sustainable foods, which are in-season, are best. In recent years, there has been a growing awareness of where our food comes from and the health and environmental impact of food production. Organic food has many advantages, including no chemicals, hormones or antibiotics. It is environmentally sustainable and it helps support small farms. The movement toward organic foods and locally grown foods is evidenced by the increasing number of famer’s markets. Local Harvest (http://www.localharvest.org/) is a great resource to find farmers’ markets, family farms, and other sources of sustainably grown food in your area.

Further, when making a meal, remember to use flavorful ingredients with a good contrast in texture and color. Make sure your dish is well seasoned and most importantly, use the right amount of salt. Salt is often underutilized or overlooked, but it is an extremely important spice because it naturally brings out the flavor of food. In my opinion, fat is another important and often overlooked ingredient. Adding a little fat greatly improves the flavor of food, particularly when adding it to non-fat ingredients. Some good examples include chorizo, bacon, or pork hocks. For instance, note how ocean fish tend to be more flavorful than fresh water fish due to their higher fat content, which protects them from deeper, colder waters. Another example would be the flavor of a marbled rib-eye compared to a filet mignon. When cooking, be mindful of how adding some fat content may improve the flavor of your dish.

Finally, taste your food throughout the cooking process, and adjust seasonings as needed. Timing is also key to cooking successfully. Different ingredients have varying cooking times, so it’s very important to have all the ingredients prepared and ready to go in advance so you can use them in your recipes at the proper time. And most importantly, always practice kitchen safety. Familiarize yourself with the kitchen you are cooking in, focus on the task at hand and be aware of your surroundings.

JOIN ME IN THE ADVENTURE OF GREAT CUISINE; AN ART WHICH NOURISHES THE BODY, MIND AND SPIRIT

DEDICATION

I would like to dedicate this book to a woman who is very dear to my heart. I lost contact with her many years ago, but she remains ever present within me. Her name is Estela, and she was the family chef while I was growing up. Not only was she an excellent chef, with infinite culinary knowledge and skill, but was also like a second mother to me. She incidentally established my passion for cooking over the years, but she was more than that, she was part of the family. I want to take this opportunity to thank Estela for everything that she taught me, including culinary techniques, and life lessons.

I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank all of my family, especially my mother, for bringing Estela into our home. I’d like to thank my two beautiful daughters, Maria and Filipa, who are always eager to taste my cooking as opposed to going out to eat. Further, I’d like to thank my wonderful wife Celia, who always reassures me by asking what tasty meal I’ll be cooking for dinner that night. And lastly, I’d like to thank all my good friends, in particularly my special and best friend Jose Maria, for whom I’ve cooked for, and who without fail, always ask for seconds.

BIOGRAPHY

My name is Fernando Rio. I was born in Lisbon, Portugal on April 5, 1951. I grew up in a very traditional household, where sitting down as a family at the dining room table was expected at every meal. My family had exquisite taste and a knowledgeable palate, and we had the rare opportunity to enjoy beautiful, delicious, well-executed dishes prepared by the family chef on a daily basis. As a result, I gained an appreciation for food at an early age.

Growing up, I received an education at the Superior