Pirao Manioc Polenta Recipes

MOQUECA COM PIRAO (BRAZILIAN SHRIMP STEW)

Steps:

• Saute onions, garlic and tomatoes in oil, in a clay pan if possible (http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/15240632.jpg). When onions are golden-about 15 minutes-add deveined and cleaned shrimp, and wait until it gets "red"-about 15 more minutes. About 5 minutes after you added the shrimp, add coconut milk and paprika. Before serving, mix in cilantro and chives.
• Pirao: 700ml water; 1 onion, chopped; 2 garlic cloves, mashed with salt; pepper & salt to taste; reserved shrimp shells; dash of colorau *; 1 cup manioc flour. In a pan with lid, boil all the ingredients for about 15 minutes. Drain. Put liquid back in pan; when it boils turn to a simmer. SLOWLY add manioc flour, stirring constantly (as for polenta). It is ready when it starts thickening. (It doesn't harden, but turns kinda gooey.).
• * We actually use "colorau" (made mainly from "urucum" seeds); instead of paprika, a better substitute in my view is annatto seeds (http://www.overmundo.com.br/overblog/nosso-colorau-o-urucum). Saute annatto seeds in the dende oil, being VERY careful not to bun them; remove seeds and use the oil.

TERRINE OF PORK CHEZ PANISSE

Steps:

• Slice fatback into thin strips and dice into uniform pieces, about 1/8 inch thick. Cut pork into thin strips and dice. Distribute fatback pieces on top of pork. Divide mixture in half on a chopping block and chop in two batches; chop until you have a varied forcemeat of fine and coarse bits of pork. When chopping, go over mixture with cleaver or knife several times, turning mixture with the blade, until you achieve the right consistency.
• Slice liver; dice it; chop as finely as possible to a near-liquid consistency. Combine chopped meat and fat with liver in a large bowl.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Heat olive oil in a small saute pan, add shallots and saute gently 5 minutes without browning until they are soft. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, combine bread crumbs and white wine and stir until crumbs are soaked. Add wine-soaked bread crumbs, softened shallots, garlic, parsley, pistachio nuts and all spices to the pork forcemeat and mix thoroughly by hand.
• Line a 1 1/2-quart terrine or loaf mold with chard leaves: cover the bottom with a large leaf and overlap the other leaves around the sides, allowing them to drape over the edge about 2 inches, trimming them if necessary. Pack forcemeat mixture into mold, mounding slightly, and fold leaves over top to enclose it. Rap bottom of mold against table to settle contents and place in a baking pan with enough water to come two-thirds of the way up the sides of the mold. Bake 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours, or until a meat thermometer, inserted only as far as the center, reads 130 degrees.
• Remove from oven and let cool 20 minutes. On the terrine, place a dish or flat board and, on top of that, a weight (a 2- or 3-pound can will do). Continue cooling at room temperature several hours. When cool and quite firm, remove weight, wrap terrine well and place in refrigerator to ripen a day or longer before serving.

OVEN-POACHED SALMON

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Split salmon lengthwise, and lay one half on a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Split the spring onions lengthwise. Place the onions, tarragon and parsley on the salmon. Top with other half of the fish.
• Slice lemon thinly and lay slices over top of salmon. Dot with butter. Sprinkle with white wine. Wrap foil loosely around the salmon, sealing the package tightly by folding over several times; this prevents steam from escaping.
• Place salmon packet on a cookie sheet and bake 30 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool, but do not open packet until ready to serve or to use.

SOFT MANIOC POLENTA

Steps:

• Bring fish bones, shrimp shells, tomatoes, onion, bell peppers, cilantro sprigs, parsley sprigs, lime juice, salt, garlic, plantain, and water to a boil in a 5- to 6-quart pot, then reduce heat and simmer stock, uncovered, until liquid is reduced to about 4 cups (vegetables will exude liquid as they cook), about 25 minutes.
• Pour stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl, discarding solids.
• If there is more than 4 cups, boil until reduced; if there is less, add water. If using stock right away, bring to a boil in cleaned pot; otherwise, chill, uncovered, until completely cooled, then cover.
• Add manioc flour in a thin stream to boiling stock, whisking constantly, then whisk in salt. Reduce heat to moderately low and cook, whisking, 1 minute. Stir in chopped herbs and let stand 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

MOQUECA (BRAZILIAN SEAFOOD STEW)

Steps:

• Use a pair of kitchen scissors to cut along the length of each prawn deep enough to expose and remove the vein. Place the fish chunks in a large bowl and season with 1 teaspoon salt. Squeeze in the juice of 1 lime and toss to coat. Set the prawns and fish aside while preparing the sauce.
• In a large, shallow Dutch oven or large, deep skillet, melt 2 tablespoons dendê oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until softened and fragrant, 1 minute. Add the onion, stir and cook, stirring until translucent, about 2 minutes.
• Increase the heat to high, add the peppers, tomatoes and chile. Season with salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the peppers are softened and any liquid from the tomatoes is beginning to evaporate, 4 minutes.
• Pour in the coconut milk, stir and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid thickens and reduces to a creamy sauce, about 10 minutes. Taste, adjust the salt, if necessary, and stir in 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro.
• Carefully place the prawns in the sauce in a single layer and cook for 2 minutes. Turn the prawns to cook the other sides and add the cod. (Discard any juices in the bowl.) The fish will be partly submerged. Cook until the fish is tender and just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Remove from heat, drizzle in the remaining 1 tablespoon dendê oil and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro. Slice the remaining lime into wedges. Serve immediately, with steamed rice and lime wedges for squeezing.

VARIATION ON MARY RANDOLPH'S POLENTA

Steps:

• Place 1/3 cup cold water in a small bowl; add polenta and mix well to soak the meal.
• Bring 4 1/2 cups of water to a rolling boil in a saucepan. Add 1 tablespoon butter and salt and return to a boil. Lower heat to a steady simmer and add the water-soaked cornmeal, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon. Continue stirring constantly while polenta cooks. Polenta should be cooked 20 to 30 minutes, to a soft mush, with no ''bite'' or hint of a raw taste.
• When polenta is done, spread in a thin layer on a bread board or pastry board. Leave to cool and firm. When firm, cut it into small rounds, about 1 1/2 inches across. A liqueur glass will do as a kind of cookie cutter; dip glass in cold water periodically to avoid sticking. Use remaining butter to grease a shallow baking pan or gratin dish. Crush garlic clove with flat blade of a knife and soften it, over low heat, with remaining butter.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Layer half the polenta rounds in bottom of greased pan. Drizzle half the melted butter over them and top with half the grated cheese. Repeat the layering, using remaining polenta, butter and cheese. Put in oven and bake 20 to 30 minutes, until brown. Serve immediately.

PIRAO (MANIOC POLENTA)

Steps:

• Bring the fish broth to a rapid boil, and stir in a little salt and pepper. Add the tomato paste, and stir to incorporate thoroughly. Sprinkle in the manioc flour, a little at a time, stirring vigorously and continuously until all the flour has been incorporated and the mixture has the consistency of soft ice cream. Serve immediately; like polenta, pirao gets stiffer the longer it sits.