JENN McKINLAY: My latest romcom, Summer Reading came out this week. How any of you may have missed this, I do not know because I have been talking about every single day for months. Seriously, even I'm sick of me! LOL.
As we frequently share recipes on Sundays, and because my heroine Samantha Gale is a chef, I thought I'd share a few pics from the cooking session I spent with my sister-in-law Natalia and her family since she and her family are from the Azores and inspired Sam's culinary inspiration in the book.
This is the crew, teaching me how to cook Portuguese:
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| Melissa, Natalia, Vovo (Maria), and Laura Here are some of the dishes we (they) made:  Caldo Verde (kale soup) -- very traditional and delicious!  Shrimp Mozambique -- soooo good!  Pastel de Nata (from a Portuguese bakery) and OMG!  Pimenta Moida (from Joe, Natalia's brother) -- recipe included in the book!   |
Torresmos (Azores Marinated Pork)
4 pounds pork spare ribs
4 Tablespoons pimenta moida
5 crushed garlic cloves
1 cup red wine
pinch of salt
1 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 tablespoons sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
Cut the ribs into large pieces and set aside. In a large plastic bag, mix the pimento moida with the garlic, wine, paprika, and salt. Add the meat, seal the bag, and mix well. Put the bag in the refrigerator for 3 hours (minimum) or overnight (even better). To begin cooking, place the meat and the marinade in a large thick bottomed pan on the stove, add the oil and cook on high for 10 minutes.
Cover and reduce the heat to very low and cook for 2 hours and 45 minutes. The meat should become very tender and fall off the bones. Stir occasionally. Adjust the salt to your taste and sprinkle the meat with the white and black pepper.
Cover and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let it rest for 10minutes. Drain the fat and serve.
Needless to say this was one of the most fun days ever. My sister-in-law and her family have been my family from the day and she married my brother. Nat is the greatest gift he ever gave me and I am ever grateful for her kindness, support, generosity, creativity, wisdom, and amazing culinary talent. Seriously, everyone should have a sister-in-law like her!
Several of these recipes and others I didn't mention are included in Summer Reading - so go grab your copy and join the fun!
Not surprisingly, Portuguese food has become my absolute favorite over the years. What is your favorite type of food?
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Yum! This sounds [and looks] delicious . . . thanks for sharing the recipe, Jenn.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite food? It’s difficult to pick just one type but if pressed I’d pick Greek food . . . .
I love Greek food. A friend of mine is an amazing Greek chef. Oh, maybe i need to set a book in Greece. Hmmmm.
DeleteSadly, I cannot take advantage of your recipe, as my husband and I are vegetarians - or I suppose "pescadarians" would be more accurate. (We eat fish and seafood.) But caldo verde without the sausage is also very tasty, and the pasteis de nata are devastatingly delicious. I think it is cool that you are cooking Portuguese food. I like Portuguese dishes, but I suppose my two favorites are Indian (my husband is from India - although he has been a US citizen for almost 50 years - and I have tons of family recipes) and Mexican food, which we both miss, being from California. We were excited to learn there is a Mexican restaurant right here in Braga that we are going to try out tonight.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the release of Summer Reading.
DeleteElizabeth, are you learning to cook Portuguese food in your retirement? ps I will be posting the link to your interview here on Thursday.
DeleteHello, and thank you for planning to post the link to the inteview! So far, I haven't really tried to cook a Portuguese dish except for coriander soup (which is like a southern Portugal type of caldo verde and quite yummy), but I don't cook fish in my kitchen since the odor lingers, and also because we eat out a lot — Portuguese food, which is better than I would prepare it, lol. What I do cook is Mexican dishes and Indian dishes and some Italian. There's only one Indian restaurant in town, and they cook mainly north Indian food (which we love), but my husband's family dishes are all south Indian, which we can't find here.
DeleteThank you! I live in AZ so the quality of Mexican food here is just fantastic.
DeleteI love Portuguese cuisine! There have always been several restaurants run by Azoreans in Cambridge, MA, where I ate more often when I lived closer. Such yummy food, including caldeirada, a fish stew.
ReplyDeleteI was trying to remember if pimenta moida was ground dried peppers or something else (cafe moida is ground coffee), so I looked it up and thought I'd share. From America's Test Kitchen:
"In Portuguese American cooking, pimenta moida—pureed, salted, and fermented red peppers—is a vital ingredient. Go to any Portuguese/Azorean immigrant enclave (such as where I live in East Providence, Rhode Island) and you’ll find pimenta moida (also called pimenta picada) in huge jars not only at specialty markets, but also on the shelves of big-name grocery stores." https://www.americastestkitchen.com/articles/3810-why-you-should-have-a-jar-of-portuguese-pimenta-moida
As soon as I get home from retreat tomorrow, I'm diving into Summer Reading - can't wait!
EDITH: Thanks for the explanation about pimenta moida. I have never seen it sold in our large grocery stores but will check out specialty markets next time.
DeleteYou're welcome.
