Brazilian Corn Corn Stew

I'm going to tell you something that may shock you.  Ready?  I hate cilantro.  Not just dislike - but a deep hatred. Crazy coming from a 'foodie', right?  There are very few foods I dislike, and none more than cilantro.  It's pungent and overused in my opinion.

However,  I do understand that most people love it.  So when the the Gozamos Food Editor asked me to create my version of a Brazilian dish to help celebrate the magazines' Brazilian month, I broke one of my own rules and brought cilantro into the house.  Not that I think Cilantro completely defines Brazilian cooking, but it did come to mind as all the other fresh, vibrant ingredients danced in my head.

The base of this recipe is absolutely dependent on fresh, extremely flavorful ingredients; corn so sweet it doesn't need butter or salt when eaten alone, peppers that tease the back of the throat and fresh ginger that tickles your nose.  The outcome was quite lovely; if I made this again for myself however, I would substitute parsley for the cilantro.

Pick your poison- parsley or cilantro, I won't take offense to which one you choose because either way- you will be fat and happy with this Brazilian stew.  Oh, and if anyone wants to take the remaining bunch of cilantro off my hands- just give me a call!  It will be a while before I use it again!

Tips and techniques:   You get a bigger flavor boost from grilling the corn and peppers first, the extra little smoky flavor mixes with the coconut milk and takes it over the top. 

Brazilian Coconut Corn Stew

2 cobs of corn
1 red pepper
1 poblano

1/2 cup red onion, diced
1/2 cup white, diced
1 large shallot, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbls fresh grated ginger
1 lemongrass stalk
1 can of coconut milk
1 can black beans (optional)
 2 limes
1/2 cup chopped cilantro (or parsley)

Grill the corn, red and poblano pepper.  Scrape the blackened skin off from the peppers and remove the seeds.

Stand the corn on end in a large shallow bowl or a cutting board.  Carefully slice the corn off the cob; squeeze any juice out of the cob you can.

Saute the onions in oil until the edges begin to caramelize.  Add the garlic, shallots and ginger, continue to saute.  Bruise the lemongrass (do this by cutting the stalk into a 2 or 3 sections and then bending each stalk several times to release the flavor) and add along with the garlic for about 4 minutes.

Add in the diced peppers, the corn, black beans (if using), and the coconut milk.  Let the stew simmer for 20 minutes.  Remove the lemongrass stalk, squeeze on lime over the stew and sprinkle in the cilantro. Serve with a lime quarter.

Brazilian Mango and Jicama Salad

 When the Becca, the Food Editor of Gozamos, wrote to ask for a Brazilian recipe (my version- of course), my mind started to churn - what did Brazilian mean to me? 

My head filled with visions of everything vibrant and fresh with intense flavors.  Succulent grilled meats, lively stews, bright fruits and hearty beans.  Scantly-clad couples dancing in the street at the midnight hour swirled amongst the culinary images.

It's tough to dance the night away if your belly is full, so the dish I create needed to be light, but with enough flavor to satisfy.  And I needed to be cognisant of easily attainable ingredients here in the states.  A series of Brazilian flavors did the samba in my kitchen and out came four different dishes including a Coconut Corn Stew, a Grilled Banana and a Black Bean Soup (look for these recipe postings soon.)

This Mango and Jicama Salad encompasses all things Brazilian (to me); it's fresh, colorful, lively, slightly spicy and healthy.  This salad would be a great small plate starter or pair with grilled meat or grilled shrimp for full meal.  Get together with a close friend, toss this simple salad together and then dance the night away in the street- that is fat and happy in the purest sense.

Tips and techniques:  As oxygen reaches the insides, many fruits and vegetables will turn brown after you cut them, which looks quite unappetizing. Squeeze fresh lemon or lime on the the apples and avocado immediately after cutting them to help avoid this oxidation.

Brazilian Mango and Jicama Salad

1 semi-ripe mango
1 Jicama
1 green apple
1 red pepper
1/4 small red onion

Slice all ingredients into matchstick size pieces, except the red onion.  Or, however you decide to slice them, just keep in mind the salad will look more appealing, be easier to eat and the flavors will blend better when all ingredients are cut to the same size (length and width). Carefully slice the red onion into the same matchstick length, but as thinly as you can.  

Spicy Avocado Dressing:
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeds and all (use a whole pepper for a spicier sauce)
1 cup fresh parsley, rough chopped (substitute cilantro if desired)
1 ripe avocado
1 shallot, rough chopped
juice from 2 limes
juice from 1 lemon
2  Tbls red wine vinegar
olive oil (roughly 4 Tbls)
water (roughly 1/4 cup)
salt and pepper

Place all the ingredients in a blender except for the olive oil; I like to roughly chop everything before placing in the blender - it helps in the blending process and is easier on the blender. 

Turn the blender on high and drizzle in the olive oil until desired thickness is obtained.  Depending on how ripe the avocado is, you may need to thin the vinaigrette out slightly (I did).  Use simple water for this.  You could use more olive oil- but these flavors are all strong enough they can hold up on their own plus you don't want to overwhelm the dressing with too much oil.

For a special presentation, line up each salad item across a plate, drizzle the dressing on the salad, top with chopped parsley and serve.

For a more rustic appeal, simply toss the dressing with all all the chopped fruits in a large bowl.  Add a bit of parsley for decoration and serve.