23 Aug 2013

tofu mayonnaise | maionese de tofu


english version



mayonnaise is one of those things belonging to my childhood memories, especially in the whens where my mother would be absent and the kitchen would be taken by my father for a few days. she’d always leave a few airtight boxes with food already made, but when it started to end, it would begin the season of mayonnaise salads with everything. on those days, I loved the strangeness and astonishment of what they might contain. then I grew up, learnt how to prepare mayonnaise, getting conscious of which ingredients it contains, and when my caloric preoccupations were established, it was eradicated from the menu for quite a few long years. until tofu mayonnaise arose, very similar to the other one in flavour and texture, vegan and having low caloric value. a stuffed jar returned to the refrigerator, it returned to my toasted bread, to my fresh and delicious summery sandwiches. its flavour, as well as its consistency, are adjustable to your own taste. this is my version – rich, flavoursome, with a silky and creamy texture. 






21 Aug 2013

Alentejo's purslane soup | sopa alentejana de beldroegas


english version


purslane’s fragility and the slightly acidulous flavour of its stalks are present in the peasant Mediterranean cuisine, as well as in Alentejo’s gastronomic tradition, since immemorial times.

it's the richest edible terrestrial plant in omega 3 [being also very abundant in calcium and beta-carotene], but it's still unknown by many or taken as a weed. 






18 Aug 2013

strawberry-rhubarb yogurt cake | bolo de iogurte com morangos e ruibarbo


english version 


rhubarb, rhubard, rhubard. one day, if  [ I prefer ‘when’ ] I move to a house with a backyard, to the countryside or to another country, I’ll adopt a dog again and I’ll probably name him ‘rhubarb’.




14 Aug 2013

tarator [yogurt-cucumber salad | salada de pepino e iogurte]

english version


very popular in the Balkans and Middle Eastern Mediterranean countries, can be found as salad, soup or dip.
it has a cooling effect, a simple and fast preparation, being the perfect meal for these warmer days. 



11 Aug 2013

6 Aug 2013

turkish red lentil soup | sopa turca de lentilhas vermelhas [kırmızı mercimek çorbası]


english version


the second time I travelled to Istanbul all alone was in a very cold February. one of those nights, a friend took me to a small restaurant for us to be able of warming ourselves and talk for a while without the uncomfortable shivering typical of the season. three things I remember of that night: he told me he’s Kurdish, he presented me the magnificent works of Yüksel Arslan – that had a retrospective exhibition then and I saw the day after – and that the soup he ordered for me was great. it was velvety, robust and exquisitely fragrant [beyond being sold at a very low price]. during my stay I looked for it almost every night, right before taking the tram and getting back to the cheap hostel where I rented a room.