DeleteI realized I didn't mention another favorite cuisine of mine is (traditional) Japanese food. Not the Americanized version with avocado and sometimes even mayonnaise (horror!), but pure, gorgeous, perfectly prepared sushi, sashimi, tempura, shabu-shabu, and including street food like grilled eel and chicken skewers. That food is heaven to me. I'm finally going back to Japan next spring for the first time after 47 years, and I can't wait.
Pimenta Moida is their very own pepper sauce and it is amazing.
DeleteThis is so timely, as we are going to Portugal for the first time ever, in two weeks. I bought your book and am taking it with me. So looking forward to both and now that I know about the Portuguese connection, even more so!
ReplyDeleteThank you and I am so happily jealous of you. Laura (in the photo above) is just coming back from their house in the Azores. *sigh*
DeleteI'm happy to 'meet' Natalia in this post, Jenn, as I found your dedication of Summer Reading to her very touching. Congrats on going into a second printing already!
ReplyDeleteI *love* Pastel de Nata, but am otherwise ignorant of Portuguese food. Like Joan, I might choose Greek food as a favourite, if pressed to make the call. Truth is, I love to eat, so if you cook it -- anything, I'll gladly eat it!
She is one of my very favorite people and am so fortunate that my brother chose so well.
DeleteJenn, congratulations on all the "buzz" around SUMMER READING! You worked very hard to get the word out and I commend you for being out there every day. It is a wonderful story, but most of your books are!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite cuisine is usually at the restaurant where I am dining. LOL I love Asian foods ( especially Chinese), Mediterranean (especially Italian), Mexican, Indian, American (hamburgers) and Eastern European (brisket, latkes, and kugel.) Hah. Don't ask me to pick one.
Thank you, Judy. Promoting your own book is the absolute worst but how else will anyone hear about it? It's the unfun side of the business so I appreciate your patience.
DeleteJenn, congrats on your wonderful book! I remember eating Portuguese food in Provincetown--delicious!
ReplyDeleteSooooo good. I'm headed home soon and can't wait to eat at my SIL's.
DeleteJENN: Yum, thanks for sharing this recipe. I don't remember eating any pork when I was in Portugal but plenty of incredible seafood and grilled chicken.
ReplyDeleteHard to choose, but my fave cuisine right now is Lebanese. Shawarma, falafel, hummus, stuffed grape leaves fattoush salad, and incredible desserts made with phyllo pastry/honey/pistachios.
Oh, I love falafel! Excellent choice.
DeleteI love falafel, too, Grace. So looking forward to this summer's trip to London where falafel is everywhere.
DeleteI can’t say that I have a favourite kind of food, my tastes vary according to my mood.
ReplyDeleteCoincidentally, last Friday, I invited two of my brothers to a Portuguese restaurant that I wanted to try to celebrate their birthdays that are six days apart at this time of May. A pleasant meal in good company.
Danielle
Oh, that sounds lovely. Happy Birthday to your brothers.
DeleteJenn, my sister-in-law and Steve's cousin were just the same as Natalia and her family, adopting me instantly, and are sisters of my heart. Aren't we lucky?
ReplyDeleteI don't think I've ever had Portuguese food. But everything you described sounds delicious.
Probably my favorite of all the cuisines I've tried in the world is Turkish. There's a restaurant close to us, and if I could, I'd eat there at least once a week. However, when we were in Kenya over the holidays my daughters and I went to an Eritrean coffeehouse for lunch. Bright flavors, mostly vegetarian, served with incredible coffee ground by hand then brewed over a charcoal brazier and served with incense. I was so intrigued and wanted to explore more.
Oh, that sounds amazing. Kenya is definitely on my list.
DeleteI've never had Portuguese food but I have had Brazilian food. I wonder if there are similarities. My fav food is it depends. Italian for comfort, and Mexican for fun.
ReplyDeleteI do believe there is some crossover. Italian food always makes me happy :)
DeletePortuguese food? Hmm, I don't think I've ever tried any. We live in a large, very large, Mexican American part of the country so I'd have to say that is my favorite along with Italian. But, Portuguese food is something I want to explore now. And your new book sound great!
ReplyDeleteThank you! Mexican food is my go-to on Hub's non-cooking nights. LOL.
DeleteI would have to say my favorite kind of food is dessert! I am not a very adventurous eater when it comes to the main meal, sad to say.
ReplyDeleteNow you're speaking my language! Dessert all day every day!
DeleteJenn--second printing?? Woo-hoo!!! Thanks for sharing the photos and the recipe. I'm always on the lookout for new main dishes and ribs are so cheap and easy to find. The caldo verde also sounds yummy--I'm a big fan of kale! If pressed, I'd say my favorite cuisine is Greek--I used to frequent a little Greek cafe when I lived in Columbus and I miss the diversity of dining out choices!
ReplyDeleteYes, Greek food is fantastic. The cheese, the olives, the gyros - yes, please!
