Peasant Style Crab Caranguejo De Caipira 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.

ALCAPURRIAS DE JUEYES (CRAB-STUFFED FRITTERS)

Steps:

• Prepare the annatto oil: In a small saucepan, heat oil and annatto seeds over medium-high. Once the mixture comes to a rolling simmer, remove saucepan from stove, stir to combine, then let rest for 5 minutes. Transfer oil to a heat-safe container, straining out seeds through a fine-mesh sieve, and set aside. (Makes 3/4 cup.) You'll use this oil in three separate steps to come.
• Prepare the masa: Fill a large bowl with cold water and a fistful of salt. Peel and chop yautia and green bananas into 1-inch pieces, then soak in the salted water until ready to process.
• Cut at least 32 squares of wax paper about 4 to 5 inches each. (Traditionally, banana leaves are used, but, since they can be difficult to source, wax paper is an appropriate substitute.)
• Drain yautia and bananas well, then use a clean cloth to dab any excess water. Working in two batches, add half the drained yautia and bananas to the food processor with 1 tablespoon salt, and pulse until fully incorporated. Repeat with the remaining yautia, bananas and 1 tablespoon salt, processing to the texture of chunky hummus.
• Return the first batch of blended yautia and bananas to the food processor, turn it on and gradually pour in 1/2 cup annatto oil, blending the mixture until smooth and dark yellow in color. Taste for salt, then transfer to a large bowl and refrigerate for an hour or more so it can set. (This will make about 9 to 10 cups of masa.)
• Prepare the filling: In a medium saucepan, bring 3 tablespoons annatto oil to a simmer over medium heat. Add sofrito, capers, sazón and 1 teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated. Lower heat to medium-low and add crab meat, stirring well to incorporate. Cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until flavors blend and crab has soaked up the seasoning. Adjust salt as needed.
• Create an assembly line on a long dining table or counter, preferably atop a cloth or towels you don't mind getting stained. From left to right, arrange the remaining annatto oil, wax paper squares, masa, crab filling and a large plate or baking sheet. Have a finger bowl with water and a clean towel available in case your hands get messy.
• Using a small teaspoon, smear about 1/8 teaspoon of annatto oil in a wide oval shape nearly to the edge of the paper. Add about 2 tablespoons of masa, then spread in a wide oval over the annatto oil, leaving at least a 1/2-inch border of paper uncovered. Add about 2 to 3 teaspoons crab to the center of the masa, taking care not to overfill. Fold the paper in half, creating a half-moon shape, and seal the edge by pressing the masa lightly with your fingers, careful not to let the filling spill out. Stack carefully on a plate or baking sheet, and return to the fridge until ready to fry. (These fry up best when they've had time to rest in the refrigerator. If you'd like to prepare these ahead of time, you can refrigerate them for several hours, or store in the freezer for several months. They can be fried directly from the freezer.)
• In a deep, heavy-bottomed pan or deep fryer, bring about 2 inches of vegetable oil (at least 4 cups) to a simmer over medium-high heat until it reaches 350 degrees on a candy thermometer. Working in batches, carefully transfer each alcapurria to the simmering oil, sliding it off the paper onto your hand, then carefully dropping in the oil. Gently nudge the alcapurrias with heat-safe tongs to prevent them from sticking. (The filling may burst through the edges, causing oil to splatter, so keep a splatter guard handy, if you have one.) Turn each fritter a few times until evenly dark golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes.
• Remove from oil and drain on a baking sheet lined with paper towels and cook remaining alcapurrias. Let rest for at least 5 minutes before eating, as they are quite hot. Sprinkle each bite with your hot sauce of choice.

SHRIMP BAHIA STYLE (CAMARãO à BAIANA)

Steps:

• Very typical. Clean and prepare shrimp. Marinate for 30 min with lemon juice and crushed garlic clove. In a large frying pan heat cooking oil and add grated onion. Add shrimp. When shrimp are golden, add 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro. Sprinkle with pepper and cook until the shrimp turn pink. In the blender beat tomatoes without seeds, and a dash of hot sauce and add to shrimp mixture. Taste to see if more salt or hot sauce is needed. Serve over white rice.

PORTUGUESE CRAB SALAD (SALADA DE CARANGUEJO)

Steps:

• 1. Mix the crab, eggs, and parsley in a bowl, add a little salt and toss.
• 2. In a separate bowl and mix the mayonnaise, cream, mustard, Port wine, cayenne and black pepper until the are all combined well.
• 3. Pour the mayonnaise mixture into the bowl with the crab and gently mix the ingredients. Refrigerate overnight.
• 4. Serve on a bed of fresh lettuce.

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.