DeleteI love Portuguese food! Smitten by a dish that's basically pork and clams. I had in in Portugal, in US Portuguese restaurants, AND made myself Off the charts. But my all time favorite Portuguese goody is Pastel de Nata ... have you tried to make them, Jenn?
ReplyDeleteWatch the Bake-Off episode where this was the challenge instead! They are HARD to make, from the looks of it!
DeleteOh, great idea! I am always in awe of the contestants’ knowledge of such a wide range of foods…
DeleteI have not tried to make them but I can eat six in one sitting - they're the crack of dessert as far as I'm concerned. LOVE them.
DeleteHooray, best seller status, and a second printing… Hooray hooray hooray! And you fought for this book, Jenn, and believe in it, and this is completely marvelous. Love, love, love. And I think there’s not an ethnic food I don’t love, trying to think… Japanese, Indian, Greek, Italian, Thai, Korean, Afghanistani… And yes, Spanish and Portuguese! Portuguese is the least familiar, I have to say, so studying this recipe carefully!
ReplyDeleteWell, that’s weird. Why would it to print twice? Because I really really mean it? Sorry you all.
ReplyDeleteYou're like the doublemint gum commercial - twice as nice. Thank you, dear Hank!
DeleteThis pork sounds delicious, but I have to admit I was brought up short by the CUP of oil! I know it says "drain the fat" at the end but--wow! Still, I'm sure it does great things for the meat and the flavor. As for my favorite cuisine, I hate to be boring, but I don't think I have one. I love eating a lot of different things. My husband and I were in Portugal for ten days a number of years ago and, sadly, we didn't eat very well (except for devouring countless Pasteles de Nata!--fabulous). I'm sure this is not because of the quality of the cuisine, but because we ate every night in restaurants and clearly not very good ones. Home cooking is by far the best way to get to know any kind of food!
ReplyDeleteYes, that pastry is spectacular. I really want to investigate more cod dishes from Portugal. That's on my list for the summer.
DeleteI like Brenda's answer. Dessert can be fun. My type of food is comfort food and that can change during the year. Cold, rainy winter Sunday - I want pot roast. Hot summer evening is perfect for cold fried chicken and potato salad, all made earlier in the morning. My favorite local restaurants, in town, are Mexican, Thai and the local location of the venerable Italian restaurant still located in little Occidental.
ReplyDeleteOh, I love Thai food but am very careful about the heat level. Once burnt twice shy :)
DeleteJENN: Gorgeous photos and thank you for sharing the recipe!
ReplyDeleteDoes your Portuguese Sister in Law speak Portuguese? I remember reading a bit about the Portuguese community on Martha's Vineyard.
Trying to recall if I ever tasted Portuguese food. I've had Spanish food at a Spanish tapas restaurant that was next door to Chez Panisse. Unfortunately, Cesar lost their lease and is not there anymore.
Grew up having been exposed to homemade Sangria. My Mom visited Europe years before I was born and she brought back recipes from many countries, including Spain. Her version of Sangria had very little alcohol with lots of different fruits and ? Lemonade ?
Favorite food? Goat cheese salad, Dairy Free Wheat Free Lasagna, Black Beans with Veggies, Fruit Smoothies, Deep Dish Pizza (one of these days I'll find DF Wheat Free version), S'mores, Ellie's recipe for Donut Cake (homemade GF version), Scones with Cream and Lemon Curd or Jam Preserves, Strawberries, Blueberries, Avocado Toast, among many!
On another note, your book is supposed to arrive Tomorrow! So Look forward to reading your SUMMER READING novel!
Diana
Thank you, Diana. Yes, my SIL does speak Portuguese (she moved here when she was 7). In fact, the community she grew up in (one of her classmates is Nuno Bettencourt from the band Extreme) most everyone speaks Portuguese and their social life revolves around the Portuguese-American club, which is why I included the one in Oak Bluffs. :)
DeleteOh, I would love to see Thailand.
ReplyDeleteJenn, Huge congratulations! I have your lovely book on my nightstand and can't wait to get started! I don't believe I've ever tried Portuguese food, but after your delicious-looking post, I'm going to rectify that gap in my culinary experience. Thanks so much!
ReplyDeleteThose pastries look soooo good! I've had Spanish food (in Spain) but never Portuguese. I'll have to remedy that. I can't narrow down to a favorite. I grew up on Tex-Mex and barbeque and fried chicken. Then we moved to New Orleans and my palate expanded. (Waistline followed many years later.) I love seafood of all sorts except when it's smoked. I found yummy things to eat in Ireland and in India. We had amazing seafood years ago in Quebec province. I guess what I'm saying is there is delicious food to find everywhere!
ReplyDeleteJenn, I absolutely LOVED LOVED LOVED this book and it's such fun to see the recipes! I don't think I can pick a favorite food--I like too many things--but I don't know much about Portugese food and am eager to try some things.
ReplyDeleteThose dishes looked absolutely amazing! I wish I could taste them. My favorite food is anything someone else cooks for me!
ReplyDeleteI'll be reading Summer Reading very soon; my copy is waiting for me at the library. Can't wait and I know I'll love it.